University Times

G. Robert Harkins, director of Parking, Transportation and Services, reported to the University Senate's plant utilization and planning commission Dec. 17 on Pitt Stadium-related construction issues.

"Stadium demolition began Dec. 1 and will continue until April," Harkins said. The demolition plans call for construction workers to dig a road that curves around the rim of the stadium to the base for vehicle access, he said.

"Crews will leave Sections 1-14 of the stadium alone, temporarily, while athletics offices are re-located. The athletics academic support office is moving to the Victoria Building in January; athletic administration offices will go into Bruce Hall in late January or early February; the ticket office already moved into Sutherland [Hall] shortly after the [Nov. 17] Notre Dame game," Harkins said.

Other athletics offices will be temporarily located in trailers near Trees Hall, he said.

"After athletics offices are relocated, I'm going to do an assessment of all the garages and lots on the lower campus for flexibility: trying to move people around and get them closer to their working areas. Eventually, all athletic offices will move back to the new convocation center or to the South Side practice facility," Harkins said. Pitt is moving most of its football operations to the new UPMC Health System/Pittsburgh Steelers training facility built on the old LTV steel mill site.

Harkins said as a result of construction, Pitt's Parking and Transportation office will lose 60 spaces in D Lot and about 100 spaces in ST Lot. The OC Lot will remain intact.

"We've also put in a valet parking person in the Y Lot at the top of Darragh Street, to pack more cars in."

Harkins also reported:

* The utilities project on Terrace and DeSoto Streets are complete and traffic is back to normal there.

* Sutherland Drive is now a one way street coming down the hill and will remain so for about the next two years.

* New exterior lighting has been installed on the upper campus and a sidewalk has been built for access between Sutherland Hall and Trees Hall.

–Peter Hart