Parking garage plans to get in-depth look

LACONIA — Ample and convenient parking is seen as a vital ingredient to the continued resurgence of the city's downtown, which is lending a sense of urgency to a meeting on Monday to discuss the future of the downtown parking garage.

The city council’s Land and Buildings Committee is scheduled to meet with a design engineer and an architect to discuss options for rebuilding and upgrading the underused and deteriorating structure.

The cost to correct the garage’s structural defects, add modern convenience and improve its appearance has been pegged at $6 million, according to a preliminary estimate.

City Manager Scott Myers said a big question is whether the consultants think it is better to move ahead with plans that were being discussed when talks to upgrade the facility were put on hold five or six years ago, or to look at “fresh ideas.”

The garage was built to accommodate 250 cars, but can now handle less than half that number. The entire top level of the three-level structure, and parts of second level are now closed off because of deterioration of some of the structural supports.

City Councilor Mark Haynes, who serves on the committee, said he is particularly interested in hearing about changes that would get more people to use the facility.

Myers said a glass-enclosed staircase and better lighting are among the ideas suggested to make the garage more user-friendly.

Haynes, stressing that he was speaking only as an individual committee member, said he wants to hear not just about the project itself, but also about ways to plan for ongoing upkeep of the rebuilt garage to ensure its continued use.

“I think we need to have a maintenance program and possibly regular policing so that it is conducive to people using it,” he said.

Haynes said he hopes the project will move forward quickly enough that the city can take advantage of current low interest rates on municipal bonds.

Myers said if the engineering design work is completed by next June then funding for the project could be included in next year’s city budget, with the city securing bonds shortly thereafter.

The committee’s meeting with architect Peter Stewart and engineer Bob Durfee is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in City Hall. The entire council is scheduled to receive a report from the committee at the council meeting which will start at 7 p.m.