Several months have passed since Shreveport's Downtown Development Authority or DDA announced the need for more parking garages downtown. DDA Director Liz Swaine says plans to build the parking spaces are still active. However, they're still in the discussion phase with city and parish leaders, as well as other partners.

"It's finding the correct partners and finding those who will be able to invest in it and keep it going," Swaine said. "Parking garages are not inexpensive."

Swaine stresses it's an expense worth making and claims development downtown depends on convenient and abundant parking.

"When people express concerns about moving a business downtown one of their first concerns is 'where will i park?'" Swaine said. "So, it's something we have to face everyday and if we don't deal with it then we're going to not deal with to our detriment."

Swaine gives one of example of development that needs parking, Southern University Shreveport's Metro Center. She says DDA is working with the school to build a garage behind their campus.

"Because Southern University is a stake holder, a key stake holder in downtown," Swaine said. "They've got the metro campus with a lot of students, and they've go a nursing school that will be opening up in the next 12 to 18 months."

Swaine says the parking garages will go behind Southern's downtown campus and where the current Sport Tran's terminal is located.