Salinas reaches an agreement with Monterey County on downtown parking structure
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Downtown Salinas is in need of more parking, according to the city and visitors.
"I think it still needs a little more parking because, as you can see, it's pretty packed out here," said James Holguin, a Soledad resident who was visiting Salinas on Friday.
The city and Monterey County are working together to build a new parking structure close to Oldtown. They are hoping it will meet the demand of revitalizing that area.
While the downtown revitalization project created new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and parking spaces, you would have to be very patient to get your car parked along the road of Main Street on a Friday night.
"We got here early. If we got here a little later, then yes. We caught a movie early and we were able to eat early, so now we're out of here," said Holguin.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors and the City of Salinas have come to an agreement to build a new multi-story and multi-use parking structure on a plot of county-owned land on the corner of Church and West Gabilan Streets, right behind Salinas' City Hall and across county buildings.
Most importantly, it is only a couple blocks from downtown. The city will take the lead on the project, but not many details have been hammered out just yet.
"As California, and certainly the City of Salinas, prioritizes city-centered growth near and embracing transit, Salinas wants to be that example and we're headed that way," said Steve McShane, a Salinas city councilman.
There will be public input on the number of spaces the structure will have and what it will look like. It is all part of the demands of growth.
"Like I said, there's a lot of businesses opening up. Some businesses coming up soon. And I just feel like, yeah they're going to need some more parking," said Holguin.
McShane says it will likely take a few years before the structure is actually built.
PREVIOUS STORY: The City of Salinas and Monterey County have come to an agreement on a new parking structure slated to be built on county property behind Salinas City Hall.
It’ll be located on the corner of Church and West Gabilan Streets.
Salinas Councilman Steve McShane says the parking is meant to meet the downtown revitalization effort.
KION’s Josh Kristianto will have more tonight at 10 and 11.
