In 2000, a Frederick City Parking Task Force was assembled consisting of downtown stakeholders and city staff for the purpose of a comprehensive review of parking in the Frederick City historic district. The 2002 report identified numerous programs to enhance and expand parking in the downtown, one of the most critical being the expedited construction of a 4th parking deck in the downtown area. The Task Force then retained the services of a nationally recognized parking consultant, Desman Associates, to expand upon the Task Force’s efforts completed to-date. After extensive community input including, but not limited to, interaction with the Historic District Commission, Desman produced a March 2003 report documenting their findings and recommendations

Desman Associates was subsequently awarded the design of the new deck and Proffitt & Associates Architect was brought on board as Architects familiar with the downtown historic building context and Historic District Commission procedures and guidelines.

The proposed public Parking Deck #4 will consist of four stories of Frederick City government office space located along West Patrick Street (6,000 sf per floor), a parking deck with a 650-car capacity, and a single level of Frederick City government office space along Carroll Creek (3,000 sf).

The massing of the complex is arranged so that the North and South elevations respond to the existing building context to the greatest extent possible, using a “bookend” design concept. Exposure to the streetscape on Patrick Street and the creekscape are minimized, with the massing of the facility being centralized. The central and highest component is located across the drive aisle from the existing Courthouse, and is a reflection of the massing of that existing facility. The fourth floor of the office building will step back from Patrick Street in order to respect the existing context height of the 3 story buildings along that street.

The façade, exterior fenestration and massing of the proposed deck are designed to be responsive to Historic District Commission Guidelines. The articulation of all three portions of the building provides a relief from the larger elevations by providing material changes and surface reveals (creating shadow lines). Glazing components and building openings further provide a downtown rhythm to the building, and pedestrian feeling. The design of the deck portion provides a balance of openings and materials, symmetrical around centerlines of elevations, again reflecting the balanced articulation of the existing built artifacts within the Historic District.

The parking facility will be supported using a concrete structure, concrete floors, and a poured concrete foundation system. The exterior walls will be constructed of face brick and face masonry units (split face concrete masonry panels) or a lighter color brick masonry to create a relief from the overall red brick masonry of the proposed façade. Additional façade elements are constructed of cast stone wall caps (copings), prefinished grilles for a portion of the deck openings, and prefinished metal roofing members for the stairway and elevator roofs.