GREENSBORO, N.C. — The city of Greensboro plans to hire an outside consultant to look at the future of parking downtown.
A consultant is expected to be selected on April 13 and the process could take 12 to 18 months, but some city officials would like to see that sped up.
“I hope that we could greatly accelerate that timeline," said Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan at a February City Council work session. "We know that we have an existing need right now. Not addressing that need quicker could have an impact on future developments.”
Others said they aren't seeing the immediate need at this point.
“If you do this and put resources toward this, what happens when development comes along and parking that you’re doing immediately doesn’t accommodate their need? And then you’re right back at square one," said councilmember Sharon Hightower at the February work session.
The city currently has more than 5,600 public parking spaces downtown, but the last review of parking needs was in 2011.
"The South end of downtown Greensboro has really had explosive growth and there are not enough parking spaces right now for the businesses that are there, let alone some that may come," Vaughan told News 2.
Vaughan said she hopes the study will find out where parking is available and where parking decks might be built.
The "February 1 parking deck" at the intersection of E. February 1 Place and S. Davie Street has been in the works since 2018. It is expected to be finished by the end of 2022. The construction is right next to Cincy's restaurant.
"The deck is really moving up and we are starting to see things go up now so I feel better," said Cincy's owner Bonnie Kays.
Kays said she is hopeful for the results of the parking study.
"I’m looking forward to the parking deck because we really do need it and hope that the parking situation gets a lot better," Kays said.
Mayor Vaughan also said more parking will bring in more people to live downtown.
"Downtown is becoming a more popular place to live," said Vaughan. "There are a number of townhomes downtown and apartments but people are reluctant to rent or own downtown if they are not assured parking and the immediate and in a long-term."
RELATED: ‘Welcome to the neighborhood,’ Mayor Vaughan says after city council votes to sell land to Lidl