After a Manhattan parking garage collapsed, the Syracuse Common Council is discussing the safety of its own garages.
During the Department of Engineering budget hearing this week, City Engineer Mary Robison was asked about the status of Syracuse's parking garages.
"We've just recently initiated work orders to have repairs done at Washington Garage, Fayette Garage and Center Armory Garage," Robison said.
Robison said the garage on South Warren Street, which was recently shut down by the Syracuse codes enforcement, is privately owned. She said privately owned garages have to provide an inspection report on a biannual basis.
Councilor Michael Greene asked if the Department of Engineering should be involved with privately owned garages.
"I guess anecdotally though, I can picture a number of private garages that are in terrible condition," Greene said. "And they must have an engineer report saying it's okay and is that system working?"
Chief Operating Officer Corey Driscoll-Dunham said the city inspects its garages all the time saying they put the responsibility of the property owner in having an engineer certify a unit is structurally safe. As for whether it could be a source of revenue for the city to work with the private sector?
"I think you would just need to balance how much liability, how much the city wants to put itself up at in saying that we're vouching for somebody's privately owned property, that it's safe," Driscoll Dunham said.
