KAM or parking? Why not both?

*This is part of The Ranchor issue of The Anchor, which is a satire edition of our student newspaper. None of this article is meant to be taken as fact.*

By: Vanilla Brown Sugah

Educate. Engage. Inspire. Kruizenga Art Museum (KAM) opened in September 2015. The museum was developed to engage faculty and students from many academic disciplines in the study and inspiration of art. It’s vision is to be an education resource – not only for the college, but for all West Michigan.

Now, there are plans for the vision to go further than ever before. KAM will be converting into Hope College’s brand new parking garage. Construction to add onto the art museum and convert the ground floor into a car entrance will be taking place this coming June 2027. The garage will hold 150 new parking spaces for students and faculty.

The building will have a similar design and architecture of classic Hope academic buildings to keep with the consistent image of the college and the surrounding community.

Students can contribute to the project and pay to sign their own brick with their name, major and year. It is $100 per brick, but the memory of the students will last a life time.

The new parking garage will not take away from the artistic engagement Hope initially planned. Paintings and other art works will be displayed throughout the garage for everyone to enjoy on their way in and out. The art will be encased in a protective glass barrier, so even if a student or professor were to hit an art piece by mistake, all will be saved.

Citizens of the Holland community are also welcomed to view the garage, though they will not be allowed to park within. The inside of the garage as well will not be the normal grey color as other garages around Michigan. But each wall will be painted a different color and students can write or paint encouraging messages for all to read.

Hope is very excited to be moving forward with this project and expanding the campus upward. “Parking will finally be appreciated for the true art form it can be,” President Knapp shares.