A consultant will evaluate downtown parking needs, including the feasibility of constructing a deck on Lot B (behind East Cherry Street) and adding two levels to the Main Street deck. A preliminary report to the Parking Authority is expected by the end of the year.
Until the residential housing meltdown of the last several years, the parking deck at Lot B (photo, below left) was to be part of The Westbury by Dornoch, which is also constructing The Savoy. Original plans included a 324-space, five-story parking deck, 150 condos and 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
Instead, the Parking Authority and the city will take the lead on the Lot B garage. City Administrator and Redevelopment Director Peter Pelissier said the developer would be back-charged for each unit that would require a space in the deck. Changes also will require renegotiations to the redevelopment agreement with Dornoch, which could take several months, said Redevelopment Agency attorney Frank Regan.
Developers have spent about $5.5 million i
n recent years to assemble properties for The Westbury project, according to Regan. That total could surpass $7 million once they acquire the Greek-American Deli on Main Street and a Parking Authority parcel, he added, and so the project has simply become too cost prohibitive to put together at this point.
In an interview after last week’s Parking Authority meeting, Chairman Matt Dobrowolski said there’s already been discussion with the city administration about a possible third location for a parking deck. “We’re looking long-term, not just the Dornoch project,” he said. Adding two levels at the Main Street deck (photo, right) is more difficult with Carriage City Plaza now constructed, he said, but they have the ability to do it although it won’t solve the Lot B issue.
The Main Street deck took about a year to erect and Dobrowolski expects the same timeline with the Lot B deck. Opened in December 2004, the six-story, 524-space deck cost $11 million — $3 million of which is to be paid back to NJ Transit.
Good to hear it’s at least a topic these days.
Does that mean that the entire Westbury project, including the residences, are on hold, or just the parking component?
Why didn’t they do this years ago?
Wait a minute, add two stores to the top of the parking garage now?? What are these people thinking? I was wondering are the parking auth. folks in full time paid positions. Lord help us..
BTW nice shot of Skyvu from by the train Mark.
Mark, I miss your polls. C’mon, ask us a question!
Funkdrtrot,The developers are “analyzing the feasibility of the project in light of the current market conditions.” Essentially, they overpaid for some of the properties acquired in recent years, and this market hasn’t helped. I’ll ask around for some more specifics.Either way, it won’t be built until The Savoy is completed (next spring). And the city and Parking Authority wanted to move forward on a deck regardless.Kevin,Parking Authority commissioners (the board that sets policy, makes decisions) are not paid. The executive director (administration, running it day to day) is a full-time, paid position.As for the photo (thanks!), I got home in time to snap off a few just before dusk. I was aiming to get a sense of where the top of the existing deck is relative to the SkyView condos.mr. rahway,Glad someone appreciated them! The well ran dry of poll ideas and no one’s offered suggestions. Perhaps something will come to me occasionally or by the fall. Maybe I’ll resurrect some polls from the early days of the blog when they only got a dozen or so votes. Maybe a poll should decide that…
I am sure the folks who bought on the 7th floor with NYC views at skyview will be happy they will be able to have a better view of their car too!Sorry 6th floor! There is always curtains….