After many delays, the back parking lot will begin construction for a remodel in mid-June. The remodel will include solar panels, resurfacing and restriping. The intention of the remodel is to produce energy for the school from the solar panels and to give the parking lot a much-needed refresh.
The remodel is expected to extend through the end of the summer, with a possibility of it stretching into the first semester of the 2025-26 school year. Roughly 240 spots will be unavailable while the remodel is in progress.
While the remodeled parking lot will ultimately benefit staff and students, it will also leave many students (particularly rising juniors), without assigned parking spots.
Saum Zargar, an assistant principal and the manager of the project, said that there are plans to compensate for the parking spots that will be unavailable during the remodel.
“The current plan is to create two temporary parking lots, one is going to be between the gym and the portable classrooms, and the second will be by the junior varsity baseball field,” Zargar said.
Zargar also highlighted that all staff currently parked in the back lot will be moved to the front lot.
“Worst case scenario, is that [the back parking lot] is closed for the first semester, and we open it at the start of second semester,” Zargar said.
The current parking system prioritizes students who carpool with three or more people, as well as seniors when randomly assigning parking. This approach will remain in place for next year’s parking assignments.
Rising juniors are expected to be heavily affected by the upcoming remodel and should prepare for the possibility of not being assigned spots under the current system.
“There is a likelihood that juniors will be affected more than seniors when it comes to next year’s parking,” Zargar said.
The issue of competitive parking has been present at Redwood for years and likely will be heightened by the remodel as it will increase the scarcity of spots.
Sophomore Reagan Bloch currently parks on Lucky Drive, commuting from Tiburon, roughly a 20 minute drive away from campus. As a rising junior, she will need to find parking next year.
“My friend drives me [to school]. We leave an hour before school and we are lucky if we get a spot close to school. It’s really frustrating knowing that I’m going to have to leave even earlier next year because I probably won’t get a spot [in the parking lot],” Bloch said.
Sophomore Julia Povio currently drives with her sister, a senior, who parks in her assigned spot in the back parking lot.
Povio explained the difficulty of not having a place to park next year, given her daily commute to school.
“I live in Tiburon so that’s around 25 minutes of driving plus traffic and having to leave earlier to try and get a spot at Piper Park or on Sophomore Row. It’s going to be a lot more competitive for sure,” Povio said.
Although parking may be limited for a period of time next year, students can take steps to prepare for the anticipated shortage such as planning carpools and parking off-campus. While this may be a significant inconvenience, it is expected to be resolved by the first semester.
