Duluth approves additional funds for downtown parking facility

Duluth approves additional $12K for necessary professional agreements for a downtown parking facility that will be beneath a hotel potentially like the one shown here. Courtesy City of Duluth

Duluth approves additional $12K for necessary professional agreements for a downtown parking facility that will be beneath a hotel potentially like the one shown here. Courtesy City of Duluth

Duluth is in negotiations with a hotel developer to construct a two-story parking facility with a limited service hotel above the parking. The Duluth City Council recently voted to approve adding an additional $12,000 to the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget in unallocated 2009 SPLOST Parking Facilities funds to draft the necessary agreements between the hotel developer and other professionals.

In Feb. Duluth entered into an agreement with the city’s Downtown Development Authority to transfer 1.839 acres along Hill Street and Ridgeway Road for the development of the project.

The approved agreement restricts the development to a two-story hotel over a two-story parking structure. No extended-stay hotels or hotel units containing kitchens or kitchenettes or an apartment hotel, residential hotel, or serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel-style booking system can be built under this agreement.

The DDA will purchase 215 of approximately 320 parking spaces for public parking for $4,400,000. The developer will retain ownership of 105 spaces of the upper story for exclusive use of the hotel.

The two-story parking deck will have at least 320 parking spaces. The DDA will purchase 215 of those designated spaces for public parking for $4,400,000. The developer will retain ownership of 105 spaces of the upper story for exclusive use of the hotel.