The city’s “parking structure safety enhancement” project is underway at the three-story downtown garage, nearing completion of a project that was first approved by the council in 2017.
The parking structure, located between East Third and East Fourth streets, serves the downtown as walkable parking to the businesses along Monterey Road and side streets. Starting on March 18, the long awaited project broke ground with the installation of a window screening and a railing to improve safety in the lot.
Up to 10 parking stalls will be obstructed during construction, between 7am and 5pm Monday through Friday.
The staff report from the December 2018 city council meeting, when the council approved an additional $220,000 for the project from the city’s public facilities fund, states that the project arose out of a concern for public safety. Initial funding for the project was $200,000, which the council approved in 2017.
The lot was opened in 2016 and the report said the same problems have continued to arise: “youth and adults climbing on ledges, cars speeding within the structure, skateboarding and bicycling at high rates of speed, and loitering on the top floor resulting in litter and vandalism.”
Despite the city’s attempts to increase police presence and signage, the report said the improvements were still necessary.
Yat Cho, project manager for the parking garage, told the Times it took longer than expected for the city to select a design and hire a contractor, resulting in a nearly two-year delay between the original approval of the project and the start of construction.
The city initially received no contractor bids for the garage improvements, and so had to seek out a contractor to complete the project.
The project’s cost increase is attributed in the staff report to an increase in the price of materials. “The increased estimate, above the previous estimate in 2017, is based upon complexities relating to required structural considerations associated with attaching the fencing to the existing concrete structure and increased material needs identified through the design process,” the report states.
The safety enhancements are expected to be completed by the end of May. The structure is still open for parking, despite the 10 stalls near the top being used to stage the safety construction project.
