Merchants want more parking for downtown

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Parking problems in downtown Hartselle probably won't be getting better any time soon.
Mayor Dwight Tankersley said the city will not purchase a lot currently available off West Main and Corsbie Street in downtown Hartselle. A petition with the names of 33 downtown merchants was presented to Tankersley earlier this month. Signees asked the city to purchase the land and construct an off-street parking lot at the site.
Merchants have complained that the lack of downtown parking hurts businesses in the area.
Tankersley said the lot's owner, Gordon Davenport, wants $58,000 for the property. The cost of constructing a parking lot at the site would be an additional $33,324.
The city currently has some $90,000 set aside for downtown improvements. The money was designed to be used as matching funds for a $450,000 state grant the city hoped to use to repair the canopies downtown. The city learned in February the grant request was denied.
Tankersley said he would prefer the $90,000 stay in the account and the city reapply for the grant.