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Parking Spotlight

Kimley-Horn

UNLV Tropicana Parking Garage Expansion

Photo of the UNLV Tropicana Parking Garage lit up with red lights at night
  • FIRM: Kimley-Horn
  • LOCATION: Las Vegas, NV
  • OWNER: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS:

    • Design-Build:
       McCarthy Building Companies

  • STAFF:

    • Ken Ackeret, PE, PTOE, Ph.D., Principal-in-Charge
      Ben Henderson, PE, SE, Project Manager
      Thomas Ackeret, PE, PTOE, Project Engineer

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is implementing a parking study and campus master plan that focuses on prioritizing academic and student-centric activities in the center of campus and moving parking options to the edge of campus. One of these campus parking options is the Tropicana Parking Garage, located south of the Las Vegas Strip near the Thomas & Mack Center. The Tropicana Parking Garage receives an influx of traffic from both entertainment venue visitors and university students, and it required upgrades to the existing garage as well as a massive expansion.

An aerial view of a parking lot with a red building in the background, highlighting future technology and mobility solutions.

To meet the needs of the student population and Las Vegas community, UNLV brought on Kimley-Horn as their representative to oversee each stage of the project. The Kimley-Horn team engaged with multiple project stakeholders to manage timelines, budgets, and challenges, made site visits, and attended design and construction meetings to advocate for UNLV’s objectives. The team also developed 30% level design plans and bridging documents, including preliminary structural and parking plans and specific recommendations for technology and visual parking garage improvements.

The existing Tropicana Parking Garage improvements primarily focused on security, technology, and aesthetic upgrades, and the new garage expansion was designed to mirror the existing garage for a cohesive visual and parking experience. One challenge the team encountered was a roadway reconstruction project on Tropicana Avenue that was being designed simultaneously to the Tropicana Parking Garage expansion. The Kimley-Horn team collaborated with Clark County, UNLV, and the construction team to plan for site access and ensure smooth and successful design processes for both projects.

“Kimley-Horn has been a valued consultant for the expansion of the UNLV Tropicana Parking Garage. Their expertise and desire to do the very best for their clients was very apparent on this project and others they have worked on over the years. Every question, need, or concern is always immediately addressed with the utmost professionalism.”

— Tad McDowell, Director of Parking and Transportation Services, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Photo of UNLV Parking garage

The finished garage is four levels and four bays wide, with more than 1,000 parking stalls added in the expanded garage for a total of more than 2,000 parking spots. Of these parking stalls, eight are equipped for electric vehicle charging currently and 50 more have the potential for EV charging infrastructure to be added in the future. Additionally, upgrades were made to IT, cell infrastructure, and technology operations to enhance the parking experience, and the garage was designed so that a solar roof over the entire garage could be added in the future.

In addition to practical upgrades and expansions, the Tropicana Parking Garage also embraced the challenge of creating a visually synchronized structure that epitomizes UNLV’s brand and regional aesthetics. The red signage, external sloping imagery, and dynamic slatted designs emphasize the iconic life of the campus and Strip. Ultimately, the Tropicana Parking Garage upgrade and expansion project promotes a streamlined user experience, sustainable transportation, and a gateway to all UNLV and Las Vegas have to offer. ◆

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Magazine | | editor@parking-mobility.org

This article has been written and/or compiled by the staff of Parking & Mobility magazine.

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Parking & Mobility is IPMI’s flagship publication, covering the news, trends, analysis, technologies, and people of the parking and mobility industry, and how it affects and influences communities around the world.

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