5-Story Parking Garage for Midtown?

Should a 312 car, 5-story parking garage be built smack dab in the middle of Midtown?  Get an initial peek at this project.  Find out about its public meeting.

Background

A thriving Midtown is good for nearby neighborhoods, local businesses, and Tallahassee.  Recently, the city issued a Request for Proposals for a parking garage to be built in Midtown to add to current parking and facilitate future growth.  A proposal was submitted to build a 312 car garage at Thomasville Rd. and Fifth Ave. (across the street from Redeye Coffee) in a form of public-private partnership. 

The Big Question

Nearby neighborhoods (Lafayette Park, Levy Park, Midtown, and Los Robles) and some Midtown merchants question whether a parking garage will help or hurt Midtown.  The BHNA, as part of its membership in the Alliance of Tallahassee Neighborhoods (ATN), is researching the pros and cons of the garage.  Here’s the main question:  Is a 5-story parking garage in the middle of Midtown and bordering a busy two-lane road the best solution to providing adequate parking?  Concerns have been raised regarding cost, need, safety, aesthetics, the overall vision for Midtown’s development, and whether the associated zoning will lead to a “retail gentrification” of Midtown, driving away local businesses. 

Interested?  Attend the Public Meeting

A public discussion of the pros and cons of the proposed garage will be held on January 28th, 5:30 PM, at the Board of Realtors (1029 Thomasville Rd.), Conference Room.  The topic of discussion will be several recommendations from the 2011 Midtown Placemaking Plan intended to support infill development, walkability and additional parking.  This meeting will include a discussion of proposals that were received for a mixed-use building and parking garage in the Midtown commercial area.