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Cheekwood reports progress on parking pavilion, design and fundraising; MOU extended to 2027
Summary
Cheekwood told the parks board it has completed 50% of design development drawings for a parking pavilion and is on schedule to meet a Memorandum of Understanding deadline in December 2027; the museum cited geotechnical work, vendor planning, off-site shuttle plans for construction and progress in a quiet phase of fundraising.
Cheekwood leadership told the Metro Board of Parks and Recreation that it has completed required milestones under a Memorandum of Understanding to move off-park parking onto Cheekwood property and remains on schedule to meet the MOU deadline of December 2027.
Jane McLeod, who identified herself as president and CEO of Cheekwood, said Hastings Architecture has completed 50% of the design development drawings, exceeding the MOU's 30% requirement for the date presented. McLeod also said geotechnical studies for the site have been completed and were included with the board packet.
McLeod said Cheekwood established Emily Luxon as a neighborhood liaison in May to provide regular updates to neighbors and to notify the community of construction- or parking-related activity. She described a vendor meeting on Aug. 27 attended by 45 vendors and service providers where Cheekwood reviewed vendor policies and directed service vehicles to use the Cheek Road entrance.
On rideshare, McLeod said Cheekwood studied using the Cheek Road gate for Uber and Lyft pick-up and drop-off during construction and concluded that rideshare operations "would conflict with construction and service vehicle traffic and may cause unsafe and undue pressure at the Cheek Road gate." The organization recommended maintaining current rideshare operations and reevaluating once construction begins.
William Hastings of Hastings Architecture said the team remains on schedule toward the MOU deadline and described a change in the planned garage location presented to the board in June. He said the design team reduced garden space rather than replace existing parking with parking and that the revised plan increases project cost because the garage roof will integrate with Botanic Hall and the gardens. Hastings reported the long-term plan is for roughly 750 parking spaces on Cheekwood property; the project team said the site historically hosted about 830 spaces when park cooperation allowed broader parking use.
On fundraising, McLeod said Cheekwood is in phase 2 of its capital campaign (the quiet phase) and has secured 25 major and lead gifts. She said the organization is at "80% of our goal for the quiet phase, which represents 50% of our campaign goal at this time" and that a public campaign announcement is planned later this fall.
Board members asked about access contingencies tied to an independent NDOT study of road access; Hastings said the design maintains current access points and that Cheekwood will adapt if a future NDOT-driven road alignment changes the primary entry. Board members also asked whether Cheekwood anticipates reduced attendance during construction; McLeod said staff are reviewing attendance patterns and "do anticipate that we will have to reduce attendance" during construction, without giving a specific percentage.
Cheekwood thanked parks staff and neighborhood contacts for cooperation and noted the board had previously granted an extension of the MOU through December 2027.
