Oxford Board of Aldermen will vote on “Option B” for parking garage design

Published 10:56 am Monday, July 10, 2017

After deciding on a design for a new four level parking garage to be built on the Square last month, the Downtown Parking Advisory Commission met again to decide between two options for the final design.

The two options presented to the Commission last Friday were virtually identical with the exception that “Option B” was 50 feet shorter.

Both the garages would have three entrances and exits and the sizes for each parking space will be 9 feet by 18 feet.

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Taylor Guild, part of the Eley Guild Hardy architect firm, said the designs “try to keep a similar height” to the buildings that would surround the garage on North Lamar Boulevard.

“We’re trying to keep traditional materials,” Guild added. “But while still keeping the cost efficiency of concrete.”

At the last meeting, the placement of a dumpster near the garage (and how businesses would dispose of waste) was ruminated over and the topic was raised again during this session.

“If we start having people dragging garbage through the garage, we’ll have to revisit it,” Tom Sharpe, on the commission, said.

“That’s something we’ll need to work with those businesses to figure out the best way to handle it,” Mayor Robyn Tannehill added.

The mayor also questioned if there was some way to put a public bathroom near the new structure; particularly for tour buses that visit.

“I’m not forcing it on the garage,” she said. “But I think it’s something we need to address.”

At the end of the meeting, “Option B” was eventually voted on as the recommended design for the Board of Aldermen to vote on.