September of the 2022 school year, Bellarmine began its project to open new parking spaces to the school community, namely, through the construction of a four-story parking structure. Directly across College Park station on the intersection of Emory St. and Stockton Avenue, this new building would open up some much needed access to the school, without having to go through crowded Hedding to reach the O’Donnell and Sobrato parking lots.
This week, Bellarmine officially completed the construction of the parking structure, and though still closed off to vehicle access, the building is open to students to walk up and admire the view, as evidenced by the lack of fence surrounding the area. It’s hard to miss, towering over the baseball field and the stands, and a fantastic view of the train station and the gates of campus await all those who journey up the concrete steps.
However, there are still elements of the structure that are yet to be implemented before the structure can be put to full use. According to Bellarmine dean Ms. Pluth, one aspect still missing is electricity, which is vital for the EV charging stations on the first floor as well as the general functionalities of the space. And since the place will be used at night for evening sports, lights on every level still need to be wired up. “We are waiting for PG&E,” Ms. Pluth said, but she quickly reassured that “the administration is trying to finish the place by the end of this year.”
Walking up the stairs and taking a look at the structure with Baird Radford ‘24, I noticed a few small elements of the structure that had yet to be fleshed out. What about speed bumps at each level? Fencing around the top floor to ensure student safety? These were some of the questions I had in mind, and Baird seemed to agree with me: “nothing is stopping me from going fifty miles per hour around these bends,” he joked.
Overall though, Bellarmine has dedicated a significant amount of resources and time over these last two semesters to the structure, and it’s once-blueprint has become a reality. So now that it’s done, what’s next? First off, the Matthewson area. Although currently open to visitor, staff, and student parking, the administration next going to work on the space, potentially clearing the way for a restructuring of the very old O’Donnell. From its top floors, students can also observe that adjacent to the alleyway, a small plot of land is being cleared up. This space would ideally house “the Jesuits, as Bellarmine prepares to move our dedicated priest out of Wade Hall into a larger space.
Jeffrey Mu is the Editor-in-Chief of the Bell Online. Check out his articles on this website documenting student life and the Bellarmine experience.
