SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The city of Scottsdale unveiled designs Thursday for a Western-style, four-level parking garage in the heart of Old Town - directly across from the Old Adobe Mission, the city’s oldest standing church.
The total cost of the Brown Avenue Parking Structure Expansion is $18 million, which breaks down to nearly $100,000 per parking stall.
At a community meeting Thursday, city officials acknowledged the average cost of a parking spot around the country is around $20,000 to $30,000, but said that buys a basic concrete structure.
The Scottsdale garage, at 1st Street and Brown Avenue, will feature a textured-concrete exterior with brick accents, wood shutters, and covered walkways. An artist has yet to be selected, but the design calls for art in keeping with Scottsdale’s cultural identity.
Long-time Scottsdale resident and business owner French Thompson said he’s pleased with the design and defended the higher price point.
"We're not building average America. We're building Scottsdale," Thompson said.
Not everyone sees it that way. Small business owner Crystal Carroll, who is running for city council, was among those pushing back on the price tag.
Some residents say they are now circulating a new petition to stop the project altogether, though a similar effort last year failed to move the city council.
Opponents of the project say it will ruin the historic character of Old Town Scottsdale and cause the farmer’s market to move. Supporters say the area badly needs more parking.
Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky has been one of the loudest voices against the project. She told ABC15 last year:
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“This is not an example of a quality location for a parking garage,” she said. “It’s in a historic district, which is designated in the city of Scottsdale, very small streets, very active pedestrian environment – especially with the farmer’s market – and to bring 200 or more additional cars to that location is a really bad idea.”
The mayor’s office told ABC15 in a statement this week that she has not changed her stance regarding the parking garage. She is advocating for a new parking study to better understand the parking needs of the area.
Construction is expected to begin this summer.
On March 24, the Scottsdale City Council voted 4-3 to have the city manager investigate and report back to the council on the garage after receiving a citizen petition with more than 4,500 signatures. The petition asks the council to cancel the project.
Scottsdale resident Steve Sutton submitted the petition.
“This is just the end of the beginning of the fight, for me and the residents of Scottsdale,” Sutton said.
The council is expected to vote in April on a construction contract related to the project.
Opponents of the garage said they believe the controversy over the garage will factor into the upcoming city council election later this year.
Email ABC15 Investigative Reporter Anne Ryman at: anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on X and Facebook.
