Wayne State University, Detroit Public Schools (DPS) and Woodward Millennium Limited Partnership (WMLP) officials signed a joint agreement today that will ultimately provide more parking in the downtown campus area.

The development project calls for construction of a 954-space parking garage in the area of John R, Woodward and Mack avenues. The six-story structure will provide 500 parking spaces for the university. The remaining 454 spaces will be divided between DPS and WMLP, the group coordinating and delivering the project. DPS parking is needed for a new high school being built nearby.

The parking garage will be particularly accessible to Wayne State students, faculty and staff using the new six-story home of the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid said the project is consistent with the university's commitment both to serve students and partner with its neighbors.

"We are very pleased about this project," Reid said. "Our students, faculty and staff have an immediate need for the additional parking. Detroit

Public Schools personnel will also have benefit from the added resources of this facility, as will visitors to the area. This project is another example of cooperation between the university and its most important neighbor that benefits the surrounding community as well."

Dr. Kenneth Burnley, CEO of Detroit Public Schools, expressed optimism about the collaboration. "I am excited about this joint project because it provides further evidence of the strong commitment each of us has to the future of the city of Detroit," said Burnley. "Visitors to our new performing and technology arts high school now under construction about a block away will benefit greatly from the additional parking spaces. The entire community is well served by this project. "

Construction will begin immediately, with a completion date anticipated in spring 2003. "We are planning to move the project forward in an effort to address our growing parking needs in the Woodward, Mack and John R area," said John L. Davis, Wayne State's senior vice president for finance and administration. "Even though the university has approximately 12,000 parking spaces available campus wide, our population of students, faculty, staff and visitors continues to increase and shift. It is our job to keep meeting those challenges, especially in the areas of the campus with high demands."

The planned parking structure is the first of a three-phase project undertaken by the Woodward Millennium Limited Partnership. According to Peter D. Cummings of WMLP, who also is chairman of Ram Development Company, other projects are planned in the Woodward/Mack area for the first or second quarter of 2003. Cummings plans a development on Woodward that will have 10,000 square feet of retail space and 60,000 square feet of office space. Residential lofts are also planned as part of phase three.