BY STACIE LETT CAIN
Downtown Mooresville is one step closer to having a downtown parking deck.
In a unanimous vote, the Town Board of Commissioners on Monday awarded a $1,596,280 contract to Beatty Construction LLC. The amended contract covers design and permitting for the parking structure and associated site improvement located between Moore and Center Streets at 100 N. Church Street.
The proposed deck will have a total of 512 parking spots, which will give the town an increase of 277 spaces over the current surface lots in that location. Estimated construction costs for the project are in the $20 million range.
“We listened to what you have said and made this project something that we believe will blend in to the downtown area,” Ashton Walker, engineering services manager for the town, told the board. “We heard your concerns and incorporated them into the plan.”
Those concerns included having what Commissioner Will Aven referred to as having a “concrete monster” downtown, as well as safety and traffic concerns raised by other commissioners.
The board also asked to have parking deck integrated into the downtown area and well as being attractive to local businesses and investors.
“We think we have been able to hit all of the marks with this design,” Walker said.
The three-level parking structure will take advantage of the topological slope from from Main Street to Church Street, which dips 18 feet. Because of the slope, the Main Street section of the deck will not be at a higher elevation than other downtown buildings. The building will not only be a parking structure, but will also include retail space with greenspace planned into the design as well. It will also include space for a Mooresville Police Department Annex.
The parking structure will also include elevators and direct pedestrian access that will accommodate ADA requirements.
“Our goal was to create a parking deck that is highly utilized, safe, secure and user friendly, blending with the architectural character, supporting and connecting the adjacent businesses and helping to promote further investment in Mooresville,” Walker explained. “I believe we have done that.”
But when asked by Board Member Lisa Qualls if the parking structure was designed to accommodate added growth, Walker answered that it was not.
“We looked at making a structure that we could add to in the future. We researched other areas that had done so and what would be required to do it and determined early on that was not feasible for us to do,” she said.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board also approved a request from the legal department to amend Chapters 12.5, 15 and 17 of the town’s code to align it with N.C. State Code requirements. The ordinances include prohibitions and exceptions for carrying firearms, discharging explosives, discharging bows, arrow and slingshots as well as banning smoking in town buildings and on town property.