BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford City Council will hold a workshop tonight, to discuss the potential hiring of an engineering firm in its pursuit to construct a downtown parking facility.

City councilors will meet prior to tonight’s regular council meeting to discuss the parking garage engineering firm selection process, with the, “ultimate desire to authorize staff to finalize the negotiations with the recommended vendor,” according to a memorandum from City Manager Jim Bennett.

If the workshop goes as planned, the council may give initial authorization to a $510,951 contract with Desman Design Management for the site evaluation, design, preparation of construction documents, permit approvals and construction administration for what the city is calling the Downtown Parking Structure Project.

The Rocky Hill, Connecticut-based, firm was one of five that submitted proposals to the city for the design of a downtown parking structure, the others being Oak Point Associates of Biddeford; OES Associates of New York City; Platz Associates of Auburn; and Winton Scott Architects, based in Portland.

The council gave approval in November to seek proposals for the design of a downtown parking structure, which city officials have said is crucial in the continuing development of the city’s downtown and mill district.

A committee of five members, appointed by Mayor Alan Casavant and headed by City Engineer Tom Milligan, interviewed each firm extensively.

That group found Desman Design to be the most “qualified and responsive firm” and recommended the company for council approval, according to a memo from the Department of Public Works.

Tonight’s workshop also follows the city’s Downtown Task Force Subcommittee report, which it submitted to Bennett earlier this month, regarding its own extensive study of parking in the downtown.

In that study, the task force called for the construction of a parking facility within the city’s mill district, with Chairman Bruce Benway saying it is “imperative” that the city think years ahead to anticipate downtown growth.

“There’s clearly a need to keep the public better informed as policy makers tackle these long-term strategic decisions, like the parking shortage, and the overall design of a revitalized downtown,” Benway said in a statement at the time.

The task force made three recommendations to city officials, saying a parking garage should be built in the downtown area, that it be financed in a way that facility users — and not taxpayers — pay all costs, and that it be built either on the former Maine Energy Recovery Company site at 3 Lincoln St. or behind the Lincoln Mill building.

The City Council is also expected to give final approval to a Downtown Anti-Blight ordinance, approved in an 8-1 vote on Feb. 7.

The ordinance is designed to encourage downtown development, preserve property values and promote public health.

“The existence of blighted premises in the Downtown of Biddeford will adversely affect property values and development within the Downtown and threatens the health, safety, general welfare and economic well-being of its residents and commercial interests,” the ordinance reads.

The ordinance defines blighted properties as those that cause obvious depreciation to property values in the downtown area, and that are factors in creating a substantial and unreasonable interference with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other space within the building.

The council workshop will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The regular City Council meeting follows at 6 p.m. in the same location.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.