The Zina Pitcher Parking Structure (M101) opened Dec. 16 at the corner of Catherine Street and Zina Pitcher Place, adding 570 parking spaces to support staff, patients and visitors on the Medical Campus.
The new structure is a key component of the university’s broader plan to accommodate anticipated growth in parking demand associated with the opening of the Kahn Pavilion, while minimizing displacement of existing staff parking. The project was managed and delivered by Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) in close collaboration with Facilities & Operations units, including Logistics, Transportation & Parking (LTP). Operating under an accelerated schedule, the team successfully completed the project from initial planning to full occupancy in under 2 years.
Expanded and more predictable staff parking
A primary benefit of the new facility is improved parking access for staff with Gold and Blue permits in one of the campus’s most heavily used areas. More than 300 Gold permit spaces that were previously distributed across several smaller lots were consolidated into the Zina Pitcher structure, making parking locations more predictable and freeing nearby capacity for patient and visitor use in the P5 structure. Approximately 50 incremental Gold permit spaces were also added.
Gold, Business, and Service spaces formerly located in the Catherine Street and Ann Street structures were converted to Blue permit parking, resulting in about 100 additional Blue spaces in a high-demand area.
License plate recognition technology improves access
Zina Pitcher became the first campus parking facility to use license plate recognition (LPR) technology to manage entry and exit. Cameras at each gate scan license plates, verify virtual permits and automatically raise gate arms. Mcards remain available as a backup option if a license plate cannot be read.
Permit holders can update vehicle information online at umich.aimsparking.com.
Integration with the MGoPark app is underway, with real-time occupancy information for the structure expected to be available in the coming weeks.
Sustainability-focused design
The parking structure incorporates several environmentally informed design features aligned with the university’s carbon neutrality goals. Construction methods and material selections resulted in an estimated 20% reduction in embodied carbon compared with similar facilities. The roof was designed to support future solar panel installation.
Additional sustainability features include regenerative elevators that capture energy during braking, an open-air design that eliminates the need for powered ventilation, provisions for future electric vehicle charging stations, and landscaping with native plant species that do not require permanent irrigation.
Collaboration across units
Planning and construction of the Zina Pitcher Parking Structure required close coordination among multiple Facilities & Operations teams.
“Completing the Zina Pitcher parking deck in under two years is an achievement made possible by close collaboration between AEC, our Facilities & Operations partners, and the full construction and design team,” said Bryan Valachek, AEC Project Director. “This accelerated timeline reflects our shared commitment to delivering essential campus infrastructure efficiently for the community.”
Looking ahead
The Zina Pitcher Parking Structure represents a significant infrastructure improvement for the Medical Campus, combining expanded parking capacity, modern access technology and sustainable design. Facilities & Operations will continue to monitor usage and implement enhancements as additional features become available.
Questions about parking permits or vehicle registration can be directed to Logistics, Transportation & Parking at ltp.umich.edu.