Fenton Proposes a Downtown Parking Deck. A 112-Space Lot Could Grow to Upwards of 500 Spots.

By Carrie Thompson, Strategic Marketing Real Estate Agent, eXp Realty, Grand Blanc, MI

The City of Fenton is studying a downtown parking structure behind the Fenton Community and Cultural Center that could take the lot there from 112 spaces to upwards of 500, Assistant City Manager Michael Hart told WNEM, and city leaders stress the idea is still in the early stages of planning (WNEM, March 30, 2026). Early concepts were presented at a joint meeting of the Fenton City Council and the Downtown Development Authority on March 25, 2026 (City of Fenton, March 31, 2026).

The joint meeting reviewed soil borings and drawings

The City Council and the DDA met at the Community and Cultural Center "to review results of the soil borings, parking study, and conceptual drawings rendered to address additional parking in Downtown Fenton," according to the city's post about the meeting (City of Fenton, March 31, 2026). The city posted the full presentation, which includes the conceptual drawings and a video presentation by Carmine Avantini of OHM Advisors, along with the parking study (City of Fenton, March 31, 2026).

Craig Schmidt, the volunteer chairman of the Fenton Downtown Development Authority, explained the reason for the project at that meeting. "We've done a couple of different parking studies and we found out that we are about 400 spaces short of what we need," he said (WNEM, March 26, 2026).

WNEM reported that the initial concepts included an underground parking structure with possible development on top, such as a boutique hotel, and that leaders made it clear the idea is not set in stone (WNEM, March 26, 2026).

The 2024 study counted 972 spaces

The parking study the city posted is dated September 2024 (Fenton Parking Study Final Report, September 2024). Its study area covered the north side of downtown Fenton, "centered loosely around the project site on West Caroline at River Street," and it counted 972 spaces available for general parking, 141 on the street and 831 off the street (Fenton Parking Study Final Report, September 2024).

The study's count on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at 7 p.m. found the 112-space West Caroline lot 98 percent full (Fenton Parking Study Final Report, September 2024). It recommended that a parking garage contain 482 spaces: 112 to replace the Caroline lot spaces, 170 for demand from a hotel, 100 for indirect demand and 100 for future demand (Fenton Parking Study Final Report, September 2024).

City leaders say Rackham Park is not part of it

Rumors circulating on social media said the project could pave over the park behind the community center, and city leaders moved to shut them down. They said the structure would be built on an existing parking lot behind the community center on Leroy Street (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

"Is there going to be building or development in the park? No, there's not," Hart said. "If there is development in the parking lot, could we require that there is investment to beautify and make for it to be more pedestrian friendly in the park or along the river? Yes" (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

City Manager Lynn Markland was blunter. "There was some ridiculous information out there that there was going to be a subterranean parking deck, that it was going to be in the area of Rackham Park taking up all the green space. None of that was true," he said. "We want to have public input into all of our projects, including this potential project. But it's important that the public get the correct information in order to form their opinion" (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

The two WNEM reports describe the site differently. The March 26 story opened by calling it "a grass lot behind Fenton Community & Cultural Center" (WNEM, March 26, 2026). The March 30 story quotes Hart saying the structure would go on "the existing asphalt area behind the community center on Leroy Street" (WNEM, March 30, 2026). The city's posted drawings are the place to check the exact footprint.

The deck could sit partly below ground

Hart said the soil borings showed the structure could be lowered into the ground. "One of the things we found out in the soil examinations, the soil borings we did, is that we could potentially lower the parking structure into the ground because the water table is low enough in that area, in the existing parking lot," he said (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

Hart said that during the pandemic a developer wanted to propose a project, and that any redevelopment like that downtown would potentially need more parking on top of an existing parking issue (WNEM, March 30, 2026). "We're trying to be proactive with our approach and our solutions to the parking issue," Markland said (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

Residents asked for a middle ground

When public comment opened at the March 25 meeting, WNEM reported the tone shifted. Many residents pushed for other ideas, and some asked for development that keeps some open space while still addressing parking (WNEM, March 26, 2026). One Fenton resident asked that any project "continue to maintain the residential heritage of the City of Fenton" (WNEM, March 26, 2026).

Schmidt said the river frontage would stay. "This new development, if it does go through, it would still have the river walk and green space along the river," he said. "So, we're not giving that up" (WNEM, March 26, 2026).

No decision was made at the meeting, and city leaders said more concepts could come back to the table (WNEM, March 26, 2026). The city said it will share updates on its website and social media (WNEM, March 30, 2026).

What this means if you are buying or selling in Fenton

If you are buying a home within walking distance of downtown Fenton, look at the city's posted concept drawings and parking study before you write an offer, and ask where event parking spills over today. A deck would change traffic patterns on the streets around the community center. If you are selling a home near downtown, keep a copy of the city's latest update handy, because buyers will ask what is planned behind the community center.

Every listing I take gets professional photos and video, room sizes, targeted digital ads, and targeted buyer avatars. Call or text Carrie Thompson at (810) 893-3269.

About Carrie Thompson

Carrie Thompson, "Your Favorite Property Girl," is a Strategic Marketing Real Estate Agent (REALTOR®) with eXp Realty serving Grand Blanc, Genesee County and nearby Michigan communities, including Fenton, Fenton Township, Linden, Lake Fenton, Holly, and Tyrone Township. Michigan license 6501338662. Call or text (810) 893-3269.