Bloomington to Open Fourth Street Garage

(rendering courtesy of the city of Bloomington)

The city of Bloomington will Monday celebrate the opening of the new Fourth Street Garage. It will provide parking for more than 500 vehicles and replaces a decades-old structure that closed in 2018 after being deemed structurally unsafe.

In addition to the parking spaces, the garage also features a covered bicycle depot and will house commercial and retail space, public bathrooms, and city parking management offices. An art component featuring some 9,000 aluminum panels will be installed across the structure’s facade by early October.

The garage is one of two in Bloomington to receive “Parksmart” certification, which is awarded based on guidelines to reduce environmental impact, increase energy efficiency and performance, and manage parking spaces efficiently. The city says the garage features solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

The other garage to receive the certification is the Trades District Garage, which opened in April. The city says the garages are the first two in the state to earn the certification.

Construction on the garage began in July 2020 and was funded through Tax Increment Financing dollars. The city says it will host a public dedication ceremony in the fall when all components of the project are complete.