FARGO (KFGO-AM) - Discussion Thursday at Fargo City Hall on the first phase of the downtown parking ramp feasibility study. Seven locations were examined by the Helenske Design Group. In order of ranking, existing privately owned surface lots near Broadway and 5th Street North, and several others near the St. Marks Church property north of the post office are at the top.
The other sites could work but all have better development opportunities as commercial or retail in-fill space. City Commissioner Mike Williams who chairs the Parking Commission says there's a 600 parking spot shortage downtown and the idea is not to build just one large ramp. He says scattered sites with lower capacities, with mixed use retail, residential and office space on the street level make better financial sense.
Williams says the parking is needed now and the city is already working on the financing. He says there some developers very interested in participating and he expects construction to start yet this year.
Early concept cost estimates range from approxiatemly $15 million to $24.4 million on the two favored locations.