The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) has selected local architecture firm Schooley Caldwell to design the new convention center parking garage.
The FCCFA board voted to move forward with the project, which will be called the Ohio Center Garage, at its meeting on Tuesday.
Schooley Caldwell will lead a design team that also includes New York-based Desman Parking Design Management, Heapy Engineering, Korda/Nemeth Engineering, Tec Studio and EDGE Group.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2019, with a targeted opening date for the garage in February, 2020.
The $18 million, eight-story garage will have space for about 650 cars and will be located north of the Drury Inn, directly adjacent to the loading area for the convention center’s South Building.
Most cars would access the garage from North Third Street, although it would also connect to Nationwide Boulevard. A walkway would take pedestrians from the garage directly into the convention center.
A press release from FCCFA stated that the “Schooley Caldwell team has pledged to create a strong visual presence for southbound traffic on Third Street and dramatically increase the Convention Center’s visibility from I-670.”
