Good Shepherd lot loses half its capacity
New policy eliminates parking privileges for incoming freshman

By Benjamin Circelli & Shannon Curley
Senior Staff Writer & Collegian Staff
March 22, 2006

Beginning next fall, La Salle will reduce the parking capacity in the Good Shepherd parking lot for the development of a new retail center and supermarket. The building project is slated to begin in August.

The Good Shepherd parking lot will lose 50 percent of its parking spaces once
construction on the new retail center begins. Photo taken by Gwen Tuxbury.

“We’re looking at [losing] roughly half of our parking in Good Shepherd,” Associate Director of Security and Safety, Dennis Graeber, said. “The 450 parking spots now available will be cut to about 225.”

Graeber also said the retail center will be a private entity open to La Salle students and the surrounding community.

While the changes will not affect the parking privileges of current students, the University is changing the policy for freshman students, who will be restricted from applying for University parking permits. This will be a drastic change, as La Salle differed from area schools, including the University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University, by granting first-year students on-campus parking privileges. St. Joseph’s University and Temple University offer students parking permits on a limited first-come, first-serve basis. Students must show a proof of residence at Temple in order to gain a pass, while commuters hold priority at St. Joe’s. Vice President of Enrollment Services Division Raymond Ricci said he does not believe the policy change will have a material impact on freshman enrollment for the 2006-2007 school year.

Current La Salle students have mixed emotions about the policy change. While some said that they could overlook the subtraction of parking to create a better community, others were concerned that the policy will amplify some of the current parking problems at La Salle.

Freshman Lauren Hokrein said that many of her friends have cars on campus so that they can get around the city.

“We would rather use a car to get into Center City than risk [taking] public transportation, which will take longer and isn’t necessarily the safest,” she said.

Junior Ted Jabara said the first question he asked the colleges he applied to was if he could bring his car on campus as a freshman. La Salle’s allowing him to do so contributed to his decision to enroll. Jabara also said that by taking away the parking spaces in Good Shepherd, the University is creating more problems for itself.

“Right now, the two main problems seem to be the lack of parking and lack of security,” he said. “By taking more spaces away and combining one of the lots with a communal complex, both problems are likely to perpetuate.”

Junior Alexis Keegan said the retail center and supermarket would be a great addition to the University. However, she empathized with incoming freshman who will not be able to bring their vehicles.

“It has been imperative since [my] freshman year that I have my car here on campus, because I needed to go home a lot on the weekends to work and see my family,” she said.

Although the University welcomes the new retail center, which will include a family-style restaurant, a bank and a Fresh Grocer supermarket, Graeber said building it will present new implications for the security force.

“We don’t know what the crime picture will produce, but we’re very flexible in the things that we do and how we handle different situations,” Graeber said.

While Safety and Security will keep an eye out for any negative developments involving students, the retail center falls under the jurisdiction of the Philadelphia Police Department and the security that is provided by the complex.

Safety and Security recommended to the University that a fence be erected to separate the Good Shepherd Lot and the retail complex to help protect student vehicles.

While the retail center offers plenty of benefits to students and the surrounding community, adjustments will have to be made and patience must be shown during the construction process and initial opening.

Currently, no increases in parking permit prices or in fines for violations have been made for 2006-2007.

circellib1@lasalle.edu
curleys1@lasalle.edu