Mount Prospect closes deal on St. Mark property boosting downtown parking

Mount Prospect officials confirmed the village has closed on the St. Mark Lutheran Church property, a deal that should provide additional downtown parking spaces.

The announcement comes as the village plans to unveil an update to its 2018 downtown parking study at Tuesday’s village board meeting.

The study shows more than enough parking downtown, though improvement is needed to address localized congestion and better use existing capacity. That could mean adjusting on-street time limits in high-demand areas, increasing parking enforcement during peak periods and exploring a possible parking deck in downtown’s southwest quadrant.

As downtown redevelopment picked up, parking emerged as an issue.

Village Manager Michael Cassady confirmed the village has completed the $1.45 million purchase of the St. Mark gymnasium, parsonage and parking lot at 205 and 209 S. Wille St.

The purchase comes with a parking agreement ensuring 30 of the parking lot’s spots remain available for church and public use until the village creates at least 30 replacement spots within a 500-foot radius. According to the study, the additional spots at St. Mark could meaningfully improve local conditions without increasing demand.

Cassady said the goal is to demolish the gym and parsonage, then restripe the existing parking area to expand to some 60 spaces.

The parking study addresses recent redevelopment and projects in the works like the proposed Fatpour Tap Works at 200 S. Main St., which is up for approval Tuesday

“It's very helpful to understand the impacts of some of our downtown successes,” Cassady said.

Village public works staff collected the data, which was analyzed by engineering consultant Kenig, Lindgren, O’Hare, and Aboona, Inc. of Rosemont.

The study found the downtown provides 2,161 public parking spaces — 63% off-street, 37% on-street — plus nearly 1,800 private spaces.

Since 2018, public parking declined by 48 spaces (2%), largely due to redevelopment projects. However, private parking increased by about 450 spots, resulting in an 11.2% net increase in total parking.

“While we don't have necessarily all the parking resources proximate to businesses,” Cassady said, “we have a lot of parking in the downtown that is available.”