Parking Deck Demolition
Tags: CONSTRUCTION DEMOLITION PARKING DECK
The three story parking deck adjacent to the west side of Ponce City Market was constructed in 1966. Car was king in the 1960’s, and Sears had to be able to provide ample parking for shoppers and employees. The deck provided space for 1,300 cars and replaced the surface parking lot that was original at the opening of the building in the 1920’s. Upon completion of the deck, the main entrance to the Sears building was subsequently moved from Ponce de Leon to Glen Iris Dr. through the parking deck.
(bird’s eye view looking South from Ponce)
Jamestown and Green Street Properties, in working with the National Park Service for placement on the Historic Registry, are restoring the more traditional façade of the Sears building (see 1948 photo), and will therefore be taking the parking deck down. New parking will consist of an underground lot, which is currently the basement level of Ponce City Market, and ramps will be built inside of the 1966 wing on the east side of the building, allowing for parking inside the existing building structure. An open surface parking lot and green space will be built above the basement level on the south, creating a level connection with North Avenue. This area will extend around to the west side of the building where the parking deck is currently. Please see the rendering below for a picture of what it should look like when completed (bird’s eye view of future site looking Northeast, North Ave and Glen Iris in the foreground).
In keeping with the green spirit of this project, waste from the deck will be recycled. In lieu of dynamite the deck will be torn down using heavy construction equipment such as bulldozers and wrecking balls because it is attached to the historic structure. It will take roughly four months to complete this project. Demolition will begin in early February. Please watch the Facebook page for an exact date.
(Picture taken in 1948 from Glen Iris Dr.)
Comments
ChadK
Author Url: http://www.kgdf.net
Exciting news! Can't wait for you guys to open!
But out of curiosity, will there be enough surface parking afterward? The first areal photo in this article makes it look as if all 3 levels of the deck were needed... and that was when the building was underutilized.
Ponce City Market
ChadK - Thank you! We're very excited as well.
We will still have a good bit of surface parking. We're also building a deck into part of the 1960's wing of the building, as well as keeping the basement level of almost the entire block as parking. Our architects have taken into account the amount of visitors and residents we're expecting, and have planned the parking accordingly.
David
I cant say that a lot of surface parking seems like a very urban gesture. Do you have future plans to develop these surface lots as buildings?-- Particularly the lot at the corner of Ponce and Glen Iris? As it appears now this surface lot is a pretty suburban/ anti-urban place in the overall plan.
Nick
I agree with David. While I'm very pleased at the restoration and care of the original building, and the hiding of the structured parking, my very first thought of seeing the rendering was "I hope those surface parking lots can be built in a way to allow easy redevelopment."
Terry
Author Url: http://architecturetourist.com
I'm looking forward to new sight-lines. It will allow the whole area to breath.
When I was at Tech in the rare icy weather, we'd drive to the top of the deck and do donuts.
Gerlinda
I didn't know you were planning to try to get added to the historic registry! This is fantastic. I am loving everything you guys are doing at PCM. Not to wish my life away -- but I really can't wait for 2014 when the first shops open. :)