Park City Municipal has spent nearly $2 million restoring the China Bridge parking garage since a structural assessment in 2024. The work is meant to extend the aging structure’s life span.
The northern portion of the garage was built in 2006. The southern, uphill part opened in 1986 and is expected to reach the end of its life in ten years.
Park City Municipal Project Manager Steven Dennis said replacing the southern structure before the Olympics could cost between $16-22 million during a Park City Council meeting Oct. 22.
Councilmember Bill Ciraco said he thinks the city should spend $30 million redeveloping both the parking garage and Swede Alley instead.
“I really would love to see people be able to get out of bed, walk across Swede Alley, and patronize our businesses on Main Street,” Ciraco said. “You know, 30 seconds from the hotel bed that they’re sleeping in. I think that would be awesome. If we are able to get from the aerial transit to that location too, then it’s a super no-brainer.”
But Ciraco said plans would have to move quickly if the city wanted to complete the project before the 2034 Olympics.
Mayor Ryan Dickey shared Ciraco’s concerns over project timing, though he said expanding Swede Alley would benefit the town.
“For most visitors to Old Town, to our beautiful historic district, they drive in from Deer Valley Drive onto Swede Alley, and it’s back of house,” Dickey said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Oct. 23. “It’s dumpsters. It’s last night’s part. We can make this a great complementary asset to Main Street.”
Councilmember Diego Zagarra said he liked the idea but worried that starting a new project would inhibit the city’s ability to build workforce housing.
“How are we thinking about the creation of more workforce need, as we are stalling or not moving at the speed we may like on the workforce housing front, since that is one of our priorities,” Zagarra said. “It’s tricky for me to say, let’s go forward full steam without these other tandem projects also developing.”
The preliminary ideas for Swede Alley could expand on a development proposal for Main Street meant to bring economic vitality ahead of the 2034 Olympics.
Park City Municipal Economic Development Project Manager Matt Lee said the project could cost between $100 and $120 million.
No decisions were made regarding the future of the garage or Swede Alley. Dennis said another conditional assessment will be conducted in 2030 or 2031.
