While cranes tower 200 feet above the construction site of Wildwood’s Main Street Parking Garage, commissioners Monday authorized payments of $1.6 million for the project.
The payments were made to Finfrock Industries for both materials and a design-build contract.
In December, commissioners approved the direct purchase of precast materials instead of going through a contractor, resulting in a tax savings of $66,673.
The city spent $1.195 million Monday of a total cost of $2.38 million on materials. The most expensive items were walls, billed at slightly more than $1 million.
Commissioners also authorized $405,433 as the third payment on the design-build contract, also with Finfrock.
Total project cost of the 126-space, three-story, garage is $6.6 million and completion is expected this fall.
Featuring two stairways and an elevator, the garage is on city-owned property across U.S. 301 from City Hall.
Providing parking for existing and future businesses, the garage is considered a catalyst for downtown development.
An 8,000-square-foot commercial building named the Railyard planned a few doors south is part of the downtown upgrades.
Settled along the still existing rail line, Wildwood has a rich railroad history.
Finfrock, which produces its own precast concrete, has worked on projects that include office buildings, student housing and hotels.