Title
Courthouse Parking Garage (B)
Explanation
Per the terms of the Interlocal Agreement between the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, the City will construct a parking facility or facilities with a minimum of 375 parking spaces to serve the new Judicial Complex (County Courthouse). The parking facility will be located in close proximity to the Judicial Complex.
The City's consultant for this project has been investigating various options with respect to location of the parking facility. Factors that must be considered are the number of parking spaces to construct, location of the parking facility with respect to the new Courthouse, pedestrian issues involving the new Courthouse and the parking facility, potential for future expansion of the parking facility, design of retail/office space on the first floor of the parking facility, and operational considerations given the parking facility will operate daytime and nighttime hours. The consultant has prepared several options for consideration and has made a recommendation on which option to construct.
The schedule for this project requires the parking facility to be completed by September 1, 2003. This will correspond with the opening of the new Courthouse. In order to provide adequate time for site plan review, design activities, award of bid, and construction, it is essential that the City Commission approve the location of the parking facility by August 1, 2001.
City staff and the consultant will make a presentation detailing the various options being considered for location of the parking facility. The consultant will describe the advantages of the recommended option. After obtaining approval for the location, the next step will be to commence site engineering and site plan review.
Fiscal Note:
To be determined.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) hear a presentation by City staff and the City's consultant on options for location of the Courthouse Parking Garage; and 2) approve a location for the parking facility.