By MATT PIKE
As work continues on one downtown St. Joseph parking garage, the city of St. Joseph will close a second parking garage next week to start a similiar process.
The city will close the lot at Sixth and Jules streets near the Law Enforcement Center on Monday, August 10th, to remove the upper portions of the parking garage converting it into a ground-level parking lot. A similar project at the former garage located at Fourth and Felix streets, adjacent to the Civic Arena, began in June. Once completed, both locations will operate as surface parking lots. Notices will be placed on vehicles using the Sixth and Jules garage during the week of August 3rd to inform users of the upcoming work.
During the work, temporary lane closures will be required on the streets immediately surrounding the site. In addition, two-hour parking limits in nearby areas will be suspended to help accommodate displaced parking demand. Residents and visitors are encouraged to plan and use alternative parking options during construction. Available options include on-street parking, the Joyce Raye Patterson parking lot at 100 S. 10th St., and the top level of the Mosaic parking garage at 825 Felix.
Both parking garages have experienced deterioration over time. The Fourth and Felix structure has significant structural deficiencies, and the upper deck at Sixth and Jules has also shown deterioration. An independent assessment determined that repairs would not be practical or cost-effective. Instead, the city is investing about $833,000 to remove the upper sections and convert the structures to surface parking lots. The project is financed through the American Rescue Plan Act, with funds required to be used by the end of the year.
This initiative represents one of the final City projects supported by ARPA funding. Madget Demolition is handling the upper deck removal work for the project.
Updates will be provided as work progresses on the City of St. Joseph’s social media pages.
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