New parking structure open on west side of campus

Dear students, faculty and staff,

I am pleased to announce the completion of two important projects designed to address critical parking needs, increase pedestrian safety and calm the flow of traffic on the west side of campus.

The new Grenshaw Street Parking Structure opened Aug. 7. Located just west of the Wood Street Parking Structure, the new facility provides eight levels of parking and an additional 1,000 parking spaces for employees and visitors to the west side of campus. A pedestrian connection on its second level connects the Grenshaw Street and Wood Street garages. Construction began in January 2025 and was completed last month.

The public-private project also included the installation of traffic-calming measures near the hospital, which were completed in three phases. The work began in February, and its first phase addressed the installation of curb extensions at Wood and Fillmore streets. In the next phase, curb extensions and a raised crosswalk were installed at Hermitage and Taylor streets, which required closing Taylor Street between Paulina and Wood streets, rerouting UIC shuttle buses, and relocating bus stops.

The project's final phase included the construction of a raised intersection at Wood and Taylor streets and the installation of new traffic signals.

With all work completed, Taylor Street is expected to reopen at 6 a.m. Aug. 13, pending city approval. UIC shuttle buses will resume operating on their normal routes at 7 a.m. that day. Hospital patient drop-off zones and valet services will also resume normal operations.

These projects not only solve an immediate parking issue while addressing safety concerns but also ensure the university's west side of campus is positioned for future growth, including the expansion of hospital and clinic services and the construction of the new Drug Discovery and Cancer Research Pavilion.

We truly appreciate the campus community's patience and cooperation during the past 18 months of construction and feel confident that these projects will further support the university's mission to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence.

Best,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

For more information, please contact:
Sherry Krsticevic
[email protected]