By WMBD TV
BLOOMINGTON – A downtown Bloomington parking garage that has stood since the 1970’s has a chance to be revitalized, while also contributing to the city’s public transportation system.
At Monday’s meeting, Bloomington City Council approved reimbursing just over $450,000 to Connect Transit for a proposed parking garage and bus transfer station. The payment covers the city’s share of the design, mainly the parking.
Connect Transit currently has a transfer center on Front Street, but City Manager Jeff Jurgens said there is a need to provide a “safer location” for people to transfer from bus to bus.
The Market Street parking garage was chosen by city council last year to be a bus transfer station for Connect Transit after the transit company received $18 million in grant funding from the state and national level in order to build a station.
Deputy City Manager Billy Tyus said the garage is showing age and that wooden beams need to be installed to maintain structural integrity.
David Braun is the managing director at Connect Transit and said the current way that bus riders transfer is less than ideal, having to walk through busy streets.
He said a centralized station would make it much more efficient.
“I think it’s really important for us to meet that aesthetic of the historic downtown, but also make the transit center a very attractive thing that people can use going to downtown and for their entertainment needs,” he said.
Braun added that there have been talks of adding retail space to the station to offset costs, but that hasn’t been decided yet.
The total project cost is $3.1 million, and Boston-based engineering company CDM Smith was chosen for the project.
The council voted 6-1 in its favor, with Donna Boelen being the lone “no” vote.
Demolition is expected next spring, while opening is anticipated for the fall of 2026.
City Manager Jeff Jurgens also added that there will be more information shared on how the city is dealing with homeless encampments at future meetings.
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