This year, the new South College Parking Garage opened its doors to students and faculty, adding 650 new parking spaces to campus.

Construction is still underway on the fourth level and the canopy rooftop, but the first three levels are officially open for use. The garage should be complete by the end of August, after roughly a year of construction.

“We’re very pleased to have a new parking structure that aligns with campus culture sustainability,” said Fred Haberecht, the Assistant Director of Facilities Management.

In line with CSU’s sustainability efforts, the roof of the structure has the capability to set up solar panels, which will be implemented soon.

The garage will provide additional parking on the perimeter of campus, and it is located next to the transit line for commuter convenience. It will also be used to accommodate patients and employees using the new medical center, slated for completion Fall 2017.

“It’s just a good looking building,” Haberecht said. “It integrates into the campus aesthetic by sharing some of the characteristics that are common to other buildings on campus.”

Many students have voiced their complaints about how difficult it can be to find parking on campus. The University is troubleshooting this issue to accommodate the growing population of students.

“I previously have had a hard time parking on campus, but this year I purchased the commuter pass for the Z lot, so we’ll see how it goes,” said Amber Lee, a computer science student.

Permits are available for purchase, but there are also pay-per-hour spaces. Students who use the pay-per-hour spots will have the option to pay online using a phone application called Way-to-Park.

The garage will have six charging ports for electric cars, bringing the total of charging ports on campus to 24. The structure is equipped with the latest parking technology to help drivers find available spots efficiently using a light system.

“I’ve heard from other students that the commuter lots get full pretty quick,” Lee said. “I hope the project goes well, I could see myself using the garage in the future.”

Collegian Construction Beat Reporter Veronica Baas can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @vcbaas.