Multiple construction efforts, which include the expansion of two parking lots near Anthony Hall, a new parking lot built on a portion of the former McAndrew Stadium and the demolition of the parking garage east of the Student Center, are leading up to one thing: a new Student Services Building.

“We’re trying to sequence this in a rational, logical manner,” said Todd Sigler, director of the Department of Public Safety. “During the transition, there will certainly be some adjustments that will be made, and people will be displaced a little bit.”

The building would cost $32 million and cover 75,000 square feet, and construction would begin by the end of the spring 2012 semester.

The new building is part of the Saluki Way program, a master plan that is also comprised of the now-completed football stadium and the track and field complex, which is under construction. The plan’s goal is to establish a new campus core at the university.

Rod Sievers, assistant to the chancellor for media relations, said the Student Services building, which would include services such as Undergraduate Admissions, the Bursar’s Office and Financial Aid, would be a one-stop shop for new students while trying to register.

However, before construction can begin on the new building, Sigler said other projects must be completed first.

Parking lots 10A and 10B, located near Anthony Hall and Route 51, were recently redesigned to provide approximately 81 additional parking spaces, according to documents on the SIU Board of Trustee’s website. Parking in these lots will be available for students, faculty, staff and visitors and will include handicapped-accessible spaces and motorcycle parking.

The budget for parking lots 10A, 10B and 13B is estimated at $1.1 million. On July 14, the SIU Board of Trustees approved the budget for Lot 13B of $587,968, which includes general construction and infrastructure for future security enhancements.

Sigler said parking lot 13B would be constructed as a flat surface because it is less expensive than building a parking infrastructure similar to the two-story parking garage near the Student Center and is more expensive to maintain a multi-level parking structure.

Lots 10A and 10B were redesigned to provide additional parking spaces while the parking garage is demolished to make way for the new Student Services building, Sigler said. The garage’s upper and lower level have 342 spaces combined, he said.

To make up for parking lost from the demolition of the parking garage, Sigler said parking lot 13B will be constructed on a portion of McAndrew Stadium, providing 223 additional spaces, according to July 14 Board of Trustees meeting minutes.

“We’re trying to make an even exchange for the spaces that are going to be lost in the parking garage,” Sigler said. “The goal is to be at a zero gain, zero loss,” he said.

Debbie O’Neill, a graduate student in speech communication and women studies from Washington, said she doesn’t understand why over $1 million is spent on parking lots when the university’s academics are suffering from the budget crisis.

“I’m adamantly against spending that kind of money,” she said. “They’re going to spend $1 million on parking? That’s ludicrous. They need to put that money back into education.”

Before parking lots 10A and 10B were redesigned, O’Neill said there were two rows of trees within the lots, which are now gone.

“(The university) took out the trees that gave shade to people in cars and made the university look nicer,” she said. “There was no need … there wasn’t even a need to resurface that lot. It wasn’t pockmarked and torn up. That was a waste of money and a waste of time. It was an absolute waste of everything.”

Sievers said the location of the parking garage made the most sense as the location for the new Student Services building.

“(The parking garage) is at the end of its life,” he said. “It’s not worth saving.”

O’Neill said she’s noticed parts of the concrete stairs leading to upper level of the parking garage are crumbling and understands the garage may have outlived its use. But with two injured knees, she said the parking garage is the most convenient lot for places on campus such as the Student Center, Faner Hall and Morris Library.

“I’ve injured both of my knees over the years, and so having some place a little closer is really nice also,” she said. “There’s rarely parking at the lot near the library, so this is really handy.”

Sigler said although the approved budget for Lot 13B does not include costs for a closed-circuit surveillance system, the electrical infrastructure will already be in place if the Department of Public Safety decides to install security cameras in the future.

“Whenever we work with Plant and Services in the design and construction of a new lot, we will, at a minimum, what they call ‘rough in’ the electrical infrastructure so that if a decision is made to add cameras to a lot later on … then it’s just a matter of hooking up the cameras and installing them,” Sigler said.

He said the camera equipment and the servers to store data would be additional costs not included in the approved budget for lot 13B. He said he isn’t sure how much it would cost to purchase cameras but said it would be funded through SIUC’s Parking Division.

“These are all projects designed to hopefully the enhance the experience for everybody,” Sigler said. “There is obviously an inconvenience for everybody whenever you have a construction, and we are certainly appreciative of everybody’s patience with that.”