MEDINA – Medina City Council likely has enough yeas to move ahead with a proposed multi-million-dollar parking deck a block west of Public Square, based on talks when the board last met in finance committee May 8.

Hopefully a catalyst for future commercial and residential redevelopment, the city plans to construct a two-story parking deck with 207 spaces in the area of West Liberty Street and North Elmwood Avenue where the former Medina Theater and Masonic Temple stood, abutting City Hall’s parking lot.

The goal is to then have the parcels closest to the streets – where the fronts of the theater on West Liberty and temple on North Elmwood were – developed into residential structures with storefronts on the street level.

Newland Developments, of Cleveland, has expressed interest in the overall scope of the project, specifically on the West Liberty side. A representative of the firm previously pitched to the city plans for a 10,000-square-foot building with 27 apartment units on the second, third and fourth levels, as well as restaurant or retail options on the first floor.

“It’s too good of an opportunity to pass on,” Ward 1 Councilman Brian Hilberg said of the parking deck project.

A quorum’s worth of Hilberg’s council colleagues share the same vision.

“If we want to continue to grow and continue our forward motion with this, I think this is a well-placed dollar spend,” Councilman At-Large Paul Rose said. “This is a good investment.”

Ward 3 Councilman Mark Kolesar said he was struggling with the $3.5 million price tag. A $1 million state infrastructure grant the city received will help offset the costs, but the city will still have to foot $2.5 million one way or another.

“Our coffers haven’t been replenished like they have in the past,” Kolesar said. “I’m struggling with it.”

Spearheaded by Economic Development Director Kimberly Marshall to cover the rest of the cost, the city is looking to establish a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district, where a government can place future property tax revenue increases from new development into a special fund for infrastructure projects for a period of 30 years.

“We need to get all these things teed up now,” Marshall told council.

The Medina City School District would also have to approve the TIF, as the program diverts property tax funds that would go to the schools. Marshall previously said this would be the first time the city of Medina has pursued a TIF, though they are widely used by government entities throughout Ohio.

“This most important piece is the TIF,” Council President John Coyne said.

City Engineer Pat Patton said a surveyor is currently determining how to best go about merging some of the parcels in question – from eight to about four – in order to maximize potential for redevelopment.

“We’ve got a surveyor on board,” Patton told council. “That should be done shortly.”

Council next meets Monday, May 22 at City Hall.