The new, $17 million garage is being built in the block bounded by Sixth andSeventh avenues and K and L streets. It is being developed by the CentreCity Development Corp. and will comprise 1,230 spaces. The CCDC, which hasdubbed the new garage R7, expects that the new facility will open in thesummer of 2004.

The garage is designed to serve the city's new Ballpark,surrounding hotels, the Gaslamp Quarter and the East Village neighborhoods.Of the 1,230 spaces, 230 at the basement level will be dedicated to the newOmni Hotel. The approximately 400,000-sf structure will consist of one fullbasement level, seven levels above ground, and 13,500 sf of retail space onK and L streets.

Besides the work already under way at the garage, which is known as theexcavation and remediation phase, the CCDC plans a Phase II of constructionthat will complete the garage, and the CCDC is seeking contractors for thework.Peter Hall, CCDC president, says the garage is an essential element ofdowntown development because maintaining sufficient public parking is a keyto the success of the new businesses and venues locating downtown.

The current mixture of public and privately developed garages now under wayor in the pipeline will add over 7,000 new spaces to the downtown inventory.Recently, 275 spaces opened in the Walker Scott Building at Fifth Avenue andBroadway, the San Diego Padres are constructing an 1,100-space garage on theblock bounded by Tenth, Eleventh and Island avenues and J Street, and FiveStar Parking is constructing a 600-space garage on the block bounded byIndia, Columbia and C streets, designed to service Core office buildings andthe downtown courthouses. Several additional garages are planned as well.