Ground sturdy for potential parking deck at depot lot in Fayetteville, engineers say

FAYETTEVILLE -- A parking deck would fit at the depot lot and the ground beneath should be able to bear the weight, according to an engineer's assessment.

The City Council on Tuesday got an update on negotiation to put a parking deck at the northwest corner of West Avenue and Dickson Street. The deck would replace the spaces lost once the Walton Arts Center lot becomes the civic green space of the cultural arts corridor.

Brad Hammond with Olsson engineers said a six-story deck with 350 spaces would be able to fit between where the Bank of Fayetteville's train bank is now and the Ice House building to the north. The ground has sufficient bedrock and no voids were found underground, he said.

"We believe it will physically fit based on the footprint we're looking at," Hammond said. "There are no red flag concerns at this point on underground conditions or environmental assessments."

There would be about 14½ feet of space between the deck and the freight building with Arsaga's, enough room for an alley with seating, Hammond said. On-street parking and a bus dropoff could also fit on West Avenue, he said.

Engineers are still looking at three-dimensional renderings and schematic designs, Hammond said.

Wade Abernathy, city facilities manager, said the city would have a lease option for a portion of the depot building and a possible option to purchase land between the depot and freight building with Arsaga's for a future mobility hub. Accommodations could be made for future train access, he said.

A conservation easement is being developed to protect the depot and freight buildings and prevent anything from being built over them, Abernathy said. The city would own the alley between the deck and Arsaga's, he said.

The deck also would include 2,000 square feet for a police substation and ground level for commercial space.

The city has been negotiating a public-private partnership with the owner of the lot, Greg House. A letter of intent outlined a land swap in which House would own and develop the northern end of the civic space in exchange for House's land on the lot for the city to build the deck.

City staff has expressed interest in a long-term lease in which the city would retain ownership of the northern civic space, Abernathy said.

NW News on 02/26/2020