Council approves retail space for new parking garage Council approves retail space for new parking garage (January 16, 2004)

Months-long debate concludes in a 6-1 vote

By Julie O'Shea

After months of debate, the city council decided Tuesday to make room for up to 14,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor of a proposed 405-spot parking garage on California and Bryant Streets.

Council voted 6-1, with Greg Perry dissenting, to push the $14.5 million project forward.

Perry's no vote stemmed from a concern that, given the economic downtown, there wouldn't be enough money or people to make more retail shops a viable part of the city's downtown, which is already peppered with vacancy signs.

However, the other council members said there was no way to know how soon the recession will lift, and it is best to leave the retail option open. Downtown advocates have long hoped to see a drug store or grocery store, which would require significant square footage, move into the Castro Street area.

"This is an important location," Council member Mike Kasperzak said. "It really deserves usable (ground floor) space."

Council member Nick Galiotto, who feared last month that more shops would mean more early morning delivery trucks blaring down city streets, said he spent the last few weeks touring a couple parking garages in neighboring cities and discovered that "the majority appear to have some degree of retail."

Likewise, Mayor Matt Pear also changed his mind after listening to several residents voice their desire to see a retail component in the parking structure.

The parking plan, as outlined in the staff report, would provide 40 spaces on the ground floor of the four-story structure to accommodate retail shops. The project is estimated to cost about $35,800 per parking space and will be paid for through bond funds.

In June 2002, the council had originally approved a four-story structure with 468 spots and room for 20,000 square feet of retail. But after discovering that it would not be possible to meet all of the retail and parking objectives of the original plan, city staffers came back last September with four alternative concepts that council grappled over for three months.

E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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