U of M Parking Services opens new lot

Parking Services converted an existing, reserved parking lot onZach Curlin into an area for general parking, said EdwinaWashington, assistant vice president of business services.

The University of Memphis had workers repave, re-light andrepaint lot 53, behind the Zach Curlin garage, as an alternative tothe grassy space on Conlee between Central and Poplar scheduled tobe closed.

Lot 53, which consists of 189 spaces -- three of which arereserved for handicapped drivers -- is ready and should be openlater this week, Washington said.

The grassy lot on Conlee is being closed for a simple reason."It is not a parking lot," Washington said.

But workers have already begun surveying the land on Conlee tomake it a lot by adding it on to the Central lot. Campus officialshave also begun taking materials to block the lot off tostudents.

The lot on Conlee is not paved, striped or lighted, Washingtonsaid. And many students complain about being blocked in by othercars when parking in the grassy lot. With no lines to organize thecars, people park however they want, Washington added.

The lot is also hazardous when it rains, and cars get stuck inthe mud, which never seems to dry, she said.

The renovation of lot 53 was funded through Parking Servicesoperations, which are separate from other University of Memphisdepartments.

"Parking funds are not used for non-parking services," she said."Those funds are used for building and maintaining lots."

Priorities for parking services are also made within ParkingServices and are not in competition with other U of M PhysicalPlant needs, Washington said, adding that many of the projects haveto be long-term projects.

Parking Services officials plan to have the lot on Conlee closedby Sept. 29, and the lot will not be ready for general parkinguntil late next summer, she said.

Washington will send an e-mail out later this week announcingthe opening of the newly renovated Zach Curlin lot.