WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission is postponing approving a project agreement for two new downtown parking garages.
The project review is meant to memorialize the city’s commitment to additional sustainability and design features for each parking garage. Members of Bloomington’s Common Council want to achieve an even broader commitment to sustainability in the garages’ designs. Bloomington Council members appealed to the Redevelopment Commission yesterday, to delay approving project agreements for the parking garages.
Yesterday’s Redevelopment Commission meeting began with Controller Jeff Underwood explaining the city’s current plans for the downtown Bloomington Fourth Street parking garage.
While a new Fourth Street garage would replace the existing structure, no site or design has been chosen for the city’s proposed Trades District garage. Underwood said the administration is proposing specific features for that garage as well.
Economic and Sustainability Director Alex Crowley acknowledged it’s still early days for developing plans for both garages. Crowley says the city is trying to walk a fine line between setting expectations for the garages, and prescribing design.
City Council members Isabel Piedmont-Smith and Dorothy Granger were also present at the Redevelopment Commission meeting. Piedmont-Smith said five members of the Bloomington City Council would not approve funding for the garages without additional sustainability features. She listed the city council’s priorities, beginning with a request that the Fourth Street garage demolition be paid for with cash on hand, to make more money available for sustainability features.
The Redevelopment Commission agreed to postpone the project reviews for both the downtown Fourth Street and Trades District parking garages. The Bloomington City Council is scheduled to take up the garage funding proposal in their meeting tomorrow, but Piedmont-Smith said the council may postpone taking action on the garage funding while councilors work with city administrators on sustainability features.
