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1. Why are we building a parking deck?

This area needs more parking. Based on surveys city staff has done in the last year, the city's parking spaces in and around Dickson Street - numbered spaces and gated lots - have been full 208 times in 2011 (full is defined as > 90% occupancy due to in and out transitional movement). Many of these times were in conjunction with events, many of which were at the Walton Arts Center. The spaces are also full during football games and other events.

Building a deck has been discussed for many years. There was a study completed in August 2005 by Martin Alexiou Bryson (MAB) for the city and the University of Arkansas that studied parking in the area. It concluded that a 1,200 space deck was required, on the assumption that certain planned developments occurred. The study identified that 800 additional parking spaces were needed for the area if the Walton Arts Center had no changes in operation. Adding in the potential 2,500 seat theater, the parking shortfall grew to 1,200 spaces. While the theater expansion has not occurred, other development has taken place, and there are 2 large additional developments currently underway on West Avenue between Dickson and Maple. The need for 1,200 spaces is not there right now, but there is absolutely a need for more parking than currently exists. Lack of convenient parking is still one of the most common complaints the city receives about the downtown Dickson area.

For more information, please refer to the study completed in 2005. Dickson Parking Deck Feasibility Study (PDF)

2. Where is the parking deck going to be located? Why?

The city evaluated 4 potential sites near the Walton Arts Center. All of these sites are land owned by the city or jointly by the city and the University of Arkansas. The true center of mass of the Dickson area is the intersection of Dickson and West. People want to park within a relatively close distance to their destination. Other parking decks - the Dickson (formerly called the Underwood Building), the Washington County Courthouse, and the Central United Methodist deck - are further than patrons attending a more formal event or dinner want to walk, especially in cold, hot, or rainy weather.

On December 4, 2012, the City Council passed Resolution 238-12 to select the Theater Site, the block which contains the Walton Arts Center, as the future site of the Spring Street Municipal Parking Deck. Please see the full resolution for details. Resolution No. 238-12 (PDF)

3. How many parking spaces will there be?

The goal is to add approximately 300 parking spaces in the entertainment district based upon the location selected. Currently, a net gain of 235 parking spaces is anticipated. A more precise estimate cannot be determined until the final design is completed.

4. Why build this deck now? Why not wait?

The shortage of parking exists right now, established by the number of times existing parking is full. Every time a citizen, guest, or visitor comes to the area and is frustrated by the lack of parking, we create an unhappy person who may not come back again. Clearly this is not how we want to treat our citizens, their guests, or visitors. Plus, businesses in the area lose customers every time our lots are full, and the city loses both the sales tax their business generates and the parking revenue parking in a city space would create.

Construction costs are relatively low and are only likely to increase with time. Waiting on a construction project almost always causes costs to rise. Interest rates for issuing bonds are very low and are very unlikely to do anything but rise. Like construction costs, we do not know when they will start to go up, but waiting only increases the chances that they will increase. The more we have to pay in interest, the less money we have to build the deck.

5. Why are we building a deck for the Walton Arts Center?

We are not building this deck solely for the Walton Arts Center (WAC), nor for any other specific business in the area. We are building this for our citizens, guests, and visitors who visit Dickson Street and the downtown area. These are not always the same people. The customers for a football game are not the same as for a comedian at the WAC, nor for Bikes, Blues, and Bar-B-Q, nor for a regular Friday or Saturday night, nor for a Broadway play. Many different people attend each of these events. This parking deck will touch, and make life better for, many different people.

6. Will I have to pay for parking in the deck or is it free?

The parking deck will be paid parking, operated in a manner similar to the existing gated parking lots. For further information, visit our Parking Management page. Parking Management

7. How much will the deck cost to build?

The current budget for the design and construction of the parking deck and associated liner buildings is approximately $6.5 million. Precise costs will not be known until a construction contract is awarded.

8. Will paying for the deck cause parking costs to increase?

No, the building of the deck will not cause costs to increase. All revenue estimates are based on current parking prices.

9. Who is on the City’s parking deck team? Why?

The city’s parking team consists of city staff, consultants hired by the city, and incorporates consultants hired by the Walton Arts Center (WAC). The combined team is led by Development Services Director Jeremy Pate. The city element includes parking program personnel, planning staff, accounting staff, and construction management and inspection personnel. The consultant element is led by Ron Petrie of Garver Engineers, and includes representatives from AFHJ/AB Architecture, Carl Walker Parking Consultants, and a subcontract to Grubbs, Hoskyn, Barton and Wyatt Geotechnical Engineers.

Additionally, in May 2012 the Walton Arts Center hired Boora Architects to evaluate the WAC’s short and mid-range expansion needs and to identify how these expansions can integrate well with potential deck configurations. This ensures that a well thought out, integrated and comprehensive design will be developed that both meets the needs of today and allows for the expansions of the future. Because the WAC sits on one of the blocks where the deck may be built, close integration of future expansion needs is critical. In April 2013, the City Council selected Baldwin and Shell as the Construction Manager for the project, assisting with cost evaluation and construction expertise throughout the design phase. They will continue as the Construction Manager for the duration of the construction project. Parking Management Staff

10. How many levels will there be?

The parking deck is currently designed for 3 levels, with 2 grade-separated entrances onto School Avenue and Spring Street.

11. How is the City paying for the deck?

The new deck is being paid for entirely by funds received by the downtown parking program. The city issued revenue bonds that will be paid by future parking revenues.

12. Is there room for more spaces in the future?

Based upon the design chosen and input from the City Council, it was determined that the difficulty in adding additional parking levels at this location was a primary factor in going forward with a design that will not add spaces vertically in the future.

13. Will the deck meet planning and development requirements?

Yes, the deck has gone through the same planning and development process that other downtown area developments are required to meet. A member of the city’s planning staff is on the parking deck team to ensure the deck meets these requirements as the project develops. All permits will be reviewed and obtained prior to construction beginning, and inspections will take place during all phases of construction.

14. Will the deck meet the guidelines of the City of Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan?

Yes, the deck will meet the guidelines of the City of Fayetteville Downtown Master Plan that was completed in April 2004.

15. Will the deck be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building?

Due to the design constraints of parking decks in general, there is no LEED certification available. Some sustainable design features are being included and will be considered in the final design of the project site.