Traverse City Tourism and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) issued a joint statement Monday regarding the proposed reconstruction of Garland Street in the Warehouse District. The $1.5 million project - which would convert the road to a two-way boulevard extending from Hall Street to Union Street - has stalled in recent months due to escalating tensions between the tourism agency and city officials over various property-related disputes.

In the statement, Traverse City Tourism and the DDA say representatives from their organizations met on July 1 and wished to "clarify their respective positions" on the project. "There's been a misunderstanding as to where the Garland Street project stands as far as process goes, and this statement clarifies that," according to Traverse City Tourism President and CEO Brad Van Dommelen. "This statement is an intermediate step to demonstrate that there is a working process in place between Traverse City Tourism and the DDA and a real desire to move forward."

The statement acknowledges the Garland Street project as "separate and independent of the property tax issue between Traverse City Tourism and the city of Traverse City," referring to last year's decision by the city to revoke the agency's tax-exempt status. It also says Traverse City Tourism supports the planned reconstruction project, though notes final approval will be subject to conditions including new parking spaces to compensate for those the agency will lose in reconstruction, bus parking in front of Traverse City Tourism on Union Street and infrastructure improvements. The statement acknowledges the DDA cannot "guarantee" such conditions, since Traverse City commissioners have final approval over project terms, but says the DDA "will pursue" them as part of the reconstruction project.