Expanded parking plan for Southern’s campus

Several new parking lots are being planned at Southern Adventist University to help improve parking on campus, according to Marty Hamilton, senior vice president for Financial Administration.

A 13-spot expansion of Southern Village parking has already been approved by administration and will be added this summer.

“ … We need to take some pressure off of [Southern Village],” Hamilton said. 

The land for another 54-spot addition between the Hulsey Wellness Center and the Village Market is being surveyed, but has not yet been approved by administration. Hamilton said that lot would probably be one of the first to be added. 

Administration has also looked at expanding parking near the WSMC building to create more parking near Brock Hall, according to Hamilton. He said the university is also considering adding parking spots by SuCasa Spanish-American Church on Colcord Drive. That location would provide convenient access to the promenade and other nearby buildings.

 “So you get the Bietz Center, you get the library, you get Hickman science,” Hamilton said. “We’re thinking that this is probably one of our better locations to add additional parking.”

To help alleviate parking pressure, Hamilton explained,  students should try walking to different locations on campus instead of driving.

“ … You walk when you go to a campus,” Hamilton said. “… We’re too small for people not to walk.” 

Administration has tried to be forward-thinking in regard to parking, according to Hamilton.

“It’s like, ‘Okay, we [have] a problem now, but what’s it gonna take to take a little of that pressure off?’” he asked. “ … So we’re having those conversations. They’re active conversations.”