PARKING RAMP AT MEMORIAL UNION

The earliest reference to special parking facilities for the Memorial Union seems to be in a story in the Iowa State Daily on July 1, 1955:

As for future plans for parking areas, (H.E.) Pride commented that it was only a matter of time until people would realize the necessity of underground parking.

He said that a plan for such a lot between Memorial Union and the Campanile has already been drawn up. This underground parking would accommodate 1,000 cars and, if built now, would cost approximately $2,500,000.

An underground facility was again in the news in March 1957. But by 1962 the concept had shifted to construction of a ramp.¹ In 1964 the architects began preliminary studies for a ramp.² The Board of Regents recommended and the State Executive Council approved transfer of title to the land needed for the site and in January 1966 the piling contract was awarded. Two months later the contract for general construction was signed.

The ramp was opened for use on July 1, 1967.³