Parking problems? : Church’s deck proposal evokes concerns over viability, appearance
Posted on Monday, September 8, 2008
A neighbor of the proposed parking garage that could be constructed on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church land says he has several concerns about the idea.
Prefacing those concerns, lawyer Woody Bassett of Bassett Law Firm said the church has been a wonderful neighbor “ to us over the years and I also want to say that Lowell Grisham [the church rector ] was kind enough to visit with me earlier this week to give me an opportunity to discuss our concerns. ”
Bassett said Grisham also extended the firm an invitation to attend the meeting Sunday at the church, when members discussed the county proposal that would involve constructing the garage.
“ We truly appreciate the church offering us the chance to share our concerns with them, ” Bassett said.
“ We have a number of serious, and what we feel are legitimate, concerns, ” he said. “ The current county proposal, at least as we understand it, would place the parking deck a mere 9 feet from our building, and we think that’s unacceptable. ”
He was referring to a conceptual drawing of the proposed parking garage, which also includes a skywalk across College Avenue to the Washington County Courthouse.
“ The height of the deck, as it’s been proposed, and the close proximity to our property would simply swallow up our building, ” Bassett said. “ It would greatly diminish, we think, the value and enjoyment of our property, and it occurs to us it would make it very difficult for some of us who work at the firm to conduct business during the year or so it takes to build the parking deck as a result of the heavy construction, which would be mere feet from our offices on the north side of our building. ”
He said, “ We’re also deeply concerned about the potential for structural damage to our building during the construction of the deck, and also worried that our historical building would be potentially damaged in other ways during the construction process. ”
Washington County Judge Jerry Hunton said, “ I called Woody a week ago today and asked for an appointment with him. He did not return my phone call. ”
Hunton said he believes it sounds like Bassett is “ looking for things to be opposed to. ” “ I think, the idea of construction going on next to his building, that happens everywhere all the time, ” Hunton said. He said the Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan calls for a parking deck. “ I guess I would clearly ask Woody what alternatives would he suggest, ” Hunton said. He said can understand Bassett’s concern with the parking deck next to his building, blocking the view to the north, but, “ as far as his ability to conduct business, I don’t see that. ”
City involvement County officials have been working with the city of Fayetteville to ensure the parking garage is in line with the Downtown Master Plan.
Jeremy Pate, the city’s director of current planning, said the Downtown Master Plan “ is just a policy document, ” explaining that there are no regulations within it. Rezoning in the area and parking deck standards came from ideas in the document.
Pate said the need for parking has been addressed in the Downtown Master Plan. Parking decks, he said, are more efficient than street parking, taking up less space ultimately “ because you can stack the decks. ”
Safety and aesthetics are key concerns people have with parking decks, he said. He said ordinances adopted that address parking deck standards offer options that include green facades, retail in the front of the decks or setting the deck back from the street to allow for future buildings.
“ I think a lot of effort has been undertaken and a lot of different ideas are now utilized by developers by trying to hide the fact that it’s a parking structure, ” Pate said.
Fayetteville aldermen have said little about the parking garage concept. Some commented this week when asked about it.
“ We need parking downtown. We certainly do, and whether or not this is the very best place and all, that’s up to the tenants around there, like the Bassett Law Firm and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, ” Alderman Adella Gray said.
“ I know they’re looking at it very hard and trying to make the very best decision. ”
As other aldermen indicated, Gray said that an aesthetically pleasing parking garage is important “ so it doesn’t really look like a parking garage when you look at it. Hopefully, they can camouflage it some different ways. ”
Alderman Lioneld Jordan said it should be compatible with the surrounding area.
“ I want to preserve the identity along College Avenue across from the existing courthouse, ” he said. “ Anything they put in those areas, I want it to be aesthetically pleasing. I want it to blend with the surroundings. ”
He said, “ It’s very early for me to make a call in the area until I sit down and see how it looks. ”
Alderman Brenda Thiel said that “ obviously, we need more parking, but I don’t know about it to be honest. The City Council, as far as I know, hasn’t received any information about it. ”
Alderman Shirley Lucas said she knows the city needs more parking but added, “ I really haven’t looked into it that much. I think Jeremy [Pate ] will handle things well. ”
Alderman Bobby Ferrell said it seems to him that judges, attorneys and other interested parties want to keep court and county functions in the downtown area.
“ I haven’t had one of them tell me they want to move from downtown, ” he said.
“ I think it would make sense to design something that would make it downtown friendly, ” he said. “ I think safety is certainly a big issue. ”
He said there also needs to be a place for jurors to park, and as the city continues to grow, the need for parking for citizens is going to continue to grow.
One aspect of the plan is a skywalk over College Avenue that would connect the parking garage with the Washington County Courthouse.
Ferrell said he has heard some people talk about the skywalk.
“ I’ve heard a few people say, ‘ with the aesthetics Fayetteville prides itself in, will this be a plus or a minus, ’ ” he said. “ It’s more of a question than anything else. ”
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