UNM-Los Alamos begins courtyard construction, closes north parking lot

The north parking lot at UNM-Los Alamos closed as crews moved into the campus courtyard, cutting off normal access across the center of campus and forcing visitors to use posted detours. Courtyard entrances were closed until the start of the fall semester, with access still allowed to Building 2 and Building 7 from the front entrance.

The change has already altered day-to-day circulation for students, staff and community users who cross the UNM-Los Alamos campus for classes, advising and other services. The student services team was relocated to the lower level of Building 2, making the building a key stop for anyone looking for help during the construction period. UNM-LA asked visitors to follow directional and closure signage so they could find safe routes around the active work zone.

The courtyard work is part of Phase 2 of the school’s outdoor infrastructure improvements project, a campus overhaul that UNM-LA has been developing for more than a year. In May 2024, the college said it was seeking community input on features such as signage, wayfinding, accessibility, landscaping, outdoor amenities and better parking and pedestrian connections. By spring 2026, Phase 1 of the Open Space Project at the front entry was described as substantially complete, with the stairs, ramp and parking lot open and the front of campus reporting stronger safety, accessibility and visibility from Diamond Drive.

College Council minutes from May 11 said Phase 2 included the front steps, driveway, front and side parking lots and sidewalks. Those same minutes said the next phase would upgrade the courtyard and the pathways between Buildings 1 and 2, and that the courtyard work would be done in phases to keep foot traffic moving between buildings. The minutes also noted that negotiations were still ongoing over the back parking lot and parking by LANL employees along the side parking area.

The project has a sizable capital footprint. A March 17 UNM Board of Regents agenda listed UNM Los Alamos: Los Alamos Open Space Infrastructure Improvements Phase 2 at $3.2 million. UNM Facilities Design & Construction also lists a separate Los Alamos campus infrastructure project budgeted at $1,937,500, with work that includes ADA upgrades, HVAC replacements in Building 2, stucco repairs in Buildings 1, 2 and 7, and a campus-wide Class A fire system. Sharon Marston is listed as project manager on that work.

UNM-LA has also tied the outdoor project to other 2026 upgrades, including new locker rooms for a fitness center planned for fall 2026, ADA bathroom updates in Buildings 2 and 7, and new first-floor windows and doors in Building 2. For a campus that serves traditional students, working adults and community users, the summer closure is the price of a larger reset: fewer shortcuts now, but safer and more usable outdoor space when the work is finished.