Parking Garage Proposal Appears Headed For Passage in Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The city may be ready to move ahead with plans to create a parking garage at 97 Franklin St., next to the Memorial Building in downtown Framingham.

City council members are scheduled to vote Tuesday evening on whether to OK an additional $1.2 million in funding for purchasing the property – instead of a garage site proposed in 2024, at 196-200 Concord St.

The new location has room for 175 more parking spots, a total of 605. Plus, traffic flow within the garage would be better, city officials have said.

But those benefits come with a higher price tag, bringing the city's potential bill to $2.7 million. The entire project, funded with a combination of public resources, is estimated to cost $19 million.

The Franklin Street property is currently the site of a bank. If the additional funding is approved and the project moves forward, construction could begin in October 2027 and take about a year to complete.

Plans for 97 Franklin were discussed earlier this month, but the council vote Tuesday could determine whether the project advances.