FALL RIVER -- The City Council approved taking ownership of the Third and Pearl streets parking garages this week. On Wednesday, the Fall River Redevelopment Authority said that comes with a similar transfer of Old Second Street to the city.
The RDA is in the midst of a $130,000 improvement project on Old Second Street. While one RDA board member expressed a hope to the contrary, the RDA will fund and complete that project.
RDA Chairwoman Kara O’Connell said that “by no means” would it be the board’s intent not to see the project to completion, which includes an irrigation system and spring plantings, in response to comments made by member Robert Smith.
“If we’re going to dump the property on the city, if we don’t have to finish the contract, then they can do it,” said Smith, eliciting some laughter from the other board members and city administrators at the meeting.
Moments earlier, member Michelle Dionne said she wanted it on the record, regarding the transfer of the parking garages to the city, that "it wasn't just a case of us dumping property."
City Administrator Cathy Ann Viveiros said the city approached RDA to transfer the two parking facilities to the city after the company that manages the property notified RDA they were no longer interested in continuing the service.
Despite reservations by some of the City Council members during debate on taking over the parking garages, the administration is maintaining that the facilities will be a source of revenue and could qualify for state grants for improvement projects.
In May 2017 the top two levels of the four-story Third Street garage were shut down after the city building inspector declared structural damage to the floors.
City Pier update
In another matter, representative Scott Skuncik, from Foth-CLE Engineering Group, the firm which won the bid for permitting and design for the development of the City Pier, said work could begin as soon as possible on the project.
Skuncik said a hydro survey should begin as soon as possible. The scope of the work will include permitting with local, state and federal agencies, construction costs and potential income streams from the development of the pier.
The company will submit two proposed design plans to the RDA for their approval. The plans could include facilities built on pilings on land or over the Taunton River.
The work could be completed by May with RDA approval to be submitted for government approval, Skuncik said.
Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com.