Posted 8:49 am Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Send to Kindle
Update Planned On Proposed Parking Garage For Downtown
Tyler city leaders expect today to receive an update on a proposal to build a downtown parking garage.
The Tyler City Council agreed in January to move forward with design work that could bring hundreds of additional parking spaces to the downtown area.
The consultant, Walker Parking, is about halfway through the design phase, supported by local experts -- Butler Architectural Group and Ballard and Braughton Engineering.
City engineer Carter Delleney said the law allows the municipality to establish a guaranteed maximum price, a cost estimated at $7 million or less, records show.
When completed, the multi-story Fair Plaza Garage parking structure, at the southwest corner of Broadway Avenue and Elm Street, is expected to lessen parking headaches in the downtown area.
The initial parking study was funded through donations and a special downtown tax levy in Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 2.
Officials said a public-private partnership is critical for seeing the project to fruition.
In other action items, the council is expected to accept funding from the Federal Aviation Administration for $7 million in runway improvements at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and authorize a local funding match not to exceed 10 percent; and award a bid to build bus shelters at some Tyler Transit stops.
The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m. at Tyler City Hall, 212 N. Bonner Ave.
Also today, city leaders plan to meet at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the new Fire Station 5, 1532 S. Bennett Ave.
