A new parking garage is coming to downtown McKinney thanks to a local property owner and tonight's vote by McKinney City Council.
Five options were presented tonight to council, one requiring the city to close Herndon Street, which runs between the garage property and Thomason Tire. Each option presented came with a potential number of spaces, cost and heights.
The council chose Option C, which includes a five-story, 310 parking space garage costing about $7.5 million—and it keeps Herndon Street open.
Council members said they were not in favor of any options that could cause a hindrance to local businesses. Thomason Tire has been in operation in McKinney since the 1950s and in its current location at 211 N McDonald St. since 1979. Thomason owners spoke against the closing of Herndon Street during the council meeting.
The city manager and his staff will now work to enter into leasing agreements with the property owner and developer, Virginia@5 LLC and SP2 301 E. Virginia LLC. The city has been working with the developer since November.
After a failed bond proposition in November 2015 that sought bonds to construct a $13 million, four-story, 400-plus space parking garage downtown, city leaders have been working to find a solution. And according to the Nov. 15 city council agenda, that solution could come in the form of another proposed parking garage in downtown McKinney.
Many residents said the November bond proposition failed because of the proposed garage’s location—on Church Street between Louisiana and Virginia streets where a small surface lot sits—would make the garage the first thing seen by drivers coming from US 75 along Louisiana Street to historic downtown.
The city will lease to own the garage, which will begin construction this year and is set to wrap by the end of the year.
A new parking garage is coming to downtown McKinney thanks to a local property owner and tonight's vote by McKinney City Council.
Five options were presented tonight to council, one requiring the city to close Herndon Street, which runs between the garage property and Thomason Tire. Each option presented came with a potential number of spaces, cost and heights.
The council chose Option C, which includes a five-story, 310 parking space garage costing about $7.5 million—and it keeps Herndon Street open.
Council members said they were not in favor of any options that could cause a hindrance to local businesses. Thomason Tire has been in operation in McKinney since the 1950s and in its current location at 211 N McDonald St. since 1979. Thomason owners spoke against the closing of Herndon Street during the council meeting.
The city manager and his staff will now work to enter into leasing agreements with the property owner and developer, Virginia@5 LLC and SP2 301 E. Virginia LLC. The city has been working with the developer since November.
After a failed bond proposition in November 2015 that sought bonds to construct a $13 million, four-story, 400-plus space parking garage downtown, city leaders have been working to find a solution. And according to the Nov. 15 city council agenda, that solution could come in the form of another proposed parking garage in downtown McKinney.
Many residents said the November bond proposition failed because of the proposed garage’s location—on Church Street between Louisiana and Virginia streets where a small surface lot sits—would make the garage the first thing seen by drivers coming from US 75 along Louisiana Street to historic downtown.
The city will lease to own the garage, which will begin construction this year and is set to wrap by the end of the year.
