New Parking Garage for ETMC

TYLER — A new $20 million, six-level parking garage with over 950 spaces opened recently on the east side of the ETMC Tyler campus. The skywalk now extends over Hospital Drive to connect to the new east parking garage. �We are now directing visitors to park there,� said Bob Hampton, vice president of property services for ETMC. �The spaces are extra wide so all types of vehicles will easily be able to get in and out of their slot. Visitors will also be able to enter the hospital on the new extension of the skywalk.� The front parking lot where the helicopters are located will now be used for handicap parking, valet and clergy as space allows.

�Another change will be no parking anymore on Hospital Drive, the street that goes around ETMC,� said Hampton. �The street will be converted to a boulevard and will have designated turn lanes. Without cars parking on Hospital Drive, it will be a lot safer for drivers and pedestrians.� Plans for the front of ETMC involve creating a new entry way from Hospital Drive. Over the next several months, sections of the Olympic parking garage will close so the spaces can be redesigned to make them bigger and easier to maneuver like the new east garage. Next to the new parking garage is a new central plant for heating, cooling and supporting the hospital.

Other construction updates for ETMC Tyler:

– ETMC Tyler is also working to beautify the campus with more green spaces. Hospital officials say beautiful plants and trees, native to Texas, were planted around the new east parking garage.

– Behind the hospital, the area used by the construction crews will be converted back into spaces for the Pavilion conference center. A small building was razed, and that area will become green space.

– The physician office on Beckham street across from the hospital moved in mid-July to a new clinic space at Fifth Street and Beckham. The old building will be leveled, and a green space will be created.