Members flag structural concerns at downtown garage, urge district-wide parking study

Committee members urged caution before investing in expanding the downtown parking garage after hearing that poor soil and prior demolition debris may have been used in the original garage foundations. Committee member (S2) relayed information from Joe Raff that “when the garage was built, old buildings had been knocked down that were back there and dumped into the old foundations,” and that unsuitable soil required trucking in replacement fill when the garage was first constructed.

"They're unsure of what where they, you know, on the outside of the garage, if there was any soil replacement done there. So if there's gonna be any straddling of the garage, that could be a problem," S2 said. Members said that, given potential foundation and soil issues and the significant upfront capital needed, the city should commission a comprehensive district-wide parking study rather than immediately fund an additional deck or piecemeal fixes.

Members also noted that projected yields from adding a deck look smaller than initially believed; S2 suggested there may be “probably get 20% less” parking capacity than earlier estimates, and warned the per-space cost could rise. The commission asked staff to bring formal cost estimates and engineering input to a future meeting before the commission endorses major capital work.