With an additional $625,000 promised by Suffolk County through its Jumpstart Grant program, Patchogue is gaining ground on its plan build a parking garage to help alleviate some of the parking burden it faces.
As the revitalization and popularity of the village gains momentum parking is increasingly becoming problem —especially at peak times — and the village has plans on the drawing board to mitigate the issue.
Mayor Paul Pontieri confirmed for GreaterPatchogue that the garage as-planned will be two stories with the ability to add a third.
The goal, he said, is to build 300 additional parking spaces.
A number of sites for the new garage have been bandied about, as previously reported.
The village is in talks with Suffolk County for the Suffolk 6th District Court property on West Main Street near West Avenue.
Though the deal is not done, the sides are making progress, Pontieri said.
“We had a number of preliminary meetings with Suffolk County related to the acquisition of the property, funding, and design,” Pontieri said in an email.
The $625,000 comes in addition to another $1 million grant coming from the county, according to the mayor, as well as a $1 million state grant for engineering and planning.
Pontieri also said the state’s planning grant, if executed, is typically followed with a construction grant as well.
The goal, he said, is to fund the entire project through grants and meter revenues from across the business district.
“The resident taxpayer should not and will not be affected by this at all,” he said.
The project has not gone out to bid yet.
Work would be expected to begin about six months after Suffolk County releases the property to the village.
The cost of the new garage is estimated to come in at between $7 million and $8 million, according to the mayor.
Patchogue is one of eight municipalities to receive a grant from Suffolk County’s Jumpstart program.
In total the village is set to receive $625,000, which according to the resolution signed by County Executive Steve Bellone will go towards the construction of a municipal parking garage in downtown Patchogue.
The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved the Jumpstart program earlier this month.
In total there is $5 million available for projects. Other projects getting funding through the grant include the renovation of Babylon Village’s historic Argyle Falls and the construction of a new parking lot in Port Jefferson.
This parking garage is not the only plan to increase parking spaces in Patchogue.
Pontieri said that the village is working with National Grid on a site on West Main Street across from Blue Point brewery for more parking as well.
Aside from the county courthouse land, the village is still looking at other lots to build the garage, such as the lot behind the Congregational Church near Oak Street and the Church Street parking lot.
