(BLOOMINGTON) – The design for the new Fourth Street Garage will be presented this evening to the Redevelopment Commission (RDC), the funding entity for the project.
The RDC meets in the McCloskey Conference Room (Room 135) at City Hall (401 North Morton Street) from 5 to 7 p.m. Last week, the Technical Review Committee met with the design and construction team to review and provide feedback on the facility’s design and layout.
The committee comprises City officials, City Council members, and staff of the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce and the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation.
The final design is scheduled to be presented for approval to the Plan Commission July 8, preceded by a public comment period.
The current design calls for a six-story facility with 504 parking spaces, approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space along the facility’s Walnut Street side, LED lighting, bike parking with lockers, and public restrooms.
The proposed garage features environmentally-friendly components including electric vehicle charging stations and solar panels on the roof.
The facility will offer entrance/exit locations at both Third and Fourth Streets for optimal traffic flow. Additionally, the garage will include more ADA parking spots than the existing structure, to be located near the elevators.
Based on feedback from the public, key components of the proposed design include natural lighting, public art, and improved signage to assist with wayfinding. Materials to be used include brick, prestressed concrete, and vertical metal slats. The facility will feature two glass-enclosed stair towers as a security and design feature.
Decommissioning of the existing garage is complete, while planning and engineering work on utility relocation continues. Once utilities have been relocated, the construction team will mobilize onsite and begin demolition. Demolition is expected to begin in late summer.
Officials from the City and F.A. Wilhelm Construction began meeting with neighboring businesses last week to provide an update on the project, hear their concerns, and answer questions. Communication among these entities will continue regularly throughout the duration of the project.
