QUESTION: This one may have been addressed before, but with the passing of the bond for the new parking structure downtown, I have a question about the other parking garages downtown.
I have heard conflicting reports that they are either closed, for private use only, or open to the public. So which is it? Or is it some combination of both? The two I am aware of are one on Tyler and Green and the other is on Methvin. Are there others?
ANSWER: I have responded to this question before, most recently in January 2022, but IÐÔÊӽ紫ý™m happy to do it again. Parking in downtown Longview has been an issue for a long time, as in decades. (Although IÐÔÊӽ紫ý™ll say the two city lots on Cotton Street offer parking, but it seems most of us generally pretend those lots donÐÔÊӽ紫ý™t exist because of the trains or the walk involved.)
Hopefully, one day soon, weÐÔÊӽ紫ý™ll never have talk about this again once the parking garage that county voters approved is built.
But I digress. Yes, there are two parking garages downtown, but neither is available for general public use.
One of the parking garages you mentioned is at Tyler and Green streets next door to the Longview Museum of Fine Arts (and itÐÔÊӽ紫ý™s painted with a lovely mural). The parking garage and art museum building are now owned by VeraBank, whose downtown location is next door to the museum.
That garage is reserved for VeraBank employees and parking for tenants of the VeraBank building. The bank also sometimes allows it to be used for community events, such as those at the Longview Museum of Fine Arts.
The other parking garage is in what will be the new home of the Longview Museum of Fine Arts, in a former bank building at Methvin and Fredonia streets.
Museum Executive Director Tiffany Jehorek said the garage and parking spaces there are not open to the public. They generally are for tenants leasing office space in the building, but there are a few remaining spots that could be rented by the public as well as a couple of office spaces up for rent.
Contact Tricia Summers, facility manager for the art museum, at (903) 424-1285 additional information.
The good news is that a parking solution is on the horizon.
In November, Gregg County voters gave their approval for issuing up to $19 million in debt for a downtown parking garage, although Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt does not expect to actually need all of that debt. He expects the county will pay about half of that cost with cash instead.
The parking garage will be four levels, 13,000 square feet and provide 293 parking spaces. It also will provide room to relocate some country offices.
Stoudt said after the election in November that he would be talking to contractor SpawGlass to start solidifying project details and a construction timelines. Once construction starts, itÐÔÊӽ紫ý™s expected to take 18 months.
