Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes says no parking spaces will be lost when City of Newcastle decides what to do with the now-closed Mall Parking Station.
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The council is still investigating whether the 489-space car park, one of the city's largest, can be repaired after closing it more than five months ago due to a "potential issue".
Asked about the car park's ongoing closure last week, a council spokesperson said: "The Mall Parking Station is 60 years old and as such it was prudent for City of Newcastle to commission a study of its structural integrity as well as the costs of significantly extending its life.
"This report has prompted further work which we expect to complete later this year."
The concrete structure is an eyesore in the middle of Iris Capital's EastEnd residential development, which will span three city blocks between Perkins and Newcomen streets beside the Hunter Street Mall.
A replacement public car park could be incorporated into a private redevelopment of the site, possibly with apartments on top.
Iris chief executive officer Sam Arnaout said on Tuesday that the car park site was not on the company's agenda but "if and when it ever became an opportunity, I'd consider it".
Cr Nelmes said on Tuesday that no public parking nor the senior citizens centre on the site would be lost, regardless of the building's future.
The car park closed one week after the COVID-19 lockdown began.
The council said at the time that the parking station was operating at only 20 per cent capacity due to the impacts of the lockdown.
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IN THE NEWS
Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
