Collierville has plans to add more parking near Town Square, and plans don’t include a parking garage.

At least for now.

The town’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved demolishing its building at 167 Washington Street, formerly known as the Collierville Community Services Center.

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When it was built in 1979, it was home base for the suburb’s public works and utilities departments. However, in 2001, it sat vacant when public works built a new complex on Keough Road. Since 2003, the Shelby County Health Department, Collierville Food Pantry and Shelby Literacy Center (formerly known as Collierville Literacy Council) have leased the space from the town.

Shelby Literacy Council and the food pantry have relocated. Shelby County Health Department is still looking for a space but wants to remain in Collierville. It is looking for existing buildings and undeveloped parcels.

Due to the age of the building, major updates were needed. The mayor and aldermen decided the money would better be used for additional parking near the square.

The square is used for a host of community events like Main Street Collierville’s summer concert series and Christmas in Collierville’s lineup of events in December. However, many visit the historic Downtown year-round to shop and dine.

It is unclear how many spots will be added on the 1½ acres. The existing spaces will be uniform with the new ones. Demolition is expected to take 20 days, and then the town can begin design work. Staff is hopeful construction on the new lot can begin early next year.

No final decision has been made on a potential parking garage in the suburb’s downtown area. The board allowed a contract to expire while studying a site on the square's north side. The most recent discussions included placing the garage on Washington Street, but the board has not deliberated on the matter in recent months.