County completes underground parking garage at administration center

Tuesday, Sept. 24—

San Diego County officials today marked the completion of a 250-space underground parking garage at the County Administration Center.

The 96,000-square-foot structure replaced the outdoor lot, which was removed to make way for a waterfront park.

The garage includes 178 spaces, which will become available for the public starting Monday.

Now that the garage is finished, work on the park will get going in earnest, according to county officials.

“Next spring, we hope to open the waterfront park in its entirety with what we call the Jewel on the Bay, the County Administration Center, at the center of a beautiful park setting encompassing 15 acres and an 830-foot-long fountain and promenade,” said Greg Cox, chairman of the board of supervisors.

Supervisor Ron Roberts said converting the lots on the north and south sides of the county building into a park with shade trees, public art, theme gardens and a fountain is “a long-held dream.”

With the garage in use, the south side entrance to the County Administration Center will reopen Monday and the north side entrance and outdoor parking lot will be closed, county officials said.