Editorial: New parking, other amenities coming to downtown
Prepare for minimal lane closures and traffic impacts, city staff warn.
A new parking lot on the corner of Eigleberry and Seventh streets will be built. The $2.3 million project will provide room for up to 140 vehicles.
Photo by Marty Cheek
This editorial is the opinion of Gilroy Life
Get ready for some flying dust and dirt as construction begins for a better downtown Gilroy.
It’s wonderful to see the historic core district of the community get some much-needed improvements during the coming months. Among the biggest — and messiest — will be the construction of a new parking lot on the corner of Eigleberry and Seventh streets behind the Center for the Arts and the Neon Exchange (where the demonstration garden and a vacant lot once stood). The $2.3 million project will provide room for up to 140 vehicles. Construction will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with an anticipated opening in early 2023.
If you’re driving through downtown, prepare for minimal lane closures and traffic impacts, city staff warn. And neighboring residents and businesses should expect noise and dust during construction hours.
The new parking lot will add a lot for visitors and tourists coming to the downtown district. The parking spaces will be a mix of standard, compact, accessible, clean air, motorcycle and electric vehicle charging stations. The project will also include new landscaping, lighting, bicycle lockers and a pathway to downtown. It will provide room to dedicate space on occasion for events such as art and wine festivals, farmers’ markets, and other community gatherings.
Adding to the ambiance will be various projects after Gilroy was awarded a $3.9-million grant by the California Department of Transportation toward revitalizing downtown. The city plans to renovate and beautify Gourmet Alley and Railroad Street, creating pedestrian and bicycle-friendly pathways.
Gilroy’s project was among the 105 projects awarded a grant, out of the 329 submitted applications to the state. The funds were granted through Caltrans’ Clean California Local Grant Program, which gives to projects that enhance communities and improve walking and recreational spaces. The project must be completed by June 30, 2024
The money will make substantial capital improvements including storm drains, better lighting, smoother pavement, and trash enclosures from Lewis Street to Seventh Street in the alley on the east side of the Monterey Street buildings. Funds will also be used to improve Gourmet Alley from 4th Street to 7th Street including repaving of the alley in decorative stamped asphalt. New signage, benches and trees as well as dumpster enclosures and trash receptacles will help improve the look of the alley. Conduit will be installed below the pavement to accommodate underground wires from PG&E when the utility company is ready to take down the unsightly lines from overhead poles. Similar improvements will also be done on Railroad Street between Fourth and Seventh streets.
These various project will be a major plus for the downtown when the improved areas become more bicycle and pedestrian friendly after they are closed to vehicular traffic (except for emergency and trash collection). We can’t wait to see the downtown become more welcoming to people who want a nice stroll as they visit shops and eateries. And suitable for the relatively mild climate the South Valley enjoys nearly yearlong, business/restaurant customers will be able to use the outdoor spaces in the alleys.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to make some significant improvements to the downtown and to see the plans for Gourmet Alley come to life,” Mayor Marie Blankley said in a press release.
Downtown is the heart of the city. It’s a gathering place for residents to celebrate. Its buildings and other amenities provide residents and visitors alike with a historic charm of a century ago, including an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops, services, and entertainment.
An investment of more than $6.2 million in infrastructure improvements will mean a lot for Gilroy’s downtown area. Let us all welcome the dirt and dust and deal with the construction-related hassles that are coming soon because the improvements of experiencing a nicer-looking downtown will be worth the inconveniences.