Parking talk ramps up
JANESVILLE — At least two and maybe three parking ramps will be needed downtown, and City Manager Steve Sheiffer has pegged the site of the former parking ramp as the priority for the first.
Sheiffer is recommending that a ramp with three or four levels be built at the corner of Parker Drive and Wall Street at a cost of $3.1 million or $4.1 million.
A parking ramp there was torn down in 2003 because the concrete had deteriorated.
Discussion of a parking ramp is expected when the city council considers its annual borrowing note, said Brad Cantrell, community development director.
Sheiffer wrote in a memo that parking is needed to stimulate economic development, and that became obvious during recent discussions with an investment firm looking to buy and remodel the building known as the Helgesen building at 101 E. Milwaukee St.
The result of that discussion “indicated that the building would never be viable without accessible parking,” Sheiffer said.
In addition, Sheiffer said he would include money in the 2009 budget to analyze parking options near The Armory and Monterey Hotel at High and West Milwaukee streets.
Sheiffer said a ramp likely would be needed in five years in the area of The Janesville Gazette building and One Parker Place.
“Without adequate parking in close proximity to major activity centers like the former Helgesen building, current redevelopment efforts will languish,” Sheiffer said.
The area near the Helgesen building would remain a priority even if the proposed development falls through, Sheiffer said.
The “lack of parking readily accessible to our major office buildings has provided a disincentive in attracting office uses in the downtown area, and thus deterred private investments,” he wrote.
“The administration believes that the city should become more proactive in providing parking in the downtown area,” Sheiffer wrote.
Sheiffer recommends that a four-level parking structure be built if the Helgesen building redevelopment happens. That would provide 251 spaces, with 120 of those spaces assigned to the Helgesen building.
He proposes a three-level structure if the development falls through, providing 186 parking spots with the option of additional levels if demand increases.
The surface lot has 84 parking spaces. Occupancy was 69 percent in 2006 for the 41 two-hour spaces. Because of the sloping site, access to the lower level of the structure would be from Wall and Main streets and to the second level from Parker Drive.
A second site for a garage east of the river would combine the existing city-owned surface parking lot between Main Street and Parker Drive with about 60 feet of land to the north owned by Johnson Bank.
The city-owned lot contains 53 spaces. The Johnson Bank lot could be reconfigured so 37 surface parking spaces remain and access to the drive-up windows accommodated. A two-level structure is proposed for the site.
Engineering for construction could begin in fall, Cantrell said.
Apr 24, 2008 at 9:31 a.m.
Suggest removal
i walked down there last nite for dinner at the armory and it was like a ghost town. one guy riding on side walk with what looked like his white skivies and a silver crown on his head on a dirt bike??????!!!!!!lost a bet??? there was a poice officer on foot walking around just checking up on things down there . that was nice
Apr 24, 2008 at 2:46 a.m.
Suggest removal
NOw they say they tore the old one down because of deteriorating cocrete? First it was because it wasnt needed. Then it was "too hard to drive large vehicles around in". Yeah riiiigggt. I had no problems driving a 68 Chrysler 4dr around it and it was longer than a suburban.
Like hannah said, when most the whole downtown shutters up at 5pm, of course its not gonna ever revitalize.
Apr 23, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.
Suggest removal
Janesville seems to be in a bubble- somebody popp it please!
Yes i am not sure why they destroed the old one- maybe because it was falling down!!!
yes there was crime
yes drunk people may use it- SORRY for that
Yes we could use one especially if theyre threating to get ride of the one over the river
big cities have thema and i dont hear of many problems
bifgger cities you Must pay to park anywhere. we dont have too here yet so be happy
tell scateboarders STAY OUT just like theyre not allowded other places
they closed off riverside park road years ago because of juvinalk deliquents- unfortunaly crime will happen you cant just not open things or build things because of stupid kids
if we need one then so be it.
tax payers money does need to spent more wisely-example take care of what we have and forge tthe WATER park that would only run 3 months of the year- your not goint to compete with dells or rockford.
antoher thing this would work of businesses downtown would open more than just bankers hours.
they want to rebuild it and get more consumers down there then OPEN your DOORS!!!! Somebody has to give but consumer cant if places are not open!!! open doors so people can shop at night and on sunday. maybe that is why it is a ghost town down there.
If you go to a big city to shop they dont close at 5
Apr 23, 2008 at 7:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
We are beautifying and revitalizing downtown... I'm sick of this scenario:
THEY start talking about it
THEY hire a consultant
THEY don't say a thing again for months then all of the sudden it's being built.
When is the last time you looked at a parking ramp and thought, boy is that beautiful?!?!
How could this stimulate the local economy when it will be built by a contractor from two states away?
Apr 22, 2008 at 8:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
what was wrong with the one we had before? the city council needs to wake up. quit blowing our taxes on things we don't need. how is it 5 years ago we didn't need the one we had and now all of a sudden we need two of them. please...
Apr 22, 2008 at 8:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
I think maybe it's time for Janesville to swallow it's pride and look to the south for guidance from Beloit.
Their' downtown is thriving, and that's in light of having to tear down their' over the river parking ramp.
They are doing a lot of things right, but Janesville is too uppity to work hand in hand with them, on projects or ideas.
Too bad, so sad. Our loss.
Maybe our new city manager can start without any such hang-ups.
Apr 22, 2008 at 3:10 p.m.
Suggest removal
Sometimes, doing nothing is the right thing to do. It's not new, exciting, or innovative, and therefore not as attractive as massive public works projects. We seem to be on the verge of an economic storm. Saving money now will ease the inevitable pain later. Consider this, if the price of gas is $3.50 in December after being $4.50 in September, and the cost of heating our homes is 20% higher, and the price of a dozen eggs is $2.00, the last thing we're going to want is a 10% increase in the property tax bill we just got in the mail.
Apr 22, 2008 at 2:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
That ramp on Parker Drive is going to be a big, hot mess once the Downtown Drunks from the Glass, Quotes and Legends start crashing around in it and falling off the upper levels.
I hope some of that "$3 or $4 Million" would include a security system to deter bored teens with skateboards and transients from congregating, to deter drug deals and prostitution in blind and dark corners and , and offer guards to walk you to your vehicle if you don't feel safe walking alone.
Some how I have a feeling that none of THAT is being considered.
Apr 22, 2008 at 2:40 p.m.
Suggest removal
But, billnewbie, don't you think we need to find ways to stimulate the economy at the local level? And wouldn't existing structures be a place to look for those ways? I don't want a parking ramp -- environmentally, the idea is disastrous. But apparently lack of parking has already been a deal-buster for one business looking to locate downtown. Ideas?
Apr 22, 2008 at 2:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
With the economy as it is, holding down spending, and therefore taxes, is the responsible thing to do. We don't need new ways to spend money right now.
Apr 22, 2008 at 10:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
In one way, I agree that forethought is called for here. One of my gripes is that we continue to expand developments into formerly natural or agricultural areas without regard to ultimate impact, while buildings sit empty downtown. So more parking is probably something to look into, for the sake of attracting businesses to the city's center rather than away. But I also agree that there has never been a better moment to stop and look at other options such as those suggested by BalancePoint. They will not go far enough, as those who might work at or visit new downtown businesses will not necessarily live in the city. But from here forward, every such option must be accompanied by an "offset" program that encourages precisely those ideas set forth by BalancePoint. And before placing more non-porous, heat-inducing concrete on a downtown block, the administration and council need to look into other options for materials and structure styles.
Apr 22, 2008 at 10:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
I think they need to focus on revitalizing the downtown area with new businesses and a river walkway so people will go downtown. Then once people start going down there and then we can worry about a parking lot/ramp.
Apr 22, 2008 at 10:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
I thought people were trying to get away from driving everywhere? I have never had any trouble finding a parking place downtown - sure, I may have to walk a few blocks, but we all need more exercize anyway. I have yet to see a City bus that was even halfway full, which is a huge waste of fuel - maybe would be cheaper to offer bus rides for free to downtown - as opposed to millions for parking structures?? Which brings another issue - if no one uses the busses, why do we need a new bus garage? Why don't we downsize some routes to vans? Our City needs to take a step back, stop spending for a few months, and decide what is and isn't important to the people of Janesville. Let us catch our breath before the next multi-million project is announced. Or better yet, on the City's website, host a voting or forum section, so taxpayers can log in and give their opinions, or cast a vote on ideas, before City Hall pays a consultant 10K to research something that people don't even want.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.