St. Catharines Downtown Association

The new parking garage currently under construction - parallel to the bus station downtown - will have much to offer.

Unlike the deteriorating cement structure that once stood in its place, the Carlisle St. Project will provide an intriguing piece of architecture that is sustainably designed, which will serve to be more than just a parking garage. It will also have curb appeal, appearing as more of an office or retail building.
The project is a part of the Federal Infrastructure Stimulus Fund and will be constructed quickly - it is due to be completed by March 2011 in order to meet the desired federal deadline. The Infrastructure Stimulus Fund has been designed to target short term objectives for economic stimulus. The goals of this project, and others, are to create facilities that have a lasting impact in an environmentally sustainable manner, while creating jobs.
City staff, accompanied by a consulting team headed by Halsall Associates Ltd. and MacDonald, Zuberec, Ensslen Architects Inc. have designed the building with pedestrians in mind. The garage will have two separate entrances. The main one, leading to six floors of upper level short and long term parking, will be accessed off Garden Park. The Carlisle Street side, meanwhile, will serve as the entrance for two below grade parking levels available for monthly parking subscription. The idea is to lessen the potential encounter of cars and pedestrians on Carlisle Street.
As expected, the garage will have accessible parking on every level, but the third level will accommodate the most vehicles and will also have the most open concept, containing few curbs and obstacles. It is planned to provide easy access to elevators and a sky lobby which will connect to the Ministry of Transportation.
In sticking with the sustainable development theme, the new garage will feature a courtyard and street level store fronts with considerable room for a patio with a coffee shop or restaurant. There will also be a designated area for bicycles with bike lockers as well as rooftop gardens. Further features include energy efficient LED lighting, high efficiency ventilation and a greywater conservation system. All of these features are fundamental to the construction of a facility that is part of the evolution and future growth of downtown St Catharines.
The project, in its entirety, while still a parking garage, yet will present multiple aspects that are decidedly "green" and environmentally and socially sound. It will truly be a part of a promising revitalization of the downtown core.

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