If approved, demolition of the Fourth Street garage would begin in March. (Google Maps)
Bloomington city officials say the Fourth Street parking garage must be closed no later than January 1 to protect people’s safety.
The city is requesting the council approve nearly $18.5 million in tax bonds to finance the cost of tearing the garage down and building a larger one in its place.
At last night’s council meeting, Public Works Director Adam Wason reiterated that demolition is the most cost-effective option, given the garage’s condition.
“We know we need to invest at least $1.1 million dollars in the very near future to keep that garage open. That investment would require a closure of the garage for all least 6-8 months to make those repairs," says Wason.
The current garage has 352 spaces and is at 97 percent capacity. The facility’s preliminary design plan calls for a 7-level garage with up to 550 spaces. Developers are also leaning toward an adaptive reuse design which allows parts of the garage to be repurposed for future uses, like apartments or retail.
Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton says the new facility will be the greenest garage in Bloomington with featured electric vehicle charging stations and solar panels.
The final garage design will have to go before the city’s plan commission before moving forward.
Hamilton says he fully anticipates a public process for considering the garage’s design.
The council also heard a proposal for a $11 million, 300-space garage in the city’s downtown Trades District. Alex Crowley is the city’s Director of Economic and Sustainable Development. He says the garage is necessary to accommodate the increasing employment and growth of the district.
He also says the city could save over $1 million on site management, contract fees and material costs by approving and planning both garage projects together.
Representatives from the trades district and local downtown business employees expressed their support for both projects, emphasizing the need for additional parking for those who work and dwell downtown.
Others encouraged the council to defer the proposal, pushing for more efficient ways to reduce city motor traffic.
Council member Dorothy Granger motioned to postpone the council decision to December, requesting more time for the council and the city’s administration to collaborate on the issues.
"It’s not that we’re waiting to see anything," says Granger. "I think there are needs out there, I just think we can do a better job of getting things done.”
If approved, demolition of the Fourth Street garage would begin in March. The project is slated to be completed in 2021.
The council will revisit the resolution on December 5th.
