Washington Apartments demolition to begin in upcoming weeks

A plan is underway to relieve students and faculty of the issue to find parking spots.

Construction has begun to demolish Washington Apartments to be replaced with new parking lots. According to the current project supervisor, Bob Talalay, the buildings have been evacuated of any hazardous materials such as asbestos.

Demolition crews will start tearing down the former apartments in the next couple of weeks.

The lot is planned to be shared by the faculty and staff that use the Education and Human Services Building, with 294 spaces to help with the issue of overcrowded lots, according to John Cooper, job site foreman of the demolition.

The Board of Trustees last Thursday authorized the creation of lots 48,49 and 56, near the Education Building.

Lakeview graduate student Kim Jeffery believes that this will help the situation.

“For all the years coming to this school, there has never been parking spots,” Jeffery said.

Others are skeptical that this extra lot will really alleviate the stress of trying to find spots.

“I still question if they’ll have enough spots if students are going to be able to use it. I hope there will be enough room for faculty,” said literacy professor Tamara Jetton. “I really wish they would build a parking garage.”

The next step to this construction after demolition is repaving the streets Ojibway, Ottawa, and Calumet, Cooper said. These are the streets that surround the area where the parking lot will be built.

Cooper said the roads will be repaved by August 14, and the lot will be completed by September 11.

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