WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The city of Bloomington is looking to consultants to help decide whether to rebuild or repair the aging, downtown Fourth Street garage.
The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission last night approved contracting with CORE Planning Strategies to examine the question. Structural engineers from CE Solutions surveyed the Fourth Street garage, earlier this year. Based on that survey, Public Works Director Adam Wason said Bloomington will need to make $1.1 million repair, just to get another three to five years of life from the garage. The Fourth Street garage is estimated to currently operate at 97% capacity. Wason also estimates the garage will need to close for up to a year while the repairs are done.
To extend the garages lifespan to 10 years would cost an estimated $2.1 million; for 15 years, an estimated $3.1 million.
There will also be yearly maintenance costs. Wason estimates those sit at about 50 thousand dollars a year for the first five years, rising to about $70 thousand per year after that. Structural engineers project the garage will have to be replaced in 15 years, even if the city invests in repairing it.
