Workers flock to garages after Parking Lot X closes

More than one hundred parking spaces in front of the Cinedome building sat empty this week, cordoned off by a chain link fence covered with green tarps.

Instead of the cars of shoppers and downtown employees, the closed Parking Lot X sported a few pieces of large construction equipment and several portable toilets. The new additions quietly signaled the construction of the long-awaited flood bypass channel, which is set to begin next week.

When the city first announced the closure of Parking Lot X and the permanent loss of 114 parking spaces that will disappear into the quarter-mile-long flood channel some downtown businesses expressed concerns.

We got several comments from businesses in the area, wondering where their employees were going to park, said Barry Martin, the citys outreach coordinator. But we pointed out that the Pearl Street parking garage has plenty of all-day spaces and its only a few feet away from Parking Lot X.

Downtown employees appeared to heed Martins advice this week. On Tuesday afternoon a mere five-minute walk from Parking Lot X most of the 250 all-day spaces were occupied in the Pearl Street garage. Only the top, roof floor remained partially empty.

Many street spaces and short-term parking spots were also available.

Ever since we let everyone know that the Pearl Street garage was available, we havent had any additional comments, Martin said on Tuesday. Its funny. Sometimes people tend to forget about the parking garages. But I think everyone is figuring it out.

Roger Lueck, a representative for flood bypass construction company Nordic Industries, Inc., said Wednesday that before Parking Lot X was closed, the Pearl Street garage sat mostly empty.

Im glad that people are taking advantage of it, he said. Parking Lot X was such a convenient lot for so long, and we understand that. But unfortunately for some, the flood project is going to permanently change things. Many things will get better, but it will come at a price for a few.

In addition to the loss of parking, bypass construction will cause some traffic delays, at least one short-term street closure and dust in the Oxbow and Soscol Avenue areas. When finished, the 1,300-foot-long channel will divert about half of the water from a so-called 100-year flood.

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Workers flock to garages after Parking Lot X closes