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Biddeford parking garage isn't meeting expectations

The city says it's primarily due to slower than expected development caused by the pandemic and the economy.

BIDDEFORD, Maine — In July of last year, a new parking garage opened in downtown Biddeford.

Advocates for the garage argued at the time the structure was necessary if the city wanted to continue to grow. But, more than a year later, the Pearl Street Parking Garage isn’t meeting expectations. 

"The garage revenue is down in the range of approximately $16,000 to $28,000 per month," Brian Phinney, Biddeford's chief operating officer, said. 

Biddeford has a deal with Amber Infrastructure, which owns the garage, to pay it a minimum annual income, according to Phinney. 

Phinney added, the city expected developments to come in shortly after the parking garage was built, which would bring people to the area and the garage. However, those developments are still under construction. 

“The issue that everyone ran into the last couple of years was obviously COVID and now the economy," Phinney explained. "That’s putting things a little behind of schedule."

Due to this, Biddeford's City Council is looking into creating a special assessment zone to make up for lost revenue. It could require property owners near the garage to pay an extra tax.

"A special assessment zone is potentially a tool for the council to have," said Biddeford City Councilor Martin Grohman. "It doesn't mean that we would use it." 

Since the opening of the nearby Lincoln Hotel, Grohman said demand for the garage has gone up in the last 8 weeks. 

"The corner is already being turned here in a big, big way," Grohman added.

Biddeford City Council is expected to take public comment on the special assessment zone during its next policy committee meeting Wednesday, December 14. 

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