Skoufis Secures $2.5M For Middletown Parking

MIDDLETOWN– Senator James Skoufis (D-Orange County) and City of Middletown Mayor Joe Destefano announced the development of a new parking facility in the city’s downtown funded with a state grant of $2.5 million secured by the Senator. The facility will allow for continued enhancement to the city’s economic vitality, enabling additional tourism, support of small businesses in the area, and increased capacity for local residents.

The parking deck will be constructed across the street from the historic Paramount Theatre and above the existing surface parking lot, a block from the growing Business Improvement District, and around the corner from key food and beverage staples such as Equilibrium Brewing, Olivia’s Empanadas, De Filippis Bakery, and many others. 90 additional spaces will be created and construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2024.

“When I first began to explore all Middletown has to offer as the area’s new State Senator, the city’s lack of parking was obvious from the jump,” said Senator Skoufis, whose district expanded this year to include Middletown and nearly all of Orange County. “Mayor DeStefano and his incredibly skilled team have been doing everything they can to attract and retain talent, commerce, and residents, and I’m delighted to be able to bring local tax dollars right back home to support a project that will have a meaningful long-term impact on the City of Middletown and its sustained vibrancy.”

“We are very thankful to Senator Skoufis for securing this funding for us,” said Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano. “Ever since our Downtown Revitalization Initiative award in 2016, our downtown has been having a renaissance. We have more people living, working, and visiting our downtown than ever. With all this growth, and even more development in the works, we knew parking would become an issue. Thankfully, this generous grant from Senator Skoufis will allow us to quickly address this issue.”

“We have seen a major increase in attendance for shows and movies at the Paramount Theatre, and are thrilled to have more parking to accommodate our customers,” added Middletown Director of Community Development Maria Bruni. “We believe the parking garage will alleviate several parking concerns, while also encouraging more patronage to our downtown businesses.”

The structure will be designed in a way that allows for additional capacity to be built as needs evolve in coming years. In just the past year alone, a dozen new businesses have opened downtown. The city’s population has grown by more than 2,000 residents in the past decade.