The restoration of the Temple Street Parking Garage, a unique concrete structure, has been awarded a 2004 Award of Excellence in the parking structures category by the International Concrete Repair Institute.

The garage was a challenging project designed by Paul Rudolph. Reminiscent of the port of New Haven's origins; his design combined flowing parabolic curved overhead and vertical concrete surfaces and a unique wooden shiplap texture to convey the stately feel of classic sailing ships.

The New Haven Parking Authority opened this "state-of-the-art" structure in 1962. The 10-story split-level multi-use parking facility was originally created as the core for a transformation of the downtown business district. Spanning George Street, the structure incorporates 1,280 parking spaces and thousands of square feet of retail space. Nothing was spared in Temple Street's design or construction. 

Although concrete deterioration had been periodically addressed, the repairs often did not maintain the look or feel of the original structure. The structural concrete repairs for this renovation were detailed incorporating the unique textures and curves of the original structure. Shoring and forms were designed and custom fabricated to match these surfaces. The deficiencies of past alterations were rectified with these extensive concrete repairs.

Hydro-demolition was used to prepare the supported levels of the garage for concrete repairs. An opening was cut within the parking garage's decks and a new elevator tower was constructed. Today, the entire structure meets current standards, including those of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The restoration was completed over a two-year period at a cost of more than $8 million.

The repair contractor was National Restoration Systems Inc. of Rolling Meadows, Ill., and project engineer/designer was Desman Associates of Farmington, Conn.