Houston Welcome Center garages go through name and access changes, Thursday, May 15, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
UH recently announced that there will no longer be separate parking areas for students, faculty and staff in the Welcome Center Garages beginning June 9.
All valid Welcome Center Garage permit holders regardless of their status will have the access to both garages.
The garages will be renamed: the student garage will now be Welcome Center South Garage and the former faculty/staff garage will be the Welcome Center North Garage.
Reasons for change
These changes were made to expand parking permit availability and shorten the waitlist, while also making parking easier and flexible for everyone, the University said.
UH has successfully implemented similar changes in the East, Elgin, Gateway and Stadium garages as well.
Information for faculty
Faculty and staff can choose to upgrade to a Welcome Center Garage Premium Permit. This will allow them to park on the first floor of the South Garage via the entrance behind the garage.
This pass will not be available to any students.
Rules, regulations
The first floor of the North Garage will prohibit overnight parking between the hours of 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. Violators are subject to citation and towing on the first offence.
Over the summer the first floor of the South Garage will be restricted to faculty/staff, who upgrade to a Gated Premium parking permit.
However until that happens, faculty and staff are allowed to park in the garage with their current permit, while avoiding parking in the reserved spaces.
Visitor parking will be relocated to the roof of the North Garage and will operate as pay-by-phone only.
Updates throughout summer
Through the summer the garage will be undergoing construction to add signage, gate equipment and license plate readers.
Additionally, the first floor of the South Garage will eventually be turned into faculty and staff parking.
More information can be found here.
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“New changes: Welcome Center garages to expand this summer” was originally posted on The Cougar