The University of Wyoming’s new Ivinson Parking Garage has opened, creating hundreds of new parking spaces for the campus community — and some for the public.

The three-level, $29 million facility is a key component of long-planned changes taking place on the university campus related to the construction of new student residence halls.

Built by Sampson Construction Co. and designed by By Architectural Means, both headquartered in Cheyenne, the parking garage is located between 10th and 11th streets along Ivinson Avenue. It follows the Collegiate Gothic sandstone style of other buildings on UW’s central campus.

“It’s opening a little later than we had hoped, but the Ivinson Parking Garage is a great addition to campus,” Vice President for Campus Operations Bill Mai says. “The exterior design nicely complements UW’s historical architecture, and the facility provides a safe, modern setting for community members to park their vehicles.”

The Ivinson Parking Garage also is home to the headquarters of the UW Police Department (UWPD), and 35 security cameras are in and around the facility.

In all, the parking garage contains 373 parking spaces. Ten are reserved for the UWPD; 42 are metered/short-term parking on the first level; 315 are “Gold” permit spaces; and six are “Other” spaces. The metered spaces on the lower level can be paid for at payment kiosks located in the facility or on UW’s ParkMobile app.

Parking in the garage is free after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

The three levels of the facility are identified by themes of animals native to Wyoming: Level 1 is “Cutthroat Trout,” level 2 is “Marmot,” and level 3 is “Pronghorn.”

Patrons of the garage can use either the east (11th Street) or west (10th Street) entrances to enter or exit. 

The facility’s elevator is not yet operational but should be functioning by July. Accessible spaces on level 2 have been temporarily located on level 1.

UW Transportation Services notes that Ivinson Avenue north of the garage will be resurfaced starting Monday, May 15. Additionally, contractors are still working in the garage on punch-list items, so people should be cautious entering and exiting the facility and driving through.

UW buses will begin stopping at the Ivinson Parking Garage May 15. The garage will be served by the Link route and will offer direct service to and from the Wyoming Union every 20 minutes. 

The Ivinson Parking Garage will replace a portion of the parking being displaced along 15th Street by the student dining and housing project. The Wyoming Union parking lot will close permanently Friday, May 26, for construction of the new residence halls. Bus shelters will remain open to UWYO Roundup bus traffic during construction.

At present, “Gold” permits for the Ivinson Parking Garage are available on the UW Transportation Services website for this summer only — for faculty, staff and students. The price is $32.50 per month.

“Brown” permits — which are good at the newly opened 40-space Brown Zone 101 parking lot, located at 12th and Bradley streets — are $22 per month. Summer 2023 “Brown” permits are for sale on the website to faculty and staff only.

All UW 2023-24 academic year parking permits will go on sale in July. More information will be released in coming weeks. Availability for student parking in the Ivinson Parking Garage in 2023-24 will be determined during the summer based on faculty/staff demand.

Before the Ivinson Parking Garage project began in fall 2021, there were 148 spaces in a parking lot at that location. The 373 spaces in the new structure will mean an increase of 225 spaces at that location.

The Ivinson Parking Garage and new parking areas along Bradley Street will contain a total of over 600 parking spaces — more than offsetting the 450 being lost along 15th Street due to the student housing and dining project. Additionally, UW’s administration is seeking approval from the Board of Trustees for funding to demolish the old UWPD headquarters north of campus on Flint Street and create a parking area there.

For more information about summer parking permits and planned parking changes this fall, visit the UW Transportation Services website at www.uwyo.edu/tps; call the office at (307) 766-9800; or email tps@uwyo.edu.