Via press release:
Mayor Mike Seminary is pleased to announce that the City of Bismarck will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the 6th Street Parking Ramp, October 1, at 9:30 a.m. The 6th Street Parking Ramp is located on 6th Street between Thayer and Broadway Avenue. “This much needed parking structure is a significant accomplishment and milestone for Bismarck and it occurs at a time when Bismarck is experiencing such vibrancy and growth,” said Seminary.
Bismarck City Commissioner Parrell Grossman, who holds the Commission’s Parking and Finance portfolios, indicated that the City is very pleased to open this new parking ramp after years of planning and an unfortunate delay by a lawsuit against the City. “I am tremendously excited about this ideally located downtown ramp with its historic design and aesthetically pleasing appearance that will provide additional parking spots in downtown Bismarck,” Grossman said. “While the function of the parking lot is critical, it is a huge bonus to have a parking ramp that blends so well with the surrounding buildings and existing area.”
The Bismarck City Commission awarded approximately $13 million in contracts for the new 483 stall, 6th Street and Thayer Avenue parking ramp on May 28, 2013. Construction began July 2013. Primary contractors for the project included Comstock Construction Inc., Skeel’s Electric and Northern Plains Plumbing and Heating. The design team included Ulteig Engineering, J2 Studio Architects and Design, and Walker Parking Consultants.
Jim Christianson, Chairman of the Bismarck Parking Authority, noted that the Parking Authority has been involved with the parking ramp project since 2005. “I want to thank the members of the Parking Authority over the course of the years for their dedication and commitment to getting this parking ramp completed,” said Christianson. “This ramp helps bring parking solutions to downtown Bismarck; more planning will be necessary and will follow in future years.”
The 6th Street parking ramp structure is an architecturally enhanced parking structure designed to complement the development of surrounding downtown environments. Several design alternatives were developed and presented to the design steering committee and to the public. The architectural style that was selected was influenced by that of the former Carnegie Library that was on the building site prior to 1980. In memory of the historic Carnegie library, the Bismarck Parking Authority named the parking ramp levels after well-known authors: Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Margaret Mitchell and Louis
L ’Amour. Landscaping is designed to blend with the existing streetscape.
The six level structure will provide angled parking with one-way traffic flow for ease of parking and economy. Vehicular access to the parking ramp will be from 6th Street at the south end of the site. Vehicular exit will be one way onto Thayer Avenue. A stairway and elevator tower is provided at the northeast corner, and a staircase at the southwest corner of the parking structure.
The walls of the structure include generous openings for natural lighting and the openness of the stairway provides a passive security element. Security cameras are located throughout the ramp in addition to high-efficiency LED (light-emitting diode) lighting technology. The lighting contains motion detection technology that dims when not in use to conserve energy.
It is expected that at least 100 additional parking spaces will be available to local businesses and the public. Public parking in the 6th Street Parking Ramp will be available on a monthly basis. Access will be controlled with card readers and gates.
Parkers that will use the parking facility include employees of Sanford, the City, and local businesses on a space available basis with no assigned parking.
The parking ramp is expected to open soon at a date to be announced.
