The Mark Apartment Homes, previously known as Campus Pointe, are being renovated. The new parking lot will offer a cheaper alternative to ASU students and faculty. (Photo by Diana Lustig)Standing alone off the Tempe campus on Lemon Street and Terrace Road, the Mark Apartment Homes offer a cheap parking alternative for ASU faculty, staff and students.
Collecting dust, the parking lot is undergoing renovation. There is a lack of clear parking lines as it sits as more of a dirt road.
Ty Largo, the Mark's spokesman, said the parking lot has already seen improvements.
"There is an increased focus in safety," Largo said. "There's better lighting, and it's more secure."
For $30 a month, this is less expensive than the typical on-campus parking lot fee, Largo said.
Aaron Byrant, communications manager for Parking and Transit Services, said in an email that on-campus parking can cost as little as $270 annually or approximately $1.50 per school day.
Aside from off-campus parking options, there are several ASU-affiliated lots many students don't know about, Bryant said.
"Underutilized permit structures include Stadium Structure, which is directly connected to the core of campus by Palm Walk and… the Packard Drive South Structure," he said.
When renovations are completed, the Mark's parking lot will have up to 100 spots available for residents, ASU faculty and students, Largo said.
As a bonus, the lot is well within walking distance of the Tempe campus. Depending on the destination, the travel time is as short as five minutes, he said.
Sophia San Miguel, a leasing consultant with the complex, said there will be work done during the day to improve the condition. The exterior of the Mark should be completed within two months.
Largo said the 40-year-old apartment complex is under renovation to make it into what the new owners had in mind.
"It's been around since the '70s," he said. "It's barely been touched since then… (the new owners) had a dramatic vision of changing it and making it cool and hip."
The Mark's owners are trying to cater more to students than the previous residents, which were typically low-income households, Largo said.
The rest of the building is going through renovations as well. Units are slated to get new furniture including couches, refrigerators and tables, which are upgrades from previous accommodations.
JT Marino, an urban designer major who has lived in the Mark for four years, said he has already noticed that the apartment has undergone enormous changes.
"I've seen it from the slums to being picked up. … I've seen it transform over the last four years," Marino said.
Reach the reporter at logan.newman02@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @loganewman
