Construction has begun in the G-2 parking lot to make way for a new music annex. The building will provide storage and rehearsal space for the marching band.
Miriam Morgan, director of support operations, said the project addresses the band’s ongoing need for space and accessibility.
“We’ve got a great need with programming,” Morgan said. “What we don’t have is room for it to grow. The marching band has been practicing in a parking lot and storing their instruments off Jimmy Simmons Boulevard. This new annex will finally give them storage and an indoor rehearsal space when the weather is bad.”
Freshman band major Arden Vanandehoef expressed excitement about the new building.
“I came to Lamar because of our band program,” Vanandehoef said. “ I’m happy to hear they want to expand it.”
The new facility will be located next to the intramural field, which will serve as the band’s primary practice area.
Construction fencing currently blocks off much of the G-2 parking lot near the Science and Technology Building, the Honors College, and the Campbell and Monroe dorms.
Morgan said the fencing will gradually shrink over the next few weeks as the contractor establishes access routes for construction vehicles.
The project is expected to conclude by Sept. 11, 2026, Morgan said,“By then, only the new building will remain, with about 80 parking spaces lost permanently,” she said.
To offset the parking loss, Lamar plans to reopen the C-4 parking lot, which has been closed for several years while the band used it for practice.
While no new lots are being added, students will have temporary flexibility to park in some faculty and staff lots after 5 p.m.
The Parking Advisory Committee will also show leniency for students unable to move their vehicles by 7 a.m., Morgan said.
Students who must park farther away can call LUPD dispatch at 409-880-8307 for a campus security escort or use university shuttles, which now feature QR codes for live tracking.
Junior Adan Baeza said the new development has become a major inconvenience.
“This parking lot is shared between the Honors College, the science building, and two of the dorms.” Baeza said. “Giving us less parking is the opposite of a solution.”
Morgan acknowledged frustration among students but emphasized that the construction will benefit the campus community.
“It’s a short-term inconvenience with a big payoff,” she said. “We’re lucky to have leadership addressing long-standing issues. It’ll be worth it once everything’s complete.”