Mayor Anthony Staffieri said last week that a major overhaul of the 35-year-old municipal parking garage downtown will have to wait — at least until federal and state grants loosen up.
The poor, deteriorating condition of the garage has been a subject of several news articles for a couple of years. At the last two meetings of the Derby Parking Authority, members have pointed out the need for improvement — they’ve even brought chunks of the broken concrete to meetings.
However, Staffieri said there’s simply no money at the moment to solve the problem.
“The state and federal governments and not giving grants right now. It’s a tough time, and we have to wait it out,” Staffieri said. “When the time comes, we’re hoping to get a grant or maybe even go to referendum someday. As it is, it is okay to keep plugging along until the time comes.”
There is no way Derby could do without it, Staffieri said, so repairs will be made until one day the overhaul is feasible.
One member of the Derby Municipal Parking Authority is wondering how long it can last.
“I think three years from now if this garage isn’t condemned it will be a miracle,” said Anthony Szewczyk, the parking authority member, at a meeting of the panel last Wednesday night that included a visit from a structural engineer who has examined the garage.
Staffieri was invited to attend the 6:30 p.m. meeting so he could speak with the engineer, but he was busy with other engagements. He said he wants to attend the next meeting if he is given more advance notice.
At last week’s meeting, Herman Szeker, an engineer with Fletcher Thomspon in Shelton, reported that the garage needed major structural repairs and was nearing the end of its functional life.
“We have some serious decay. It is quite a concern,” Leo P. Moscato Jr., director of the authority, said.
The 310-space garage at 2 Thompson Place is a significant element of the downtown area.
Potholes are common. So are pieces of concrete that fall from the ceiling.
Some improvements have been performed, including shoring up some areas and repairing potholes, but the larger repair work would include concrete slab removal and replacement. There are four decks of concrete.
“The concrete deterioration will continue. You can keep putting Band-Aids on it, but eventually it will get to a point where replacement will be necessary,” Szeker told the panel. “The steel is in fine condition. It is the concrete slabs, top and bottom floor mostly, that need to be replaced. In the entry way, people bring in salt and water constantly.”
The Municipal Parking Garage is open Monday through Saturday at 7:00 a.m. On Mondays and Tuesdays it closes to new entries at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday vehicles may enter until 10:00 p.m. On Sundays and holidays, the garage is only open to monthly pass holders only. Monthly card holders can access the garage at any time.
