PARKING RAMP

PARKING RAMP. In the spring of 1961 Harold Marks of Victor Gruen Associates conducted a parking survey with the goal of solving the immediate problems of parking in the downtown area. Marks and a committee of citizens considered ten sites, but recommended the block bounded by Locust, Bluff, Eighth and Ninth for at least one two-level parking facility for its superior accessibility. Marks further estimated that a 250-car two-level garage could be built for about $770,000. (1)

The site had three tenants--the Telegraph Herald, Chamber of Commerce, and Franklin Roshek, a cousin of the owners of ROSHEK'S DEPARTMENT STORE. Roshek owned a parcel of land along the west side of Locust that was used for parking mainly by professional people who had offices in the area. (2)

In September 1962, the Chamber of Commerce announced its willingness to sell its property at 9th and Locust for the appraised value of $80,000, or a mutually agreed upon price, provided the land was used for the development of a parking ramp. The Telegraph Herald agreed to a trade of property with the same stipulation. Officials of the Telegraph Herald agreed to trade its 100 x 102 foot lot at Eighth and Bluff for three parcels of land along Ninth Street which were then being used as metered municipal parking. (3)

Encouragement for the construction was quickly shown. The Chamber of Commerce agreed to sell its land for $75,000, less than the appraisal. The Chamber also announced that $31,000 in private funds had been committed to the project. (4)

The Dubuque Planning Commission approved the parking ramp construction on a vote of 4-3 on September 14, 1962. At the meeting, it was explained that parking facilities were financed by revenue from parking and not tax money. The motoring public paid for the convenience of parking lots. (5) On September 17, 1962 the council authorized negotiations to acquire the Roshek property. (6)

City Manager Gilbert D. CHAVENELLE and a delegation of city officials visited Madison, Wisconsin to observe parking ramps in operation and talk with officials. In addition to seeing that the first ramp they entered was full, they were surprised by the financial results. They were informed that the 732-car Dane County ramp was making money on the rate of five cents per car per hour. That information led some of the Dubuque delegation to suggest a three-level ramp and charging five cents per hour instead of the recommended ten cent rate. (7)

The Dubuque City Council on October 22, 1962 voted 3-2 to go ahead with the design of the structure and site acquisition. Since negotiations with Franklin Roshek had not been successful, condemnation proceedings were considered. (8)

The Detroit, Michigan firm of National Garages was chosen for preparing preliminary designs and cost estimates for the ramp construction. When the Council approved the designs and estimates, National Garage obtained final plans before bidding began. National Garage was paid thirty cents per square foot in the completed ramp and was expected to incorporate its use of special structural materials to minimize the number of support pillars and increase space for more cars. It was considered a possibility that the ramp would not be metered but instead charge for the length of time in the ramp with an "automatically dispersed charge ticket." (9)

In 1968 a construction plan allowing the city to construct one tier at a time was shown to city officials. When completed, the three tier ramp would cost $1,200,000, but the bottom deck, a flat surface, could be completed for $100,000. The ramp would hold six hundred cars and leave the eastern side of Iowa Street open for development. (10)

In 2019 a divided Dubuque City Council approved a development agreement between HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC. and COTTINGHAM AND BUTLER, INC.. Voting 4-2, the council approve the $12 million purchase of the Roshek Building tied to the construction by the city of a $20 million parking ramp on a site to be determined by December 31, 2022. The new ramp would be capable of providing 500 parking spaces for the anticipated growth in the number of employees working downtown. The city was also obligated to install lighting and call boxes between the new ramp and the Roshek Building. (11)

See: RAMP DANCES

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Source:

1. Shively, Neil. "Chamber, T-H Offer Properties," Telegraph Herald, September 9, 1962, p. 4

2. Ibid., p. 1

3. Ibid, p. 4

4. "Parking Ramp Project Favored by Officials," Telegraph Herald, September 12, 1962, p. 1

5. Shively, Neil. "Approval Indicated by Council," Telegraph Herald, September 16, 1962, p. 1

6. "Authorizes Manager to Negotiate," Telegraph Herald, September 18, 1962, p. 1

7. Shively, Neil. "Ramps Pay," Telegraph Herald, September 23, 1962, p. 1

8. Shively, Neil. "Parking Ramp Design, Land Options Asked," Telegraph Herald, October 23, 1962, p. 1

9. Shively, Neil. "Detroit Firm Will Do Parking Ramp Design," Telegraph Herald, December 14, 1961, p. 1

10. "One-Tier-At-A-Time Parking Ramp Proposed," Telegraph-Herald, February 13, 1968, p. 11

11. Barton, Thomas J. "Divided Council OKs Roshek Deal," Telegraph Herald, December 17, 2019, p. 1A