WILLIAMSBURG — The parking situation in Merchants Square will not be exacerbated by the return of administrative offices to the Goodwin Building, a Colonial Williamsburg spokesperson said.
For the past several years, some area residents have voiced complaints of a lack of parking in the area.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation employees began returning to work in the building last month after the completion of its renovation. Employees will park on the second floor of the city’s parking garage behind Prince George Street, according to foundation spokeswoman Ellen Peltz.
A 2001 agreement between Williamsburg and Colonial Williamsburg stipulated that the foundation could have 10% or up to 35 parking spaces in the proposed city (P1) garage, as the foundation was transferring ownership of the garage site to the city.
If Colonial Williamsburg decides more spaces are needed, “it will have to pay for the spaces like any other party who wants a monthly pass,” city spokeswoman Nicole Trifone said.
According to Peltz, the Goodwin building will house the president’s suite, fundraising offices, corporate communications and the departments of real estate, licensing and design.
“All other departments will be located in other foundation-owned administrative spaces including the Bruton Heights Education Center,” she said. Some departments currently housed at the Franklin Street Offices will move to Bruton Heights.
Shortly after becoming Colonial Williamsburg president, Cliff Fleet decided that some administrative departments, including his office, should return to the Goodwin Building as headquarters of the foundation. The administrative offices had been removed from the building in 2018.
Over the past two years, the building has been renovated and restored to update and bring to code various services, including electrical, plumbing and heating and air conditioning.
Wilford Kale, [email protected]
