Hamilton County commissioners seek proposals for parking garage in downtown Noblesville

The Hamilton County Commissioners have opened a request for proposals for a 434-space parking garage they’d like to see built near downtown Noblesville.

The solicitation calls for the garage to be built on county-owned land along Clinton Street east of North Eighth Street. The land is currently used as a county employee parking lot.

Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said building a parking garage near the Hamilton County government and judicial center would allow the county to move employees who currently park in a lot south of Indiana 32—referred to as the south lot—to the parking garage, freeing up the land to be redeveloped.

The south lot, located just south of Indiana 32 and west of South Fifth Street, is prime for redevelopment, Heirbrandt said. Developers have long sought to purchase it from the county.

“The property is right there on the river,” he said. “It’s very desired property.”

Right now, the land isn’t taxable because it’s owned by the county. But selling it and redeveloping it would generate tax income for the city of Noblesville, he said.

Beyond allowing the south lot to be redeveloped, building a parking garage for county employees will keep many of them from having to cross Indiana 32 to get to the government center, which can be dangerous, Heirbrandt said.

The public would be able to use the parking garage after work hours and on the weekends. It will be the second parking garage—following the Levinson project which is currently under construction—to be built in downtown Noblesville, where parking is often at a premium.

Initially, the garage would be four stories, but a fifth story could be added down the line if it’s needed. The 434-spaces are projected to meet the county’s needs for the next 10 years.

The RFP—which had yet to be posted as of Thursday morning—will be open for 45 to 60 days, Heirbrandt said. Ideally, the commissioners would like to see a garage built in 2020.