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KALAMAZOO, Mich.—In response to input at recent public sessions, nearly 200 parking spaces will be added near the new Arcadia Flats student housing development when it opens in the fall.

The additional spaces—available to residents of Arcadia Flats and Burnhams residence halls—will be included in an expansion of Lot 24, which runs along Ring Road between the west end of Arcadia Loop and Moore Drive. Lot 23, which is currently being used for construction activities, will also transition back to student parking once the project wraps up.

"We appreciate the students who raised concerns and provided input at the initial project sessions as well as the latest; this helps us provide solutions," says David Dakin, director of planning, space management and capital projects at É«É«À² Michigan University.

Work on Arcadia Flats is the first phase of the larger Hilltop Village transformation, which re-imagines the southern portion of main campus—including new student housing, a new student center and dining facility, outdoor spaces and pedestrian pathways. The entire project is expected to be complete in 2024.

Because the final vision for Hilltop Village continues to unfold, the parking expansion is meant to accommodate the immediate needs of students as Arcadia Flats opens.

"We understand parking is needed, and we're going to provide it," says Katie Jacobs, architectural project manager. "As Hilltop Village develops, the strategy will change, and eventually we will have more permanent solutions in place."

Those permanent solutions could include several parking structures, as the University looks to move away from surface parking to accommodate future buildings and programming.

"It is always exciting to see all the planning efforts come to fruition as a building prepares to open, and in this case, it is also a great start to something bigger—Hilltop Village," Dakin says.

Stay up to date on progress for both Arcadia Flats and the Hilltop Village online. The websites are updated regularly and include access to master plans as well as live feeds of the construction sites. Updates are also available on social media using #É«É«À²Build.

For more É«É«À² news, arts and events, visit É«É«À² News online.