City staff presented a multi-part update on downtown parking garages, including short-term repairs, safety upgrades, and a proposed minor overhaul of wayfinding signage to make garages easier to find.

Staff described completed and planned structural work at several high-use garages. At the Spruce Garage, crews repaired corroded steel supports, removed failed concrete, reinstalled reinforcement and applied protective epoxy. Staff said that work addressed deck bowing and railing instability and that the garage is one of the city’s highest-used facilities. At the 1100 Spruce and St. Julien garages staff reported elevator shaft repairs, stair-deck replacement, HVAC and rooftop unit replacements, improved gutters, heat lamps at entrances to reduce ice and power‑washing schedules.

A short design exercise presented three wayfinding sign mock-ups for commissioners. Staff said the existing Broadway signs will be retained if commissioners favor a chosen design; replacement would be a modest capital expense. One commissioner suggested reflective borders and larger “P” symbols; staff estimated the signage program would be “not gonna make a huge budget impact” and offered a preliminary comment that full replacement would likely be less than $10,000 (design-dependent) though exact quotes require finalized designs.

Staff said a multi-year capital plan anticipates a CM/GC procurement for garage repairs, projecting roughly $25 million in investments to address deferred maintenance across multiple garages over several years. Work is prioritized for the Spruce and St. Julien garages and will be coordinated with property owners and other projects to limit business disruption. Staff also noted facility improvements such as cell-phone repeaters in some garages are being evaluated but are cost-sensitive.

Why it matters: The garages are high-use public assets that generate revenue and enable downtown businesses and employees to operate. Deferred maintenance can accelerate deterioration; staff argued prioritized repair now can reduce longer-term costs. Commissioners asked about project timing, funding sources and potential sale of a surface lot; staff said a proposed sale of the Spruce surface lot remains under negotiation and proceeds would remain in the capital fund that supports downtown assets.

No commission vote was taken; staff requested design feedback for signs and flagged future capital requests related to the CM/GC program.