As Florida Atlantic University welcomes students back to the Boca Raton campus this fall, a spokesperson from FAU Parking and Transportation told the University Press that there are more than 100 parking spaces that remain blocked due to ongoing construction.

The construction of Talon Hall, located at the south end of Parking Lot 28, has resulted in 126 spaces being blocked, according to the email from Parking and Transportation Services spokesperson. Other construction projects, like the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building north of Parking Garage 2, are also closing off portions of Parking Lot 1, as FAU is using the lot as a staging area for the project.

The building footprint does not impact parking spaces, and those spots currently used for staging will be restored to their original use once construction is complete, said the spokesperson. According to a recent University Press article about the Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building, the project is set to be completed by the fall of 2026.

Students have expressed concerns in the past about the lack of parking spaces and the amount of commuter parking. One of them is Alex Hudgins, a pre-business major.

“It’s really a struggle to find parking sometimes,” said Hudgins.

While Hudgins said he isn’t heavily concerned about the construction that is temporarily blocking spaces, his main worry is that a growing student population could make parking even more difficult.

“People are either late to classes or skip the whole thing in general or have to park in a different lot and risk getting a ticket,” said finance major Logan Roche.

Roche explained that since commuter students can only park in certain lots, which are often packed with people, finding a spot can be a daily struggle.

“I spend 30 minutes looking for a spot and end up a mile away,” said business major Collin Grensing, explaining that by the time he finds parking, he’s often a mile away because he couldn’t find parking in the blue lots, which are for commuter students.

Students do have concerns, but a spokesperson from FAU Parking and Transportation told the University Press that a recent parking study completed in early this year showed that only 60% of the parking spaces on campus were being utilized.

On Aug. 16, 2024, FAU added new parking spaces, including Lots 16 and 18. Reconfiguration of Lots 22 and 23 over the summer has allowed an additional 224 parking spaces, stated the spokesperson.

The minor project status report, which details construction and maintenance work across campus, states that renovations were made to Parking Lots 22, near the Indian River Towers, and Parking Lot 23 near the Culture and Society building on March 17, 2025. The renovations to Parking Lots 22 and 23 at Innovation Village Apartments were completed on Aug. 16, according to the Administrative Affairs spokesperson.

Students are encouraged to consult the FAU parking map before heading to campus, according to Park and Transportation Services. Another alternative is FAU’s shuttle system, which offers transportation between parking lots and various campus locations.

According to the Aug. 13 email sent by FAU, new bus shuttle stops have been added in front of the Campus Operations Building and Parking Lot 19 at the S.E. Wimberly Library.

FAU has added several new shuttle stops across campus. Parking Garage 3 and sections of Parking Garage 2 reopened on Aug. 16, though some areas of the third floor remain blocked due to final construction on the fourth floor on Aug. 31.

These parking issues at FAU are nothing new. In 2023, the University Press reported that commuters were frustrated with the closure of Parking Garage 2. Nearly two years later, students are still searching for solutions as much as they’re searching for parking spaces.

Anthony Ortiz is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email Ortiz at ajangus1331@gmail.com.