It almost goes without saying, but Downtown Lakeland is the place to be. We’ve got The Downtown Lakeland Curbside Farmers Market, Munn Park, Hollis Garden, The Polk Theatre, a smorgasbord of celebrated restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques + other local businesses.

Yet, with all the new developments, restaurants + happenings occurring near good ‘ol Kentucky Ave., finding a good parking spot can be as exciting as winning on a scratch-off ticket. (I’ll even admit to occasionally skipping a town event simply out of fear that I just won’t be able to find a place to park.)

So how is the the City of Lakeland, the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, and the Lakeland Economic Development Council working to combat this? Introducing Heritage Plaza Parking Garage.

Here’s your breakdown of the parking garage plan in two minutes. ⏳

🚗 What is it?

Heritage Plaza Parking Garage is proposed to have 824 spaces and will be constructed between Kentucky Avenue and Tennessee Avenue, and North of Orange Street. It will include an elevated crosswalk connecting the existing Heritage Office building. The City will contribute the existing Heritage Park on the southeast corner of the construction site. Construction is predicted to be complete in 10 months.

🚗 What does it cost?

The project is estimated to cost $11 million project. The city has proposed to commit an estimated $6.2 million, which may include contributions from other local partners like Lakeland Regional Health Systems, MidFlorida Credit Union, and BKP Five, all of whom would own some of the spaces.

🚗 What this will mean for the city?

Not only will the parking garage increase parking, but the hope is that it will continue to encourage future developments Downtown Lakeland.

🚗 What are people saying about the plan?

“As we [have] seen when we were visiting Greenville, parking garages are a huge driver in making all of this possible. This is a great first step.” - Mayor Bill Mutz

“We’re certainly a proponent. We’ve had a lot of growth in creating demand and we haven’t had a lot of supply. We haven’t built a parking garage in downtown Lakeland in 40 years.” - Steve Scruggs, president of the Lakeland Economic Development Council

“It’s a pretty big deal for Lakeland. You want jobs downtown.” - Wesley Beck, president of Aspyre Properties

DYK the Heritage Plaza Parking Garage is just one of the many new developments currently happening in Lakeland? Keep up to date by visiting the Lakeland CRA’s website or reading the LEDC’s Annual Report.

Way to stay in the know, you informed citizen, you.

-Kaylee