Parking Lot Improvement Work To Wrap Up Before Berkley CruiseFest in August

Please excuse the dust while one of Berkley's downtown parking lots is renovated.

The Downtown Development Authority is moving ahead with a parking lot improvement project behind the strip of businesses along 12 Mile Road between Robina and Griffith.

The project will add a half dozen parking spaces, improve pedestrian walkways, consolidate trash Dumpsters and add bike racks.

, which was the low bidder on the project. Koala-T will receive an estimated $464,484.03 for the work. The money, which has been in the city's budget for the past several years, will come from the DDA and the city's tax increment financing fund; none will come from the general fund.

Koala-T plans to have the construction completed by early August, just in time for the Berkley CruiseFest parade Aug. 19, the day before the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The construction impacts the following businesses' parking areas: , , , , , and .

Parking is being re-directed to the parking lot on the corner of 12 Mile and Wakefield.

In the meanwhile, affected businesses are open as usual.

“I am surprised no one complains,” 24 Seconds manager Regina Bronstein said. Bronstein said most customers are just wondering what is happening and when it will be done.

City Style owner Carrie Vestrand questions whether the project will actually add more parking. Vestrand said businesses will lose employee parking directly behind their units, which will force employees to use customer parking.

DDA committee member Keith Logsdon said he understands the convenience of employee parking, but feels eliminating spaces against the building will improve pedestrian safety and the aesthetics of the lot. The project also will add a pedestrian sidewalk where the current ally is.

Logsdon said increasing walkability along 12 Mile Road and utilizing on-street parking is a focus of the DDA.

"The new sidewalk will improve the whole walking environment and the new lighting will make it nicer in the evening," said Logsdon, who hopes the project will serve as a pilot for other independently owned parking lots to follow.

In addition, he hopes it will inspire building owners to renovate their properties' exteriors.

"We hope this is a catalyst to improvements of the back of the buildings," Logsdon said. The DDA has considered murals and planter boxes to add to the beauty of the area.