The completion of the much-anticipated Parking Structure V has been delayed, according to Facilities Management, which oversees the project.

The 1,750-space parking structure, expected to be completed by the start of the spring 2018 semester, is now projected to be finished around Feb. 19, according to Tania Nunez, an administrator in Facilities Management.

RELATED: Groundbreaking ceremony celebrates construction of 1,750 additional parking spots

The cause of the delay was due in part to the strict timeframe for the project that Clark Pacific, the contractor, laid out.

“We were aggressive with our timeline for the project,” Nunez said. “But everyone knows that’s going to be tough.”

The project, which normally takes multiple years, was planned to be completed in six months with the assistance of precast concrete.

Nunez said the permit for the building from the State Fire Marshal was hoped to be received by the end of May, but was delayed by an extra month.

The State Fire Marshal is at its busiest in summer, which is when “everyone is getting their permits.”

Other delays may occur depending on the weather in winter.

“Everyone’s keeping their fingers crossed that the weather agrees,” Nunez said. “As long as the weather can stay at bay, we’ll be in (the Feb. 19) timeframe.”

The extended time needed for construction will not cost the University additional money since Clark Pacific is contracted through April, according to Nunez.

Most of the work remaining on Parking Structure V is flatwork, which is used for driveways and walkways.

As a result, Ramona Lot, located off of Power Inn Road, will remain open until Parking Structure V opens, according to Tony Lucas, the Director University Transportation and Parking Services (UTAPS). The lot, which was meant to compensate for reduced parking on campus caused by ongoing construction of Parking Structure V and the Science II building, was previously expected to be open for the fall 2017 semester only.

Parking permits for Ramona Lot will be $131 — a 25 percent discount from the normal student rate.

While the permit is more expensive than it was for the fall 2017 semester — when it was valued at $87 — students will be able to use the Ramona Lot permit to park on campus after Parking Structure V is completed. Currently, students with Ramona Lot parking permits can only park on campus when the lot is closed, which is after 8 p.m. and on weekends.

The reason for the higher price is that a 50 percent discount is “too aggressive of a discount for just one month,” according to Lucas, who added that UTAPS just picked a rate that “seems like enough of a discount for a student.”

Lucas said there were benefits to Ramona Lot, such as ample available parking.

RELATED: Students respond to Ramona Lot

Ramona Lot will also retain its current hours, which are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Regional Transit will also continue to provide busing service to bring students from the Broad Athletics Center to Ramona Lot.

The State Hornet will update this story as more information becomes available.