LAKE WOERTH BEACH, Fla. — A controversial proposal to build a new downtown parking garage in Lake Worth Beach is moving forward after a commission vote during a quasi-judicial hearing Monday night.
The vote does not give final approval for construction. Instead, city leaders say it allows the project team to move forward with completing the garage's design and obtaining a guaranteed maximum price before construction can begin.
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The nearly $10 million proposal would transform an existing surface parking lot near K Street and First Avenue South into a four-and-a-half-story parking garage designed to add hundreds of parking spaces in the city's downtown core.
City leaders say the garage is needed to address growing parking demands as Lake Worth Beach continues to attract new businesses, residents and visitors.
However, some residents remain unconvinced, questioning whether the project is necessary and raising concerns about potential taxpayer costs.
Vice Mayor Mimi May said the idea of a centralized downtown parking garage is not new.
"We looked into our archives, and the city has been talking about putting in a centralized parking area since the 1960s," May said.
According to city officials, recent parking studies have shown a need for additional parking in the downtown area as redevelopment continues.
May said the city has already seen potential business investment impacted by parking limitations.
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"We've had businesses come to Lake Worth Beach and really had a lot of interest in investing here and not able to do so because we couldn't accommodate the parking for their needs," May said.
City leaders argue the proposed garage's location would provide easier access to downtown businesses than existing parking facilities located farther from the city's commercial core.
"It's hot, you are not parking at the Bohemian, crossing Dixie and walking all the way down Lake," May said. "This is centralized to our downtown."
Not everyone agrees.
Some residents have pointed to the existing Bohemian parking garage and questioned whether the city truly needs another parking structure.
Others argue the project is closely tied to the proposed Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts (WMODA) mixed-use development and question whether the garage is being built primarily to support that project.
May acknowledged the connection but said city leaders viewed the partnership as an opportunity to solve a long-standing parking issue.
"So we looked at it as an opportunity to join forces," she said.
Funding has become one of the biggest points of contention among opponents. Some residents have questioned whether taxpayers could ultimately be responsible for future construction, operation or maintenance costs.
May said the project's funding sources have already been identified and include contributions from multiple sources.
According to the vice mayor, funding would come from a combination of city general fund dollars, federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, contributions from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), and a $1 million loan from WMODA.
"Everything's been already allocated and budgeted, so there'll be no future payments coming from taxpayers for this," May said.
The city has also discussed the possibility of paid parking downtown in the future. However, May said implementation is still years away because of ongoing development and construction projects.
"With all of the development that's going to be happening and all the construction, there's no way we could institute paid parking for at least the next three to four years," she said.
The project extends beyond parking. Plans call for the relocation of two historic city-owned buildings, along with the addition of public art, a mural and a green wall intended to help the structure blend with the surrounding historic district.
The proposal now heads to a second and final reading on June 30. City leaders say construction could move forward with the garage potentially opening as early as 2028.
