Preparation for Trades District Garage Construction in Bloomington Begins Dec. 27

(BLOOMINGTON) – Preparation for construction of the Trades District Garage is scheduled to begin Friday, December 27 on the surface lot just south of Tenth Street between the Showers City Hall/Monroe County Government/CFC Properties building and the B-Line Trail. 

The construction site comprises approximately two-thirds of the lot. The construction project is expected to last the entirety of 2020 with a projected end date (opening date) at the end of 2020 or the start of 2021.

Fencing will be installed around the construction site on December 27, with public parking spots on Tenth Street decommissioned and turned over to the construction team for mobilization and access control to the site.  Parking for City fleet vehicles and for CFC and its tenants will be relocated by December 27.

More significant construction activity will be undertaken after January 1.  Periodically, construction activity may affect traffic on Tenth Street between North Madison and North Rogers Streets, in which case the City will whenever possible provide notice to adjacent property owners and the media.  

The parking facility proposed for the Trades District was approved by the City’s Redevelopment Commission on October 15, 2018, and its design approved by the Plan Commission on September 9, 2019. 

The facility is financed using TIF revenues and 2019 bond financing.  Serving the City’s new employment district just north of downtown, the garage will accommodate roughly 360 vehicles.

The City has committed to attaining Parksmart certification for the garage, which will mean including such environmentally sustainable features as electric vehicle charging stations, bike lockers, solar generation, dedicated parking for compact vehicles and carpoolers, and the potential for adaptive reuse of the ground floor.  The garage will also include a public restroom and a public art component.

Designed by CSO Architects, the garage is being built by construction manager Garmong Construction Services.