[Altavia]

Where else would they start a downtown "renovation" project by building a parking garage?

DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGE TO BEGIN
CONSTRUCTION IN JANUARY

Construction of Wildwood's new parking garage at the corner of US 301/Main St. and Oxford St. is scheduled to begin in early January. The surface lot on
that site will close as soon as Jan. 2, 2024.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Jan. 8 at 11:00 a.m. and is open to the public. All are invited. The multistory structure will house approximately 125 vehicle spaces, providing much-needed parking for existing and future downtown businesses.

Current construction schedules estimate a Fall 2024 opening, subject to change based on supply chain, weather,
and other potential delays.
The first significant construction project of the city's downtown master plan, adopted in November 2021, the parking garage is one component of a public- private partnership between the City of Wildwood and G3 Development.

That partnership also includes construction of approximately 8,000 square feet of new, leasable commercial space expected to be filled by one or more dining and entertainment businesses. The commercial building, which will be built, owned, and operated by G3 Development, is expected to begin construction in mid-2024 and open in early 2025.

The downtown master planning process involved participation and input from both residents and local businesses through surveys, interviews, a workshop, virtual open house, and presentations. During that process, participants were asked to identify and prioritize community needs and wants. Downtown redevelopment and revitalization quickly emerged as the top issue community members wanted the city to address. "Nothing happens quickly in government" said City Manager Jason McHugh. "There are checks and balances built into every step of the process to ensure fair and judicial use of taxpayer resources, which is vital but takes time." "Then the pandemic threw a big wrench into the mix," he added. "But we are now firmly on our way to implementing the vision laid out by our community, and Wildwood's future is brighter than it has ever been."