City of New Bedford to borrow $5 million for Elm Street parking garage renovations

The City of New Bedford is borrow $5,039,280.00 to pay costs of remodeling, reconstruction and making extraordinary repairs to the Elm Street Parking Garage. The proposal will go before the City Council for approval on 12 Jan, 2017.

Details of the renovation project from the mayor’s office:

The Elm Street Municipal Garage is the largest public parking facility in the city and is the primary parking location for visitors to the downtown. The garage is more than 40 years old and is currently underutilized. This is due in part to condition issues which make the garage a less desirable parking location. The only other nearby parking options are on-street parking and the Zeiterion Garage.

The City established the downtown Parking Enterprise Fund in FY 2015 as a mechanism to finance improvements and renovations to transportation infrastructure in both the Downtown and the North End (Acushnet Avenue Corridor). As a first step, the City purchased replacements for its aging parking meters. At the same time, an initiative was undertaken to develop a plan for renovation of the Elm Street Garage.

Preliminary engineering for the renovation project was completed in spring of 2015. The City also obtained a $511,254 grant from the federal government’s Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) to defray the cost of the renovation. The project will be undertaken in two phases:

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Phase 1 Scope & Budget
The proposed first phase of the rehabilitation and stabilization process will address the following:
A. Structural repairs and stabilization.
B. Enhance the appearance and curb appeal of the façade.
C. Redesign and install new lighting and security for all interior spaces.
D. Redesign and remodel entrance lobby with more focus toward the National Park and less focus on the Traffic Commission Office.
E. Replace stairway windows and doors while making cosmetic improvements and safety upgrades.
F. Install auto-pay units in both the Elm Street and Zeiterion garages for self-serve convenience.

This initial work will include the need to increase operational components of the structure. This effort will also increase the overall usability of the facility, and address the desire to create a more inviting space for parking. This will be achieved through the improved and increased amount of lighting, redesigned façade and lobby. The overall safety of the facility will be greatly improved through the use of systems designed to limit unauthorized access and the installation of a comprehensive camera monitoring system.

Phase 2 Scope & Budget
Phase 2 will address the remaining divisions of improvement:
A. Scarify and resurface the concrete deck in its entirety.
B. Replace the deteriorating parking stops.
C. Install a fire protection system.