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County nears deal for parking garage property




Sumner County leaders say a multi-level parking garage could be built behind the Gallatin Church of Christ on East Franklin Street in downtown Gallatin. JOSH CROSS

Sumner County leaders say a multi-level parking garage could be built behind the Gallatin Church of Christ on East Franklin Street in downtown Gallatin. JOSH CROSS

Sumner County officials are nearing a deal to purchase property for a parking garage in downtown Gallatin near the site of a planned new courthouse for the county.

A verbal agreement has been reached for the county to purchase the Gallatin Church of Christ’s parking lot on East Franklin Street directly across from Christian Towers for $600,000, according to Sumner County Commissioner Leslie Schell, who is also chair of the county’s general operations committee.

“It will be a phenomenal location,” said Schell, who added a letter of intent to purchase the property was still being finalized as of last week. “It’s very close to downtown and it’s extremely close to our courthouse. It’s a win-win for the city, the county and the church.”

The deal would require a playground used by the church’s daycare to be relocated elsewhere on the property, Schell added. Once completed, the garage would be available to be used for parking during church services and would also include some reserved spaces for Christian Towers and its residents.

County leaders had originally planned to build the project directly behind the Gallatin Public Library. However, officials began looking at different potential locations after talks to acquire three privately-owned properties necessary for the project stalled recently.

Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown, who said last month that moving the parking garage any further from the square could negatively impact downtown businesses, described the East Franklin Street property as “a good location” for the project.

“It would provide good access to the courthouse but also good access to the square,” Brown added. “It’s far better than the other side of Smith Street for our downtown businesses.”

Last year, Gallatin city leaders verbally agreed to partner with Sumner County to build the garage in downtown. The multi-level structure has previously been estimated to have approximability 450 parking spaces and would cost an estimated $9.5 million to build. However, specific details about the project and partnership have not yet been finalized.

Once a letter of intent to purchase the property is signed, Schell said she plans to set up a meeting with Brown to discuss potential terms of the partnership.

Construction of the parking garage is expected to take place alongside a new county courthouse, which is planned at the corner of East Main Street and South Boyers Avenue next to First Baptist Church in Gallatin.

Both projects would be funded by an $86 million bond that county leaders anticipate issuing later this year.

The parking garage is expected to take one year to build while the new courthouse is expected to take approximately two years to construct.

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