Where’s the parking? That’s the question developers are asking when they consider Biddeford for their projects, according to Economic Development Director Daniel Stevenson, and the answer right now isn’t what they want to hear.

Anyone who’s been a patron of a Main Street or mill-based business in Biddeford’s downtown, particularly during peak hours, knows that parking is limited. Put simply, downtown Biddeford is not set up to handle much more growth because of the parking situation. The mills in the area ”“ Pepperell, Riverdam and Lincoln ”“ have 1.2 million square feet of vacant space, meaning that 2,000 parking spaces would be needed if all that space were to be filled.

To meet that need and promote development, city staff are proposing to build a city-owned, 500-spot parking structure ”“ one that will attract jobs and new investment, which will thereby raise the property values, resulting in more tax money for city coffers. The garage would front on Main Street, next to the former WestPoint Home retail outlet building. Part of the building in front of it, which currently houses Sen. Susan Collins’ office, would be demolished.

Stevenson is confident that the parking garage will pay for itself, with no increase to the property tax ”“ that’s right, no tax increase ”“ and will be mostly leased out to businesses before it’s even built. He’s so confident, in fact, that his financing model sets the hourly parking rate at a ridiculously low 50 cents per hour in year three of the project, which is the first year it’s expected to be operational. The project will be seeded with the more than $1 million set aside in tax increment financing funds that are restricted for downtown improvements. Parking garage fees will be combined with fees from metered, on-street parking to pay for the $12.65 million garage.

Longtime residents can remember a time when motorists had to pay for street parking downtown, we’ve been told. It was a time of prosperity for the area, and when that era ended, the meters were pulled. The very idea of the downtown having a rebirth that would necessitate parking meters is exciting, despite the change we’ll all have to cough up for a spot. What’s worse: Paying for a parking spot because it’s a place everyone wants to be, or parking for free because the area’s dead?

Without the spaces that this garage would provide, new development like hotels, restaurants, call centers, manufacturers and other businesses will be saying “no” to Biddeford and taking their plans ”“ and the associated jobs and tax revenue ”“ elsewhere. Biddeford taxpayers can’t afford to let this happen, particularly with the parade of lost jobs in the past few years, including those most recently at Maine Energy Recovery Company and the Hostess bakery.

It’s important to note that the idea of developers passing up on Biddeford due to lack of parking is not hypothetical. This is the real deal. While details can’t be disclosed yet, Stevenson said several proposals are on the table for projects totaling $15 million in new development. Those investors aren’t willing to wait forever for the city to make moves to accommodate them, so it’s do or die. While Biddeford is certainly attractive for many reasons, from its location to the character of the renovated mills spaces, not having any parking is a deal breaker.

The proposed garage is only the first phase of the downtown parking plan, which was created by Winton Scott Architects over the past year. Additional phases would include construction of two more similarly sized parking structures directly behind the phase I structure. The second of those would be underground, with a green space at ground level that could include amenities such as an amphitheater and ice skating rink, according to Stevenson. In the full build-out of the plan, a third parking garage would abut it.

Phase I is not going to hit property taxpayers in the wallet, so there is no reason to oppose it, especially considering the alternative: Developers have invested in the downtown mill buildings and they won’t be willing to let them sit vacant for lack of parking. If this plan doesn’t go through, Stevenson has said the developers will be forced to create parking on their own in order to attract tenants, which could mean the demolition of some mill buildings, further damaging the city’s historic image and cutting its tax base.

With the closure of Maine Energy, Biddeford is on the cusp of becoming the arts and business hub of York County. A rebirth like that of Portland’s Old Port is on the horizon, but the city needs to step up and make some investments to bring that dream to life. Citizens should realize this is an important economic development tool that has worked wonders in other nearby cities, from Lewiston to Dover, N.H.

Now it’s Biddeford’s turn.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.