Third Street lot to reopen for public parking through holidays

posted on: 11/21/2017; updated: 11/27/2017

The Third Street parking lot is now open for public parking and will remain open through Jan. 2, 2018. Because construction at the lot will not begin until after the holidays, the property developer, Carnegie Holdings, has agreed to open the lot to public parking temporarily. The lot will close each day from 1 to 6 a.m. and is not available for overnight parking.

“In no way is this a change in the overall plan to redevelop the lot,” said Christopher G. Parker, AICP, Dover’s Assistant City Manager for Planning and Strategic Initiatives. “The developer has indicated that due to the holidays they will have a reduced working schedule, and we were able to negotiate a short-term reopening to assist with Downtown Dover’s holiday activities. The front portion of the lot remains privately owned.”

The fence around the lot will remain in place, except for the entrances.

Third Street lot to reopen for public parking through holidays

posted on: 11/21/2017; updated: 11/27/2017

The Third Street parking lot is now open for public parking and will remain open through Jan. 2, 2018. Because construction at the lot will not begin until after the holidays, the property developer, Carnegie Holdings, has agreed to open the lot to public parking temporarily. The lot will close each day from 1 to 6 a.m. and is not available for overnight parking.

“In no way is this a change in the overall plan to redevelop the lot,” said Christopher G. Parker, AICP, Dover’s Assistant City Manager for Planning and Strategic Initiatives. “The developer has indicated that due to the holidays they will have a reduced working schedule, and we were able to negotiate a short-term reopening to assist with Downtown Dover’s holiday activities. The front portion of the lot remains privately owned.”

The fence around the lot will remain in place, except for the entrances.

“This will allow the public to enter and exit the lot from Central Avenue and Third Street,” said Bill Simons, Dover’s Parking Manger. The lot will close from 1 to 6 a.m. each day for winter maintenance.

“When the opportunity was raised to reopen the lot, on a short-term basis, it made perfect sense this time of year,” said Dan Barufaldi, Dover’s Economic Development Director. Barufaldi added that “every effort to support local merchants and restaurants is taken, and this bonus is something to enhance the Dover shopping and dining experience during the holidays.”

Bids for the development of the Third Street were requested by the City in 2015. It was the next step in the City’s infill development program, following the sale and development of the First Street parking lot. In 2011, staff and the Parking Commission reviewed parking utilization of various surface lots and developed a strategy, endorsed by the City Council, to market the lots for redevelopment, using a Development Agreement model. In this model, the City has guarantees that the lots will be improved with mixed use buildings bringing more residential and commercial opportunity to downtown Dover.

After bids were released, staff negotiated with Carnegie Holdings LLC, and brought terms for development to the City Council in the fall of 2016. After holding a public hearing, the City Council elected to sell the portion of the lot on Third Street, retaining the portion along the railroad tracks for public parking. The project was reviewed by staff and the Planning Board over spring 2017, and approved for redevelopment. The developer took possession of the lot it purchased in July 2017.

Over the summer of 2017, the developer worked on utility placement, building plans, which are reviewed separate from the site plan. The Planning Board required increased architectural detail and structure. As a result, the developer is working with a geotechnical engineer to review soils underneath the lot and determine what enhancements to the foundation and substructure will be required. This work will be completed over the next few weeks.

“Due to the continued engineering review of the soils, the developer indicated that they wouldn’t begin work much before mid-December, with time off around Christmas,” Parker said. “At that time, the City requested that a portion of the lot be reopened for public use until January 2. As part of the conversation, the developer indicated they could reopen the full lot for public use, temporarily.”

In January, the lot will revert back to development status and work can begin again on the buildings. Signs and information will be displayed alerting users to this after Christmas, and before the closing takes effect.

“We will make it clear, in advance, when the lot is closing again,” Simons indicated.

A public meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 27, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in room 305 of the McConnell Center, with representatives from Planning, Parking and Economic Development. At the meeting details of the development plan as well as the temporary parking will be available.
For more information, contact the City of Dover Parking Bureau at 516-6132.