The University of Iowa is requesting permission from the Iowa Board of Regents to construct a 1,000-1,200 stall parking ramp immediately west of the College of Dentistry, reconfiguring the Newton Road entrance drives in the process.
The estimated $55,000-$60,000 project is needed to accommodate current and future growth stemming from the addition of the new Health Sciences Academic Building and new UIHC Inpatient Bed Tower, which will need an additional 500-700 parking stalls, the request proposal stated.
“Building this new parking ramp in this location would allow UI Parking and Transportation to move parking for Athletics, Dentistry and the VA hospital to the north of Newton Road, eliminating crosswalks and opening space for UIHC growth near the future UIHC Inpatient Bed Tower,” the proposal stated.
The parking ramp would also benefit the new Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center, and atone for parking displaced by the new water tower relocation south of the building.
The project budget would be funded by the Parking Improvement and Replacement Funds; in addition, the Iowa City VA Medical Center has expressed interest in leasing space from the ramp, which would significantly help fund the project. The project start date was not provided in the proposal.
Proposed expansions and renovations
In addition to the funding request for the parking ramp, UI is also proposing to expand the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at UIHC’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital at $41 million; renovate the pathology space at the Medical Research Center for $2.15 million; restore the Richey Ballroom at Iowa Memorial Union for $2.4 million; and replace one air handling unit on Lower Level of the Roy J. Carver Pavilion for $2.6 million.
