Stolarczyk said purpose is convenience for residents, not profit
A proposed downtown multistory public parking garage next to the Kendall County Courthouse is projected to operate at a loss after it’s opened, according to a study.
The garage will cost $26,000 more annually to run than the anticipated revenue it will generate, Kendall County commissioners heard last week.
County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said the garage, as a long-term investment, was not designed to be a money-making venture.
“This was never intended to generate income. It was provided to create parking for the downtown community and the (Kendall County) Courthouse,” the judge said.
However, Precinct 3 Commissioner Richard Chapman noted adding retail or office space could increase use of the garage and pump up sales taxes.
Marry Ellen Schuille, Kendall County engineer, led a recent review of the $50,000 feasibility study performed by Kimley Horn, an engineering and design consulting firm.
The study “tells us it is not profitable to go into the parking lot business and we still need to do a space needs assessment after spending $25,000,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Andra Wisian.
The proposed property on Rosewood Avenue, adjacent to the Kendall County Courthouse, is owned by the county and currently offers only surface parking. Plans call for a future structure three to four stories tall.
Boerne and Kendall County each paid for half of the study.
Schulle said Kimley Horn’s evaluation of the expected occupancy of the garage “determined that operating costs exceed the annual revenue by about $100 per stall,” she said, equating to an annual deficit of about $26,000 per year. Schulle said the feasibility study was ordered “just to have an idea of what is the cost benefit? Is it going to generate money? Is it going to lose too much money?
Several factors could influence the outcome of usage and revenue, such as any losses of parking along Main Street and River Road, or an increase in the number of events that would have bigger use of the parking garage, she said.
The city of Boerne is “looking at additional surface parking since the numbers right now don’t really make good sense,” Schulle added. “The (commissioners) court will need to determine whether or not that’s something they want to invest in, in the long-term future, if it doesn’t make sense at this time,” she added.
Chapman said plans to include retail or office space may help offset the projected deficit.
“What was not brought into play here was ... if you had a parking garage, this would definitely increase the traffic, which would increase your sales-tax revenue because once people knew there is covered parking, they’d be more than willing to use it,” Chapman said.
He added, “I think the idea was always to look at how much parking can we have? What are the options we can do? Can we add office space?”
“What are the options we can do? Can we add office space?”
— Precinct 3 Commissioner Richard Chapman
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