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  • Sheri McWhirter

    Old Town deck
December 31, 2009

Merchants: Parking deck work hurts sales

By SHERI McWHIRTER

TRAVERSE CITY -- Construction on a $10 million Old Town parking deck is under way and some business owners contend the work is hurting sales.

"I hope it will be worth it in the end," said Donna McDonald, owner of Bay Bridal Boutique on East Eighth Street. "My sales from one day from before the construction -- I don't make that now in a week."

The Old Town deck is being built on the block between Lake Avenue and Union, Cass and Eighth streets. It will have three stories and 522 parking spaces.

Construction closed Lake Avenue for a time and also snarled parking for nearby businesses and residents. Many hope the benefits from a public parking structure will outweigh financial losses experienced while it materializes.

"It started out tough in October, but things have gotten better," said Mike Deering, owner of Maxbauer's Meat Market on Union Street. "Thanksgiving was like normal and Christmas was pretty much normal."

Parking spaces behind a row of shops on Union Street have been condensed as parking deck construction continues. Once customers figure out how to access the lot through the back alley, they discover there are available spaces about 95 percent of the time, Deering said.

But parking remains a concern for McDonald.

She has a number of parking spots behind her business that is operated inside a house nestled up immediately adjacent to the construction zone. She's lined the rear alley with pink balloons and ribbons to draw attention to her back-door entrance.

"People do not know where that alley is and my customers do not just come from Traverse City," McDonald said.

Kevin Graves is trying to increase foot traffic by offering a "parking deck construction sale" at his business, Cedar Creek Interiors of Grand Traverse on Union Street. Parking deck construction will be a "huge" benefit when completed, despite current woes, he said.

"It's had a little impact on us with lost parking," Graves said.

But he intends to renovate the back door at his interior design shop to create a more visible entrance once deck construction wraps, Graves said.

City officials recognize construction creates stress for nearby businesses, said Bryan Crough, the city's community development director.

"We know it's a hardship, but ultimately, this will be hugely valuable to the businesses there," he said. "Any time you have this type of disruption -- and we've seen it with other construction projects in the city -- it makes it really tough."

City workers installed directional signs to help motorists find available parking for Old Town neighborhood businesses. The city also leased additional parking spaces in the area that are a bit further away from the construction zone for local employees to use, freeing closer parking spaces for customers, Crough said.

Meanwhile, he said work is ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed toward summer's end.

The public project required the city to sell $8 million in construction bonds that will be repaid with tax-increment finance dollars within six years. State officials dedicated a $1 million federal grant to the project and Grand Traverse County has a $1 million grant available, if needed.

Low bidder Colasanti Construction Services Inc., of Detroit, won the deck construction contract at about $7.8 million, with the remainder of costs spent on engineering and design services.

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