Work starts next month on new parking deck

GAINESVILLE - City officials say work is to begin Jan. 19 on the new Georgia Mountains Center parking deck.

"That's when they begin securing the site and getting some of the safety instruments up, then they'll have to look at closing some of the existing parking places so they can get their equipment in here," Interim City Manager Kip Padgett said Monday.

Contractors met with city officials Monday on the project.

First the old deck has to be demolished and hauled away before construction begins on the new one.

Padgett said downtown is losing around 270 parking places in order to gain just over 400 when the new deck is ready, hopefully by the end of July. He said there still will be alternative downtown parking for on-the-square visitors.

"What's known as the 'Belk Lot' will be open. Our Main Street parking lot will be open, as well as the new parking lot on the Greater South site," Padgett added.

Padgett said the lot created by the Greater South building demolition has 82 new parking places.

Padgett said the city plans to issue a news release with further information on the downtown parking project, including a map to guide visitors to available parking.