Employees at three San Antonio Independent School District high schools that share a campus downtown will now have shared access to a parking garage after having their access revoked over the summer, but everyone won’t be getting a spot.
Spaces in the garage are available on a first-come, first serve basis, so once it’s full, employees at SAISD’s central office and Fox Tech, CAST Tech and Advanced Learning Academy will be routed to an overflow lot at 513 North Flores.
The move comes amid growing complaints from employees about the sudden revocation of permissions and the substandard quality of the alternative lot available to park in, which were reported on by The San Antonio Report earlier this month.
Previously, only campus employees were told to park in the gravel lot, which has dirtied and damaged some vehicles.
Superintendent Jaime Aquino shared the update in an email Wednesday to employees, who have been getting forms to gain garage access starting next week.
Aquino said the district anticipates “that employees from both sites can adequately use the garage concurrently.”
“We have good news to share about the parking situation, and we especially want to thank you for your patience as we worked through a resolution,” Aquino said in the letter. “We will now have 200 additional badge-access privileges to the Quincy parking garage, which will allow us to accommodate staff assigned to ALA/Fox Tech/CAST Tech.”
The total number of spots available is 600, according to the letter, which is the same number the district has in the original contract with the county, who constructed and manages the garage.
The three schools have 200 employees collectively, according to numbers shared by the district. At the same time, the central office houses about 600 employees this year after several departments relocated to the building over the summer.
Aquino said the district has been working with Bexar County “collaboratively to help … find solutions that will meet the needs of all parties.”
A spokesperson for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai previously told The Report that the county had no role in deciding which employees could park in the lot.
Monica Ramos, a public information officer for Bexar County, on Friday also said that no conversations had occurred between the County Facilities Management Department and SAISD, adding that the current contract left responsibilities for how the 600 parking spots are allotted to the district.
SAISD officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Aquino’s reference to conversations with the county.
If the district were to try and negotiate for more spaces, they would only be able to get a maximum of 23 more, due to the garage having a capacity of 623 according to the county’s website.
The overflow lot will see upgrades also, according to Aquino, including the addition of lighting, cameras and signage. The lot will be resurfaced during Thanksgiving break, and another access point will be created.
The changes are welcome to employees who have faced several challenges in the alternative lot, including one teacher who said they had rolled an ankle and were charged by a person experiencing homelessness at one point while walking to their car.
“I’m down to wearing tennis shoes, because if I wear any other shoes, I’m slipping,” that teacher said.
Employees from both buildings are not permitted to park in the visitor and board member spots outside the parking garage.
“We realize that changes of any type require some adjustments, but please know, we are working to take care of everyone’s needs,” Aquino said in the letter. “Again, thank you for your patience and for your dedication to our children.”
