Via Vivienne Uccello, City of Manhattan
MANHATTAN, Kan. –
Construction of the Aggieville Parking Garage at the corner of Laramie Street and 14th Street will begin with a groundbreaking ceremony at 4:00 p.m. this Friday, December 4. The 450 stall garage and alleyway improvements are expected to be complete by the end of 2021.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place in person at the corner of Laramie and 14th. Mayor Usha Reddi will be joined by representatives from city staff, the Olsson & BBN Architects design team, and general contractor McCown Gordon Construction. The ceremony will continue rain or shine and will be aired for the public on Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/Cityofmanhattan.
“The projects in Aggieville will address aging infrastructure and position the area to leverage new development from the private sector,” said Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers. “This is a significant step towards realizing the Aggieville Community Vision that was previously approved and adopted by the City Commission.
Parking restrictions in and around Aggieville will change during the construction period as 79 parking spaces from the existing lot will be unavailable for public use. The City Commission has passed a Phase 1 Parking Management Plan for the district during construction. Changes will help to balance parking demands equitably throughout the area, increase turnover of on-street spaces, and reduce spillover and long-term parking in other surrounding areas. Parking signage will change throughout the district in January 2021. A map of the new parking restrictions can be found on the city’s website: https://cityofmhk.com/DocumentCenter/View/60816/Map-Phase-1-Aggieville-Parking-Management.
The five-story parking garage construction includes the 450 stall parking garage, 8,000 square feet (sf) of ground floor shell space for possible office/commercial use, and alley improvements between the parking garage and Rally House. Street construction includes Laramie Street between North Manhattan Avenue and 14th Street, the signalization of the 14th Street and Laramie Street intersection, and the upgrades of the existing 14th Street and Anderson Avenue intersection. Construction is anticipated to start with the parking lot removal this month and is anticipated to last the entire calendar year of 2021.
The total cost for the project is not to exceed $17,779,710, as approved by the City Commission at the December 1 meeting. Revenue from Aggieville’s Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district is anticipated to cover $11-$12 million of the project cost, with the remaining gap to be covered by revenue from the 0.5% Economic Recovery and Relief sales approved by Manhattan voters, set to commence January 1, 2023.
The City began working with the community in 2016 to develop a vision for the future of Aggieville. The goal emerged to invest in Aggieville as a vibrant, historic, pedestrian-orientated urban district that offers diverse shopping, dining, entertainment, and residential opportunities to students, visitors and the broader community. Information about the Aggieville Community Vision process is available at https://cityofmhk.com/2714/Aggieville-Community-Vision.
The garage was designed by BBN Architects of Manhattan and the Olsson Studio of Kansas City. The general contractor for the project is McCown Gordon Construction of Kansas City.
A video presentation of the different aspects of the garage is available on the City of Manhattan Facebook page at https://fb.watch/2e6s5vMMFs/
The mission of the City of Manhattan is to sustain order and protect public safety, promote public health, preserve the built environment, and enhance economic vitality. The city supports a regional community in which individuals and families develop and thrive. More information about the City of Manhattan is available online at www.cityofmhk.com, on Facebook at /Cityofmanhattan and on Twitter @cityofmhk.