Parking deck location presentation headed to City Council

Staff graphic

Nearly three years to the day since first hearing Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s idea for a downtown parking deck, the Fayetteville City Council will be offered three options on where to build it.

On Nov. 27, council members are set to hear a presentation detailing the three sites being considered. One week later, on Dec. 4, they’ll be asked to make a final decision.

Aldermen were expected to decide this summer to build the deck either on the main Walton Arts Center parking lot (WAC Lot) or at the south end of the arts center’s campus where Grub’s Bar & Grill is located (Theatre Lot).

Once board members re-opened discussions about a third lot – located just south of Kingfish on School Avenue (East Lot) – it became clear the decision would be delayed.

Once a site is selected, city staff will secure funds for the project. The council last fall authorized Jordan to issue up to $6.5 million in bonds to finance the deck. The bonds would be repaid over 25 years using money collected from the downtown paid parking program.

Construction on the deck would likely begin in mid-2013 and end by late 2014.