DCH Investments Inc. (New Jersey), which owns the Orange Road parking deck, is finalizing an agreement with owners of the Wellmont Theatre to allow its patrons to use much of the deck for the next year.

DCH, owners and former operators of the Montclair Jaguar, Volvo, and Lincoln-Mercury dealerships on Bloomfield Avenue, built the parking deck in 2004 on land it leases from Montclair Township.

Originally, the six-level deck was used to store the dealership’s vehicles, with the ground level reserved for public use.

Since the last of the dealerships went out of business in September, DCH has had no use for the deck, though it is still paying the township around $150,000 per year as payment in lieu of taxes, according to attorney Calvin Trevenen, who represents DCH.

Trevenen added that DCH is also paying more than $150,000 in property taxes for the former site of its car dealerships.

"So, in effect, DCH at this time is paying well over $300,000 a year with no dealership," he said.

Wellmont patrons will have access to nearly 400 parking spaces on the deck’s upper levels, at a price of $15 a spot, according to a Wellmont official.

The Montclair Township Council debated the DCH/Wellmont agreement for some time during its Oct. 21 meeting. Since the agreement would necessitate an amendment to the township’s redevelopment agreement, the council must approve it.

A number of council members wanted to investigate the possibility that the township could make some money from the deal. The council eventually approved the agreement unanimously, with Mayor Jerry Fried calling it the best way to alleviate traffic congestion and to support Montclair businesses.