ALLENTOWN, Pa. | The Allentown Planning Commission is asking the city parking authority to put a little more thought into its latest parking deck proposal before members agree to approve the project.
The Allentown Parking Authority on Tuesday presented plans for a 1,232-space parking deck in the 100 block of South Seventh Street on the site of the existing Germania Lot. The 10-level garage would feature 4,500 square feet of ground level retail space between the deck’s entrance and exit fronting Seventh Street.
The parking authority’s executive director, project engineer and architect along with planning commissioners pored over a lengthy review letter from city staff that addressed issues such as interior lighting and whether the authority should light South Hall Street.
But the biggest issued raised by staff and the overwhelming concern from planning commissioners was the parking deck’s South Seventh Street façade. Board Chairman Oldrich Foucek called the design “cookie cutter” and “basic” and even more directly “ugly as can be.” Planning staff had provided commissioners with examples of other garage designs that are far more palatable, according to Foucek, noting that the board has limited powers when it comes to design.
“We can’t dictate aesthetics, we can’t deny anything because it’s ugly,” he said.
Commissioner Damien Brown, meanwhile, argued planners do have some leeway when it comes to design such as dictating entrances and exits on side streets when possible.
“I think it’s great to the see the parking authority invest in its infrastructure, but I think there’s some work to do here,” he said.
In agreeing with his colleagues, Commissioner Jeff Glazier called the proposed parking deck a “very imposing structure” in that block that requires some work on the design. Developers and project architects have worked with city staff on other downtown projects and developments like the new elementary school at 12th and Gordon streets to tweak designs and find a happy medium, Commissioner Mark Buchvald said.
Project architect Glenn Lichtenwalner told planning commissioners that the proposed façade is a common parking deck design necessary for ventilation. He argued closing any of the openings that stretch across the front of the parking deck will pose a problem with ventilation given the size of the deck.
Saying the design left him flat, Foucek countered that other parking deck designs he has seen blend far better into the urban streetscape, including a parking deck in Lancaster that appears to have windows as opposed to the parking authority’s open design.
“Why can they do it and we can’t?” he said.
The proposed South Seventh Street parking deck is a significant piece to the downtown puzzle and deserves a little work, Foucek said. He told the parking authority that he wasn’t prepared to consider a final land development approval until the authority worked with staff and planning commissioners on the design.
The authority asked planners to consider conditional final approval based on meeting with city planning staff about the garage’s aesthetics. Foucek balked at the idea wanting the authority to come to the table in earnest to work with staff on design, something that may not happen with an approval in hand.
The authority’s executive director finally agreed to table the project.
