Excerpted from the Chronicle article on Leebron's 10th year at Rice ... " The arts are key to Rice's continued westward expansion. A new opera house will be built over the sprawling parking lots on the west end of campus. The university is creating a visual arts program, to be housed in the planned Moody Center, which will replace the existing tennis courts. The plan is to create collaborations there with museums, like those with the medical center at the BioScience Research Collaborative."

Between the new tennis center and the continuing studies building, Rice lost almost 1,000 parking spots. Sounds like we are about to lose more. I wonder when the "Vision for On-campus Parking" will be unveiled.

I wouldn't say the parking lots on the west side of campus are 'sprawling'.

Underground parking and off-campus parking lots (between Rice Stadium and Rice Village - although that land is probably too valuable to be used for just parking) are the only alternatives for future parking.

(07-28-2014 06:51 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I wouldn't say the parking lots on the west side of campus are 'sprawling'.

Underground parking and off-campus parking lots (between Rice Stadium and Rice Village - although that land is probably too valuable to be used for just parking) are the only alternatives for future parking.

I would imagine Hess will be turned into parking when it is no longer needed.

Could always build an above ground parking deck somewhere too. Yeah, it wouldn't look pretty, but they need it.

As Rice builds more and consumes available parking I think the only answer will be an above ground parking facility. Don't know about below ground. I know it would be more esthetically pleasing..but Im not sure a large undergroung parking facility would be the answer in Houston. Maybe the archies on the board have an opinion.

(07-28-2014 08:56 AM)greyowl72 Wrote:  As Rice builds more and consumes available parking I think the only answer will be an above ground parking facility. Don't know about below ground. I know it would be more esthetically pleasing..but Im not sure a large undergroung parking facility would be the answer in Houston. Maybe the archies on the board have an opinion.

I believe the future plan for parking is an above ground garage somewhere in the current West Lot area.

(07-28-2014 08:56 AM)greyowl72 Wrote:  As Rice builds more and consumes available parking I think the only answer will be an above ground parking facility. Don't know about below ground. I know it would be more esthetically pleasing..but Im not sure a large undergroung parking facility would be the answer in Houston. Maybe the archies on the board have an opinion.

A large underground parking garage is certainly doable. There is already a two-story underground garage under the Jones School, and it's size was only limited by the building footprint.

Surface parking is about as inefficient a use of land as you can get. No longer makes sense given the value of the land we're talking about. UT still has some surface parking but it's now mostly parking garages. A big problem is of course Houston's car culture (though I get the impression transit has improved considerably in the last 10-15 years) but even so, I think structured parking is the only long term solution.

I've seen some garages that have offices/retail surrounding the garage so it doesn't actually look like a garage from the outside. Let's hope we spend the time and money to do it right...

Underground parking is much easier to build before the buildings atop it, so it's not too late in some parts of campus. Size is no object; there's a ginormous underground parking garage beneath Greenway Plaza.

(07-28-2014 06:54 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  I would imagine Hess will be turned into parking when it is no longer needed.

I gather that's NOT the plan.

From the same Chronicle article referred to in OP:

Quote:The university is creating a visual arts program, to be housed in the planned Moody Center, which will replace the existing tennis courts.

(07-28-2014 10:07 AM)Almadenmike Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 06:54 AM)d1owls4life Wrote:  I would imagine Hess will be turned into parking when it is no longer needed.

I gather that's NOT the plan.

From the same Chronicle article referred to in OP:

Quote:The university is creating a visual arts program, to be housed in the planned Moody Center, which will replace the existing tennis courts.

Thanks, hadn't seen that. Wow, ridiculous.

Frankly, I think a parking garage outside Moody, Tudor and the Shepherd School would make more sense than one in the west lot. Use it for students who typically park and leave their cars for a while... and don't generally come and go at the same time.

The whole point of parking for sporting events is quick egress.

If we want a parking garage at the stadiums, it should be primarily for players, coaches, avid fans and media who aren't going to all be coming and going at the same time as the casual fans. Leave the surface lots for people who will be arriving 30 minutes or less before the game and leaving within 15 minutes of the end of the game. Offer 'covered' parking to those who will be arriving 2 hours before the game and staying until well after.

(07-28-2014 12:13 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  Frankly, I think a parking garage outside Moody, Tudor and the Shepherd School would make more sense than one in the west lot. Use it for students who typically park and leave their cars for a while... and don't generally come and go at the same time.

The whole point of parking for sporting events is quick egress.

If we want a parking garage at the stadiums, it should be primarily for players, coaches, avid fans and media who aren't going to all be coming and going at the same time as the casual fans. Leave the surface lots for people who will be arriving 30 minutes or less before the game and leaving within 15 minutes of the end of the game. Offer 'covered' parking to those who will be arriving 2 hours before the game and staying until well after.

All of the lots in that area are West Lot parking lots (Lots 1 through 5). When you say the west lot, do you mean Greenbriar lot where the Beer Bike track is?

(07-28-2014 12:33 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 12:13 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  Frankly, I think a parking garage outside Moody, Tudor and the Shepherd School would make more sense than one in the west lot. Use it for students who typically park and leave their cars for a while... and don't generally come and go at the same time.

The whole point of parking for sporting events is quick egress.

If we want a parking garage at the stadiums, it should be primarily for players, coaches, avid fans and media who aren't going to all be coming and going at the same time as the casual fans. Leave the surface lots for people who will be arriving 30 minutes or less before the game and leaving within 15 minutes of the end of the game. Offer 'covered' parking to those who will be arriving 2 hours before the game and staying until well after.

All of the lots in that area are West Lot parking lots (Lots 1 through 5). When you say the west lot, do you mean Greenbriar lot where the Beer Bike track is?

Sorry. Yes. The old plan I'd seen placed a parking garage up against Greenbriar, with the comment that we could lease it during the week to the med center and/or the village... so that is what I thought you meant.

I think of parking in terms of the Stadium, as most of the other lots are pretty small and fairly specific in nature. Few have the volume and traffic of ANY of the west (in campus terms) lots

Go vertical. Wrap the garage with offices or even retail.

Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

The spaces that have been lost are in the East lot. A Shepherd School location would make sense since they have a lot of visitors who pay parking to go to a music event. Also, it would be close enough to continuing education.

(07-28-2014 12:43 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 12:33 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-28-2014 12:13 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  Frankly, I think a parking garage outside Moody, Tudor and the Shepherd School would make more sense than one in the west lot. Use it for students who typically park and leave their cars for a while... and don't generally come and go at the same time.

The whole point of parking for sporting events is quick egress.

If we want a parking garage at the stadiums, it should be primarily for players, coaches, avid fans and media who aren't going to all be coming and going at the same time as the casual fans. Leave the surface lots for people who will be arriving 30 minutes or less before the game and leaving within 15 minutes of the end of the game. Offer 'covered' parking to those who will be arriving 2 hours before the game and staying until well after.

All of the lots in that area are West Lot parking lots (Lots 1 through 5). When you say the west lot, do you mean Greenbriar lot where the Beer Bike track is?

Sorry. Yes. The old plan I'd seen placed a parking garage up against Greenbriar, with the comment that we could lease it during the week to the med center and/or the village... so that is what I thought you meant.

I think of parking in terms of the Stadium, as most of the other lots are pretty small and fairly specific in nature. Few have the volume and traffic of ANY of the west (in campus terms) lots

(07-28-2014 09:37 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Underground parking is much easier to build before the buildings atop it, so it's not too late in some parts of campus. Size is no object; there's a ginormous underground parking garage beneath Greenway Plaza.

Yes, but it costs significantly more. The cost for students/staff would definitely go up and that would be a big issue. I am curious about the cost of Greenway parking on a per-spot basis. I will inquire next week

As JAAO said, Rice could integrate a parking garage into a new construction or invest in making it look good. SMU has done an excellent job with the Moody Parking Garage - it blends in to their campus very well



Another option would be to go modern. Clad the parking garage in gray and blue metal like BBVA stadium.

What does the underground parking already at Rice cost?

I'm not aware of any law requiring parking providers to charge more for underground parking.

It seems that every time I turn around, Rice is devoting more space to teaching, research, housing and recreation and less space to surface parking. How do we stop this horrible trend?

I know you're trying to be cynical but I do think one of Rice's charms is that the campus still has a lot of green space nestled amongst its campus. And while growth is wonderful, I don't think you want a campus that looks overcrowded. Some of these new campus buildings are taking away some of the green space - can't be helped.

But one of these days, Rice is going to have to bite the bullet and just reclaim some of its land outside the hedges. And then they can grow certain elements of the campus in these satellite locations. I don't believe the main 300-acre campus is going to be big enough for the Rice of the middle or late 21st century.

(08-03-2014 10:10 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  I know you're trying to be cynical but I do think one of Rice's charms is that the campus still has a lot of green space nestled amongst its campus. And while growth is wonderful, I don't think you want a campus that looks overcrowded. Some of these new campus buildings are taking away some of the green space - can't be helped.

But one of these days, Rice is going to have to bite the bullet and just reclaim some of its land outside the hedges. And then they can grow certain elements of the campus in these satellite locations. I don't believe the main 300-acre campus is going to be big enough for the Rice of the middle or late 21st century.

Agreed on all counts!