After three years of work and $80 million dollars, Springfield, Massachusetts has a new parking garage next one of its busiest business hubs.
Built in 1971, the old Civic Center Garage in downtown Springfield had seen better days by the time the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) purchased it in 2020 for $3.5 million.
Replacing it was no easy task. The largely state-funded, $80 million project led to road closures as demolition and construction got underway, on top of closing down a frequently-used parking garage altogether.
But, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, the fruits of the contractors’ labor was on full display, complete with a formal ribbon-cutting.
“The Carpark and The Landing represent more than just two new facilities,” said MCCA CEO Marcel Vernon Sr. during the new garage’s ribbon-cutting. “They symbolize three important things: more jobs, more economic opportunity and more vibrant, thriving downtown business activity.”
Complete with “The Landing,” a new plaza city officials hope to see events and activities held on, the “Convention Center Carpark” offers 817 parking spaces, EV charging stations and the closest parking Springfield Thunderbird fans can get on game day.
Mayor Domenic Sarno says he expects the space to boost the local economy – offering prime parking real estate next to the MassMutual Center and downtown businesses.
“When you bring thousands of people to downtown Springfield and they feel good - it's vibrant, they're having a good time - that means they spend money, and they spend money on all of the other amenities here in the city of Springfield,” the mayor told reporters, adding how the plaza could host activities before and after hockey games, much like the vendors outside of Boston’s Fenway Park when the Red Sox play.
The garage itself has been open to the public since April, following a
soft opening."
The city’s Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan tells WAMC the new garage plays into the city’s master plan for Main Street and the Convention District – one that aimed to turn Bruce Landon Way into a “cultural connection” between the city’s museums, Symphony Hall and the MassMutual Center Center.
He adds that the garage’s completion comes as the city continues to see progress made on a slate of parcels downtown, including several buildings by or near State and Main streets, overseen by the development firm McCaffery Interests.
That includes the nearby “Clock Tower Building."
“They're actually doing some internal demolition work right now and getting the buildings ready for further development,” Sheehan said. “An interesting aspect is that one of the first things that they're working on is restoring the Clock Tower to operations, and that's going to be happening within the next couple of weeks so after years and years and years of that clock only telling the right time two times a day, we will have a lit-up operating clock on the corner of State and Main and that’s just fantastic.”
Sheehan notes the developments – which includes at least four buildings - should lead to at least 116 units of housing and groundfloor retail and commercial space.
He adds that progress is also being made on developing a $24 million, 400-space garage off of Main Street, as well.
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This piece originally aired on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025
