Beaufort buys property to add downtown parking spaces
Beaufort leaders have closed on a deal for a downtown property that will be used to help ease some of the city's parking woes.
The city paid just over $1.28 million for a parking lot and office space at 500 Carteret St., city manager Bill Prokop said Thursday.
The deal is a lease-purchase agreement in which the city will pay $250,000 in cash as a down payment on the property and make payments on the balance over the next three years, Prokop said.
The purchase price "is $430,000 less than the property recently was appraised," according to a release from the city.
City Council approved the purchase Dec. 22 by a 3-2 vote.
The site will allow for the creation of more than 75 parking spaces, the city release said.
Those spaces are expected to be available to the public by late January.
According to a city parking committee, Beaufort will eventually need about 500 new spaces, which means a parking garage will likely have to be built.
A parking garage has been identified as a priority by the city, if a countywide capital sales tax makes the ballot. A preliminary estimate on the cost of the garage last year was $16 million.
In other parking news, the city recently announced changes to its on-street parking policies.
Starting Monday, metered parking enforcement will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. The current enforcement period is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Also, metered spaces on Bay Street and side streets between Bay and Port Republic streets that currently have three- or four-hour time limits will now have a uniform two-hour limit.
Meter rates for Port Republic Street will also increase from 75 cents per hour to $1. On West and Scott streets, north of Port Republic Street, rates will drop from 75 cents per hour to 50 cents.
Follow reporter Lucas High on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Lucas.
Related content:
- Beaufort council approves purchase of 500 Carteret St. despite last-minute changes, Dec. 22, 2015
- Beaufort parking rates, time limits to change Monday, Dec. 29, 2015
This story was originally published December 31, 2015 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Beaufort buys property to add downtown parking spaces."