Construction from the Innovation Center project overtook all of the parking spaces in the Radnor Street parking lot. Therefore, many Upper School faculty members have had their parking relocated to the front of the school, taking away a sizable amount of student parking.

Upper School Director Mrs. Reed confirmed that the construction had taken 28 spots from student parking. To assign the remaining spots fairly, a lottery was organized. Students had their names drawn from a hat and were assigned to a spot according to the order in which they were chosen.

Seniors were especially frustrated after being deprived of the prime “senior spots” in the senior lot they had been expecting.

Michelle Li ‘22 said “This year I was pulled first out of the raffle, but I park all the way up by the ‘Wrong Way’ sign.”

Even if a student was drawn early in the lottery, they were sometimes given parking spots farther from the senior lot and in more difficult places. Spots like Li’s, which line the Upper and Middle Field, require students to parallel park, usually in the middle of a moving car line. 

Teachers are also facing problems, as many were forced to take over student spots.

Ms. Greco said “I was parking in a student spot along the Middle Field…I remember reaching out to Mrs. Reed and asking, ‘Are the seniors going to be okay? We’re taking up their spots now.’”

Despite the challenges in the beginning of the year, students are excited by the parking spots slowly reopening as construction comes to an end.

Callie Stoltz ‘22 said, “The newly added parking spots not only allow for more students to park on campus, but their proximity to the Schoolhouse makes it more accessible for students.”

According to multiple members of the Upper School faculty, every senior has their own spot as of now, and when the rest of the spots are available, so will the juniors. Hopefully, the seniors will all be able to return to the senior lot soon and parking at Baldwin will return to its normal system.