Oakland University’s new parking structure will open at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, helping to ease the parking crunch on campus.

Located on Pioneer Drive across from the new Education and Human Services Building, the three-floor structure will provide 550 spaces, two-thirds of which will be covered.

In addition to serving the Education and Human Services Building, the lot also will provide spaces for Varner and Elliott halls and the Recreation and Athletics Center.

“This year, demand for parking has shifted to this area of campus,” said Rusty Postlewate, associate vice president for facilities management. “The parking structure will relieve some of the pressure and people will be able to park closer to their destination.”

The parking structure will be closed between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. each day. Violators will be ticketed.

The parking structure is one of many new infrastructure and facilities projects that debuted this fall on Oakland’s campus. The others are the new student apartments, Education and Human Services Building, and the beginning of a significant Oakland Center renovation project. For the first time in its history, Oakland University’s fall enrollment topped the 16,000-student mark.