So you’ve found the perfect apartment, now what? Finding affordable and convenient parking is something all Penn State students struggle with when it comes to living downtown. Either the parking is extremely expensive, or too far from your building. You could just park at the lot your apartment building provides, but those spots come at a high price. For example, at Park Hill Apartments on Beaver Ave, the cost to park your car in the building’s lot is a whopping $1500. VALLEY is here to give you some parking options that won’t break your bank!
1. Off-Campus Lots
Penn State offers super affordable parking at several off-campus lots. One really cheap parking option would be the purple lot 43 along Hastings Road between University Drive and Porter Road. Students have the option to purchase parking for just one semester, or for the whole year. Parking for one semester costs just $203, and the yearly rate is $405. Another really affordable lot is the blue lot 43. These lots are located near Nittany Apartments. One semester here costs $320, and the yearly rate is $640.
2. Churches
Many people may not realize that some of the churches do offer parking spots to students. One church VALLEY recommends checking out is the First Church of Christ located at 617 E Hamilton Ave. The church is about a 15-minute walk from the main downtown apartments. Parking here for a semester costs just $275. To contact the church about parking just email; m7h@psu.edu.
3. Realtor Offices
Calling different realtor offices is always an option. Westside Village is an example of a realtor office that offers parking at their buildings for both residents and non-residents. The Apartment Store also offers parking for non-residents as well. Many of their apartment buildings also offer the option to choose covered parking for those wintery days when ice freezes on your windshield.
If none of these options seem to work for you, putting an ad out on Facebook is also an option. People are always leasing out their spots, and normally for relatively affordable prices. Another last resort could be looking on Craigslist.
Having a car at school is super convenient, but parking is definitely a hassle. Hopefully, these options helped! If you have any more suggestions tweet us @VALLEYmag!
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