Downtown San Luis Obispo is a week away from the grand opening of its new Cultural Arts District parking structure, and local business owners say they are ready.
The structure, located near the corner of Dana and Nipomo Streets, is scheduled to open to the public on March 17.
Patricia Kaspian has operated A French Touch Salon at that corner for 16 years. She says the new structure will be a welcome change for her customers and the broader downtown community.
"It'll make it a much easier solution for people to come downtown," Kaspian said.
She says she chose the location for its atmosphere.
"I picked the setting because it was creekside. It was very calming, and I have a spa," she said.
During construction, Kaspian and other businesses in the area had to adapt by offering parking alternatives on Dana Street for their customers.
Nearby, Anderson Barbershop owner Ray Shearer says his business has faced its own parking challenges. Shearer says the shop moved to the Dana and Nipomo corner three years ago after construction at their original location at the Anderson Hotel displaced them.
"For us merchants, we have passes that we can give our clients, so they were able to park," Shearer said.
He says he plans to move the barbershop back to the Anderson Hotel next month but believes the new structure will benefit all of downtown.
"After having been here, they definitely needed that parking structure, because I have witnessed on weekends, evenings, Thursday, Friday, Concerts in the Plaza, other events in the area, and parking is sorely needed for this area," Shearer said.
KSBY News got an inside look at the new structure ahead of its public opening. San Luis Obispo Public Works Assistant Director Madeline Kacsinta says the facility is built with both capacity and sustainability in mind.
"The garage has about 400 spaces, it's got 41 EV charging spaces, and there's a rooftop event center," Kacsinta said.
The city says the rooftop event center will be available to rent for private events, though officials say they are still working out the logistics.
The structure will also feature bike lockers, rooftop solar panels to offset energy use, and a real-time parking guidance system to help drivers quickly find available spaces, according to the city.
To encourage drivers to use the new facility, parking will be free for the first 28 days after opening. Kaspian says that gesture goes a long way.
"It really shows the businesses how much the city cares about them," she said.
