When a parking garage is being dubbed the “gateway to the arts district,” there must be a reason behind it.

In this case, the new parking garage that will be located between Walnut and Broadway in the North Village Arts District will be part of the Percent for Art Project that is being applied to the parking garage.

With a price tag of $9 million, a percentage is being applied to give the garage its own piece of art, Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe said.

“One percent of the project cost is set aside for art work,” she said in an email.

The garage is meant to serve as a way to bolster business in the area, with other buildings, such as a hotel being constructed in the area to nurture both culture and jobs.

“We are getting more (art), it is growing,” Hoppe said. “There are lots of people in Columbia in the arts where it is their advocation and their business. So these are jobs for them and cultural enrichment for the rest of us. A thriving arts community is also good for other businesses downtown. It keeps downtown active and vibrant, etc.”

When asked if the garage would help stimulate growth in the district, Fifth Ward Councilwoman Helen Anthony stated she believed it would increase business in the area.

“Well, I hope so,” she said. “I hope when you provide parking, people would make it their destination.”

The garage is also going to be designed and constructed by local architects and contractors as much as possible.

“We’re hoping to have it be built by locals and the architecture is designed by a local architect,” Anthony said.

The art for the parking structure will be selected by the council through submissions from the Standing Committee on Public Art. Hoppe said in an email that the committee will go through art submissions and after that process is finished, recommend one to the council.

“Probably just one piece (of art) is my guess, that will be located outside on the north side of the building where the plaza will be,” Hoppe said. “The Standing Committee on Public Art for the City will call for entries and make a recommendation to council and council must approve it.”

The piece is just one of many included in the Percent for Arts Project.

“We have some wonderful art projects all over the city,” Anthony said. “We just designated it as the percent for art project so, there will be art at the building.”