The Provo City Planning Commission on Jan. 14 approved Brigham Young Universitys project plan to demolish its existing Administration Building and construct a new four-story facility, following staff presentation of the project and extended discussion about parking and transportation impacts.

Staff presenter Nancy described the proposed replacement as an increase from roughly 110,000 square feet to roughly 156,000 square feet, explaining much of the size change reflects modern code, thicker exterior walls for insulation, and increased circulation and accessibility requirements. Nancy said staff is pursuing a rewrite of Chapter 14 that would measure parking by net usable area rather than gross square footage, and that staff is recommending approval of BYUs plan.

BYU representatives (Matt Giles, Nathan Summers and Travis Dance) told the commission the building is seismically deficient and needs replacement; they said BYU does not expect an increase in full-time employees overall because staff will shift from other campus buildings. BYU provided a net building-area increase of about 15,000 square feet and described proximate lots that contribute to campus parking capacity (for example, a 290-space lot north of the site and larger campus lots used for visitors).

Commissioners pressed for data: John Lyons and others asked for net-square-foot detail and counts of employees to justify a departure from conventional parking ratios. BYU said it requires registration for on-campus vehicles and can share permit numbers but does not collect data on how many students bring cars to Provo and park off campus. Commissioners urged improved city-university coordination on transportation (transit passes, rideable infrastructure, and potential shared parking for adjacent neighborhoods).

Public comments included support for the project and reminders that the university is a major local employer; a student speaker urged better allocation of parking proximity and encouraged demand-management measures. BYU said construction would remove roughly 150 stalls temporarily and proposed mitigation through temporary signage, rerouted pedestrian access and continuing transit/rideshare collaboration; BYU estimated the project could complete by summer 2028.

A motion to approve the project plan carried unanimously. Commissioners requested that, if findings are necessary to justify departures from any existing standards, staff and the commission document the rationale in the record. The project will proceed to the permitting and construction phases.