River's Edge parking ramp opens in St. Cloud
A little more than a year after St. Cloud City Council approved bids for a new downtown parking ramp, the River's Edge Convention Center ramp opened for parking.
Fifth Avenue North, which the parking ramp is elevated above, also opened to traffic Monday. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning, and announced parking at the ramp will be free through Nov. 30.
The city received $11.56 million from the state to build the ramp. As of Monday, the project was about $18,000 under the total cost, according to Pat Shea, public services director.
Shea said the city plans to spend the remaining money for lighting or security cameras.
"We want to use the grant as it's allotted to us," he said.
The parking ramp is part of the second phase of the convention center's expansion. The city began accumulating funds for the expansion project in 2005 and submitted a capital request for it in 2007.
The city delayed the project last year when the first round of bids came in over budget: In June 2015, St. Cloud City Council rejected the first round of bids, the lowest of which came in at about $17.4 million.
In August 2015, HMA Architects presented to the City Council a more economical design that stripped away plans for a convention center ballroom and lower-level parking, and downsized the elevator and the stair towers. Last November, the City Council approved Donlar Construction as the project's at-risk manager, meaning it was responsible for assisting with design services and bidding, and managed the project at a guaranteed cost.
The ramp, at 55 Fifth Ave. N, is five stories tall on the west side of Fifth Avenue North and three stories tall on the east side of the road, nearest the convention center. It adds about 400 parking stalls to downtown St. Cloud.
In May, Shea said the city originally considered building a five- to eight-story ramp in the former Timber Lot, north of the building housing MC'S Dugout Bar and Grill. But Kleis didn't want a parking ramp to be the tallest building in St. Cloud, Shea said.
The underside of the ramp that crosses Fifth Avenue North is at least 5 feet higher than what is required for semitrailer clearance, which gives the area a more open feel. The city plans to host its annual Weihnachtsmarkt celebration, scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Dec. 8, under the parking ramp on Fifth Avenue.
The city also spent about $100,000 for the Lincoln Plaza area north of the ramp. The plaza features the city's 98-year-old statue of Abraham Lincoln, which was rededicated on Veterans Day.
Reported by: SCtimes.com
Fifth Avenue North, which the parking ramp is elevated above, also opened to traffic Monday. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning, and announced parking at the ramp will be free through Nov. 30.
The city received $11.56 million from the state to build the ramp. As of Monday, the project was about $18,000 under the total cost, according to Pat Shea, public services director.
Shea said the city plans to spend the remaining money for lighting or security cameras.
"We want to use the grant as it's allotted to us," he said.
The parking ramp is part of the second phase of the convention center's expansion. The city began accumulating funds for the expansion project in 2005 and submitted a capital request for it in 2007.
The city delayed the project last year when the first round of bids came in over budget: In June 2015, St. Cloud City Council rejected the first round of bids, the lowest of which came in at about $17.4 million.
In August 2015, HMA Architects presented to the City Council a more economical design that stripped away plans for a convention center ballroom and lower-level parking, and downsized the elevator and the stair towers. Last November, the City Council approved Donlar Construction as the project's at-risk manager, meaning it was responsible for assisting with design services and bidding, and managed the project at a guaranteed cost.
The ramp, at 55 Fifth Ave. N, is five stories tall on the west side of Fifth Avenue North and three stories tall on the east side of the road, nearest the convention center. It adds about 400 parking stalls to downtown St. Cloud.
In May, Shea said the city originally considered building a five- to eight-story ramp in the former Timber Lot, north of the building housing MC'S Dugout Bar and Grill. But Kleis didn't want a parking ramp to be the tallest building in St. Cloud, Shea said.
The underside of the ramp that crosses Fifth Avenue North is at least 5 feet higher than what is required for semitrailer clearance, which gives the area a more open feel. The city plans to host its annual Weihnachtsmarkt celebration, scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Dec. 8, under the parking ramp on Fifth Avenue.
The city also spent about $100,000 for the Lincoln Plaza area north of the ramp. The plaza features the city's 98-year-old statue of Abraham Lincoln, which was rededicated on Veterans Day.
Reported by: SCtimes.com
