ATLANTIC CITY — Drivers can park for free for a week starting today in the heart of the resort — if they can snag one of the 1,180 spots in a new parking garage near The Walk outlet shopping mall.
The $38.4 million, five-level garage will open for business today after a ribbon-cutting ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m., when its name will be revealed by officials from the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. The CRDA handled the project, which broke ground in December 2010 with the goal of opening this spring.
The garage will address the shortage and expense of parking often noted by shoppers at The Walk, a 100-store outdoor complex operated by Tanger Outlets.
“This state-of-the-art garage and retail space will provide efficient parking resources to the surrounding businesses in the Tourism District,” CRDA Chairman John Palmieri said in a statement released Wednesday. “The inclusion of art and retail space at street-level (will) create a pedestrian-friendly and safe environment for visitors and residents alike.”
Keeping with an art theme also will help anchor the arts district envisioned for the Ducktown neighborhood near the garage, CRDA spokeswoman Kim Butler said Wednesday.
However, Butler could not provide details on confirmed or potential tenants expected to operate in 16,170 square feet of street-accessible retail space, other than it likely will host galleries and related shops.
Now empty, the retail area starts near the garage entrance on Fairmount Avenue and wraps around the corner and halfway down Mississippi Avenue.
Inside the ground floor of the garage, six charging stations will be available for electric cars. On the roof, a 54,000-square-foot solar array will generate about 400 kilowatt hours of power daily — ultimately enough to power the facility, Butler said.
Contact Emily Previti:
609-272-7221
