Passaic's downtown parking shortage will soon improve. Here's the plan

PASSAIC — A lack of parking has long been a headache for the city, especially in the downtown area, but that's about to improve.

After the addition of some smaller lots throughout the city to ease some of the problem, the work to build an ambitious $14 million parking garage began this week.

With its planned 300 parking spaces, Mayor Hector Lora said, the garage will address the diverse needs of residents, employees and especially shoppers who visit the heart of the city.

"Rather than have people drive around for 25 minutes looking for a spot, I want them to spend the extra time shopping," Lora said.

The new parking deck will have lots of extras, including electronic signs that post the number of spaces available, signs that tell drivers if spots are available on any of the levels, and lots of security cameras. These features are aimed at enticing visitors to the city's business district, along with commuters and neighbors from Aspen Place.

Business Administrator Rick Fernandez said the parking deck, at Passaic and State streets, will have spaces designated for short-term parking, commuters and residents.

"If you look on a map, it is centrally located," Fernandez said. It's close to Main Avenue, the soon-to-be-constructed bus depot and the city's numerous restaurants in and around Market Street.

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It took the city some time to acquire the funds necessary to build the structure.

Of the $14 million cost, $10 million comes from state grants, $3.5 million from bonds floated by the city's parking authority and $500,000 from programs such as payment in lieu of parking agreements, in which developers pay money into a fund to cover the parking they cannot fit onsite, and money collected from parking meters and parking tickets.

Bids for the project were opened in March, and the city awarded a $13 million bid to Dinallo Construction of Wood-Ridge in June.

The independent parking authority will use money generated from city parking meters and fees generated from parking garages to pay off the bonds.

Workers from Dinallo Construction of Wood-Ridge began by clearing the municipal lot next to the city's WIC building across from City Hall on Passaic Street.

The plan is to build a five-story parking deck with 4½ floors for parking and the rest to house a retail and restaurant combination. There will also be EV charging station spots.

The new parking facility will double the available parking in the area around Main Avenue and Passaic Street. There's a private garage on the other side, but parking there is largely taken by local businesses including a bank, teachers at nearby schools and other workers.

The parking deck will come in handy when the city loses some spots along Main Avenue as the bus station is built and Main Avenue is eventually realigned .

This lot will be open to timed parking, commuter spaces for those catching nearby public transportation and long-term parking for area residents,

The city anticipates the lot construction, which will use some prefabricated portions, to be completed in 10 months.

Lora said he is also hoping to use $4 million in federal grant funds to build another parking garage near Parker Avenue and Monroe Street.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic's downtown parking shortage will soon improve. Here's the plan