Council Analyzes Worth Lot Parking Garage Site

City Councilors still have many questions surrounding a proposal to build a new parking garage on the Worth Lot, and those concerns were aired during Monday night’s work session at City Hall.

Principal Planner Nick Cracknell said this site would give the city 600 parking spaces, with 490 new spaces and 400 net spaces if the council votes to move forward with the project.

A conceptual drawing he produced for the Parking Site Selection Committee last month showed a parking facility that would also include several retailers, restaurants and shops that would be located in a historic looking, red brick facade that would blend in with the downtown area.

During Monday’s work session, Cracknell said the Worth Lot is the best site because of the size and shape of the lot and the potential leverage for economic development.

Cracknell said the negatives include private ownership of abutting lots and a temporary loss of spaces during construction.

More than 50 city residents and downtown business owners packed City Hall to hear what councilors had to say about the committee’s recommendation.

Councilor Anthony Coviello, who chaired the Parking Site Selection Committee, recommended the council explore public/private partnerships in the Worth Lot and see if they can get a commitment from the owner of the Coldwell Banker building.

The city also has to continue to identify issues, concerns and opportunities with the stakeholder groups.

“My concerns are the cost to the taxpayer and how we support businesses downtown during the construction period,” said Assistant Mayor Robert Lister.

He said the city should be looking at overall transportation instead of just focusing on whether the city should be build a new parking garage or not.

“It’s not just about a parking garage, but what is the big picture?” Lister said.

Lister said he is concerned that the project could shut down some retail and restaurant businesses in the Worth Lot area.

Coviello said every proposal has a very large contingency of people that will favor or oppose the construction of a new parking garage. He said it is critically important that the city meet with stakeholders to involve them going forward the way the city did with the State Street project.

“There are multiple things we can do to mitigate this,” Coviello said.

Mayor Eric Spear asked if once the garage is done, it will be a good space for the next 50 years. He said another question the council needs to consider is the challenges that will accompany the construction of a new parking garage.

Councilor Brad Lown also asked if there would be sufficient money in the reserve revenue fund to pay for the bond.

City Manager John Bohenko said the staff has looked at that issue, and cost per spaces is something the city can do without affecting the property tax rate.

Councilor Esther Kennedy said she wanted to bring forward other alternatives that do not require building a parking garage downtown, such as increasing the time that trolleys are available to transport people downtown.

“People come here for the history and the arts and culture,” she said.

She said the city needs to find out when the Thomas J. McIntyre property will come to the city so that can be looked at more closely as a potential parking site.

Bohenko said the staff has been in contact with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s office and other members of the New Hampshire Congressional delegation regarding the transfer of the federal building. He said the federal government may go out to design in late fall or early winter and construction could begin sometime in late 2013 or early 2014. He said there would be an 18- to 20-month building window and the city would not get the property until the federal employees are moved to Pease International Tradeport, which might not be until 2016 or 2017.

“Does the new garage increase or decrease my taxes?” is a question Councilor Jack Thorsen believes the city has to answer for its residents. In order to get residents to buy into it, the city has to show residents how it benefits them.

“The taxpayer will benefit if we can fill out the downtown,” said Councilor Nancy Novelline Clayburgh.