Booking a Space During Library Construction

By Lookout Staff

May 11 -- Parking will be at a premium for the next two years, while the Main Library is torn down and a new facility -- which will add approximately 325 public parking spaces ­- goes up on the site.

On May 1, construction fencing went up around the entire perimeter of the site at 1343 Sixth Street, including the surface parking lot west of the library, which closed on March 24 and moved to its temporary location at 1324 5th Street.

To maximize on-street parking for the duration of Main Library construction -­ which is slated for completion in June 2005 ­- the City is taking the following actions:

• Monthly permit parkers are moving to Structure 5 at 4th and Santa Monica Boulevard.
  
• Area merchants are being provided information on Downtown structure parking, which offers two hours free, and the chance to purchase validations for their customers.
  
• Construction workers will be required to park elsewhere and shuttle to the onstruction site.
  
• Staff is exploring the installation of angled parking where possible on the west side of 6th and the east side of 7th streets from Santa Monica to Wilshire boulevards.
  
• On-street parking along Santa Monica Boulevard will be minimally affected at key junctures in the project.
  
• Time limits will be strictly enforced at meters to encourage parking turnover and ensure that customers of nearby businesses can find short-term parking.

For information about parking in the downtown area, visit http://parking.santa-monica.org/det_downtown.html. Construction-related inquiries should be directed to 310.458.8981. For Main Library information and news, visit www.smpl.org.