BIDDEFORD — On Tuesday, in a close 5-4 vote, the city council approved the first significant step toward building a parking garage in Biddeford’s downtown mill district. The council approved spending $98,000 to hire Winton Scott Architects of Portland to complete a study related to building parking structures in the city.
For years, people have complained that the lack of parking has stifled growth in the downtown. In addition, the shortage of parking in the mill district is viewed as a hindrance to further development of that area.
So city officials are following the motto, “If you build it, they will come,” and are hoping that placing a parking garage, or two, in the city will bring more jobs to the area and increase the city’s tax base.
The new study will analyze building up to two parking structures in Biddeford: One within the mill district on private property straddling the Pepperell Mill Campus (formerly WestPoint Homes) and the Lincoln Mill parking lots; and another at an existing surface parking lot, owned by the city, on Washington Street.
Some councilors object to this “feasibility” study, which some understood would look at whether or not to build a parking garage. Councilor George “Pete” Lamontagne said he was against funding a study and thought the money should be put toward the actual building.
However, Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson said, “Studies have already shown that structured parking is a priority in Biddeford.” The purpose of the new study is “to take it to the next level,” he said. It will address “what and where and how you’re actually going to build it.”
Before building a garage, an in-depth study is needed, said Stevenson. “You can’t say, ”˜Let’s just do this,’” he said.
Parking garages can cost between $9,000 and $20,000 per parking space, he said. This study will look at what type of material will be used, which will affect building costs, said Stevenson.
The study will also explore phasing in parking, such as building 200 or 300 spaces now and adding more later as demand increases. How to manage traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, to and from the garage is another issue that will be addressed. Other questions include: How will the city pay for the structure; will the city buy or lease the land if it’s built on private land; the cost to maintain the garage and funding to do so; and a myriad of other questions.
Public input will be sought during the analysis, which is expected to take six to eight months, said Stevenson. The $100,000 price tag may seem steep to some, Stevenson said, but he said it is reasonable for what the city will end up with.
An end product will be a business plan of how to finance and build one or more parking structures.
In addition to the need for the study, some councilors objected to the city considering a plan to pay for a parking structure on private land in the mill district. Councilor Raymond Gagnon said the city wouldn’t pay to build parking at Biddeford Crossing or the University of New England or other private businesses or institutions.
However, said Stevenson, “If the mills are filled with housing and business(es) with jobs, that’s a benefit to the city.”
In a previous interview for an article on the issue in June, Lincoln Jeffers, the assistant to the city manager in Lewiston, said the creation of a publicly funded parking structure is “essential for growth of these mature downtowns” that were built before cars played such a prominent role in daily life.
The City of Lewiston has invested in four parking structures located in its downtown mill district, creating approximately 1,800 parking spaces, he said.
The spaces are utilized by employees at large banks, a fiber optics company and other firms.
“Without this garage,” said Jeffers, speaking about the a parking structure utilized by Northeast Bank and other organizations, “none of this would have happened.”
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
