Parking Garage Redux
With the official mayoral election still a few weeks out, Mayor To Be Adrian Fenty may have his very first political victory in progress right now. With the initial plan for the new Stadium in southeast unable to afford above ground parking garages, and Lame Duck Williams unable to pass a $75 million dollar plan to build the garages under separate mandate. Fenty’s new plan uses revenue from the stadium to pay $56 million for the construction of two above ground garages that would feature a team store upon opening and be able to accomdate additional retail on the top of the garages later. The Lerner Group and the city’s current CFO are supporters of Fenty’s new plan, as well, removing most of the clear private obstacles, and leaving only the council to approve the measure.
Above pr below ground garages are a non-starter unless there is street level retail. Without street-level retail, you might as well put the baseball stadium out next to FedEx field for all the good it will do DC.
I don’t think it’s nearly that simple wayan. Between ticket taxes, concession taxes, and a new emphasis on a business district surrounding the park, I think we’ll see plenty of benefit.
But we’ll also see two giant monoliths for those of us who walk – monoliths that unless they have street level retail, will be like the new convention center. It might as well be a giant block of concrete for what is does for the sourrounding area