It's beginning to look a lot like a parking garage.

But with more visible construction going on around it, the 658-space parking complex has slipped under the radar of many residents, tucked away on lower ground behind buildings on Pennsylvania Ave.

Yet, over the past couple of months, crews have poured sections of the concrete foundation and begun preliminary steel work for its frame.

Warren Mayor Mark Phillips said Tuesday that crews are meeting expectations, "Here we are at the end of November. We've met our goals by getting the garage started and nice weather has allowed contractors to work."

The new garage will take up about an acre of land on Clark St. and extend from the rear portion of the Times Observer building to Liberty St.

The new parking garage should be up and running by July or August of 2005, predicts Phillips.

Over the next month, the City will develop a plan to identify available monthly permits in the parking garage, said Phillips.

Despite some skepticism, Phillips does not think that there will be any problem filling 658 spaces once all the developments around it are completed and in use.

"It's amazing what the city needs are," remarked Phillips. When the Northwest Savings Bank Corporate headquarters, a hotel, Liberty West, County National Bank, townhouses, and Insert Molding Technologies needs are factored in, Phillips said, "There's not too many spaces left open."

Warren City Council on Monday night authorized updating its application with the state for Redevelopment Assistance Capital. So far Gov. Ed Rendell has promised Warren with $7.95 million for the parking garage. In order to receive the full amount, the funds have to be matched locally.

With investments being made to the Impact Warren locally from groups like Northwest Savings Bank, the the transit authority, the city, and Susquehanna Valley Development Assoc., Phillips is confident the city will realize the full $7.95 million from the state.

In anticipation of the state funds, the City of Warren borrowed $6 million to begin construction of the five-level parking garage. Work will continue on the parking garage as the weather allows in the coming months, but Phillips was adamant against crews pouring concrete in cold temperatures.