SLO closing parking lot as it begins construction on new downtown garage
The city is closing a parking lot in downtown San Luis Obispo as the first phase in construction to build a new parking structure on the site gets underway.
The city announced Tuesday it plans to close the lot at Palm and Nipomo streets on Sept. 5 to make way for a new parking structure that will serve the developing Cultural Arts District downtown.
That district will include the San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre, which is in the process of building a brand-new theater complex adjacent to the planned structure.
The new five-story parking garage will be located at the corner of Palm and Nipomo streets. It will feature 397 parking spaces, 41 electric vehicle chargers, 32 bike racks, solar panels and “other improvements that will enhance accessibility along the block,” according to a city news release.
The city will lose 77 downtown parking spaces with the closure, until the new structure opens in 2025.
During construction, alternative parking options include street and metered parking, according to the release, as well as the city’s other three structures.
An official groundbreaking ceremony for the project is expected in early November, the city said, after the lot has been prepared for construction.
The area will be fenced to limit access onto the site, the city said in the release. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic will be directed around the site on Palm, Nipomo and Monterey streets.
Construction and work hours are expected to fall between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding city holidays.
For more information about this project, visit www.slocity.org/CulturalArtsParking.
This story was originally published August 30, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
%20Cropped.jpg)