Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

September 30, 2009

TC commissioners to vote on parking deck

By Sheri McWhirter

TRAVERSE CITY -- Traverse City commissioners learned more about a public parking deck planned for the Old Town neighborhood, and the city's mayor thinks he has the votes to push the project along next week.

The parking deck would be a three-story, 522-space structure with options for amenities such as a green roof and various solar panels. Commissioners at their Oct. 5 meeting will vote on whether to authorize a construction contract and sell $8 million in bonds to fund the project.

"Everything looks very favorable for the city right now," said Mayor Michael Estes. "I think it's now simply a matter of whether we get five or six votes."

The city charter requires a five-vote commission majority on city expenditures. Commissioners Jim Carruthers and Deni Scrudato have criticized the project and repeatedly voted against it in previous steps.

Both said they continue to have concerns.

Carruthers wants Hagerty Insurance Agency -- the business that stands to primarily benefit from a publicly funded deck -- to create affordable housing in construction plans in areas outlined for future development along Lake and Eighth streets. He said it would be a sensible and community-minded exchange for city financing of the deck.

"I've made it clear that would help me with my vote on this," Carruthers said.

Scrudato also has worries about the deck plan.

"It is being built to benefit one particular company and I think that sets a dangerous precedent," she said.

Hagerty should "chip in" more for the proposed $10 million construction project beyond donated property, Scrudato said.

The low base bid for the work was $7.37 million from Colasanti Construction Services Inc. in Detroit, though commissioners can choose various alternates to drive up the price, such as a roof over the upper ramp and either a green or solar panel-covered roof. City officials anticipated base bids of around $8.9 million.

City Manager R. Ben Bifoss said tax-increment finance dollars will be used to repay construction bonds within six years, plus state officials earmarked a $1 million federal grant and Grand Traverse County has a $1 million grant available as a "backstop," if it's needed.

Construction is expected to begin next month and be completed by mid-August 2010, if officials and contractors keep to the schedule, Bifoss said.

Text Only