CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City of Clarksville is considering building a new parking deck atop the City Hall parking lot, doubling the number of spaces, as part of its 2023 budget proposal.
Included in this year’s proposed capital projects fund is $6 million for a new parking deck. The lot in question is just north of the building, adjacent to First and Main Street.
This isn’t the first time a parking structure at that site has been discussed; however, Mayor Joe Pitts told Clarksville Now that the city is looking into new ways of adding parking to the site.
“It’s not happening as we were discussing a while ago. (Previously) we were talking about a four- to five-story parking garage at City Hall’s parking lot. That’s not what this is,” Pitts said. “We’re exploring and evaluating the idea of putting one more level of parking on top of the City Hall parking lot. We want to be able to serve as many of the visitors to the core of downtown as we can, and we thought that might be an inexpensive way to do it.”
In response to concerns about how a new parking deck could affect the popular Downtown Market, most of which is set up on that lot, Pitts told Clarksville Now the long-term benefits could be positive for vendors.
“Obviously, during construction, no. We would have a plan for that. If it happens, and again, it’s purely being evaluated now,” Pitts said. “If it happens, then absolutely. It may actually double the Downtown Market because we’ll have another level for vendors.”
The parking deck project is part of the FY23 budget, which has not yet been approved by the City Council. First reading and public hearing for the budget is scheduled for June 9 with a second vote to follow on June 14.