Bioscience Construction Underway; Sullivan Gymnasium Parking
Lot Closed
After nearly two years of planning, construction is underway
on USM's Bioscience Research addition to the Science Building
on Falmouth St., Portland. The facility has been designed
to greatly improve the ability of USM faculty to conduct research.
Construction crews broke ground on Monday, March 25. Scheduled
completion is April of 2003.
Most of the 111-space parking lot between the Science Building
and Sullivan Gym has been closed during construction. Six
handicapped spaces plus several general spaces have been left
at the Sullivan Gym end of the lot for faculty and staff parking.
The lot will reopen in April of 2003, but with about 40 fewer
spaces. It also should be noted that plans call for the 1,200-space
parking garage on Bedford St. to open in the fall of 2003.
During break week of March 25 construction crews added a
total of eight new spaces to the lot on the Brighton Avenue
side of Payson Smith Hall and 21 spaces to the lot adjacent
to the Alumni House.
Nevertheless, parking will be much tighter than usual
for faculty and staff during the construction phase. In
addition, faculty and staff are reminded that parking in
the lot adjacent to the Woodbury Campus Center is
reserved exclusively for students.
There are parking options that faculty and staff
who have used the Sullivan Gym lot need to consider.
The first is the availability of about 90 spaces on
university-leased property on Baxter Boulevard,
adjacent to the site of the former WPOR Radio
headquarters. Those spaces are located just off the
intersection of Forest Avenue and Baxter Boulevard.
Another option is the underutilized Marginal Way
lot. These 300 spaces are located at the intersection
of Marginal Way and Preble St. During the academic
year, the lot is serviced by a shuttle bus which runs
about every 15 minutes. The shuttle makes regular
stops at the Woodbury Campus Center, in front of
Payson Smith and, if demand exists, will stop at other
campus locations.
Portland METRO also offers its FAST (Forest Avenue Smart Travel) service,
which provides METRO bus service every 15 minutes along Forest
Avenue from Pride's Corner in Westbrook to downtown Portland.
METRO stops are located near the intersection of Bedford and
Forest Ave. Other METRO lines service the Portland campus
area from Exit 8, the Maine Mall and downtown. Park-and-ride
lots also are available. Fare is 50 cents for riders showing
a USM ID. There were more than 25,000 USM rides on the METRO
last year. You can call 774- 0351 or e-mail metro@gpmetrobus.com.
A METRO kiosk is located in the Woodbury Campus Center.
We are asking faculty and staff NOT to park on
neighborhood streets. USM neighbors and city
officials have expressed a great deal of frustration
with increased traffic and parking along city streets.
It's in everyone's best interest not to aggravate that
situation. We also have made arrangements for
construction crews to park off site so that they are not
on neighborhood streets.
Questions about parking can be directed to Dewey Ferguson,
USM's parking and transportation manager, at 780-5254, or
www.usm.maine.edu/police/parking.htm.
We also have set up a construction hotline at 780-4711 where
people can leave questions or complaints. A construction Web
site is located at mis.usm.maine.edu/software/FacMgt.
Click on "Projects" and then click on "Major Construction."
The $11.2 million addition, which is funded as
part of the state's R&D initiative, will feature 12
research labs and support space on a basement level
and two floors above ground. "When completed in
April of 2003," said President Richard Pattenaude, "it
will provide the facilities that will allow faculty to attract
external grants and generate the teaching and
research needed to support this region's evolving
industries.
Moreover, USM will become more valued as an institution that
can provide new economic and educational opportunities for
the people of Maine." A ground breaking ceremony was held
at 2 p.m., Friday, March 22, adjacent to the Science Building.
Tours of labs in the Science Building were held immediately
following the ceremony.
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