Parking lot plan risks arts center’s success

Regarding the proposed cultural arts corridor by the city of Fayetteville, the Cultural Arts Survey No. 3 through the city’s “Speak Up Fayetteville” is a 70-page report of a survey of patrons who attend Walton Arts Center events and are familiar with the area, the arts center and the pros and cons of the parking situation. In that report, the word “parking” as a concern by patrons appeared 207 times, averaging almost three times per page. That’s certainly an indication that parking is a primary concern of the voters.

The passing margin of the arts corridor vote was slightly more than 54 percent, the lowest margin of all bond issues on the election, indicating something less than 100 percent support for the cultural arts corridor as proposed. I believe we are at a critical juncture with this issue and must be careful to make the right decisions.

I support the arts corridor and think it could be beautiful, but not at the expense of giving up the Walton Arts Center parking lot, which would be disastrous for the entire area of Dickson Street. Therefore, let’s collectively seek another solution that would be the best of both worlds. Preserve the present WAC lot and improve it with a sculptured brick wall with open arches. Then build the cultural arts corridor on top of the WAC lot, saving money and creating a superior development, both practically and visually. It could be called the sky garden or something similar.

As a reference, please Google “Mandarin Project — Green Roof Garden on a Parking Garage.” There are several photos of this principle successfully executed. The Razorback practice field parks 272 cars underneath, with a football practice field above it, and was built at a cost of $9 million a few years ago.

Why would we want to close the Walton Arts Center lot, worsening the parking and convenience experience, buy new land and build an expensive parking deck on it, less convenient to use with round and round, up and down, finding it full, then coming back down and looking for another place to park? Frustrating and bound to negatively impact the arts center, our jewel of Fayetteville. What kind of good sense is that? At the very least, get an estimate on preserving the arts center lot with a sky garden above it. An estimate, then make a decision. BILL UNDERWOOD

Fayetteville