Huntington seeks builder of village parking garage

Town of Huntington officials are seeking a private partner willing to build, own and operate a parking garage in downtown Huntington, to address longtime parking woes.

The structure would rise at either a municipal parking lot on Elm Street, east of New York Avenue, or the lot between New and Green streets, north of West Carver Street. The town would retain land ownership; the developer would pay taxes on the structure.

"This is the next logical step in what has been a long, collaborative process of identifying the factors surrounding the need for additional parking in Huntington Village and considering possible solutions," town Supervisor Frank Petrone said in a news release.

According to the request for proposals, the town is seeking an "aesthetically pleasing" structure compatible with the downtown area.

The request for proposals notes that the structure could be a garage or a mixed-use building that could include retail or residential uses. The developer must at least double the number of parking spaces available to the public, not counting the spaces needed for the mixed use.

The lot on Elm Street has 303 spaces plus 15 handicap spots. The lot between New and Green streets has 242 spaces plus 10 handicap slots.

The request for proposals follows recommendations of the public-private consortium Petrone formed in 2012 to address the parking shortage. The consortium includes the town, its Economic Development Corp., the Huntington Village Business Improvement District, the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce and the Paramount Theater.

"We are anxious to review all possibilities and arrangements," Petrone said Thursday.

Robert Scheiner, chairman of the chamber of commerce, said he is encouraged by the request for proposals and applauded the town for its public-private suggestion and creative ideas such as building a mixed-use structure.

"I and the chamber support the RFP [request for proposals] and the idea for doing something for solving the parking problem in the village," said Scheiner, a consortium committee member. "It continues to be an issue and will continue to be unless substantial parking is found."

The proposals are due back to Town Hall by noon on Feb. 5.