There is much to like about the proposed plan to build loft apartments in vacant buildings along the south side of the 100 block of West Washington Street in downtown Suffolk.

The buildings have sat empty for years, and the passage of time has not been kind to them. Nor has it been kind to other businesses in that part of the downtown area. Those two observations probably have much to do with each other. With most of the southern end of that block in an active and very visible state of deterioration, other West Washington businesses have had to fight the perception that the area is unfriendly to visitors and shoppers.

Building quality living space along the block will be transformative in that regard. The simple act of improving the façade of the old buildings will be a big start. And the next step, getting the newly renovated spaces occupied with tenants, will make a huge difference to the area.

With 68 loft units and about 6,000 square feet of retail space planned for the development, Monument Construction is set — pending City Council approval — to make a real difference in downtown Suffolk.

The company has a solid track record with such renovations, having completed loft apartment projects in repurposed old buildings at East Point Plaza, on Commerce Street and at the corner of West Washington and North Main. Each of those projects has been popular with tenants, and the company has a good record for occupancy. There’s little reason to doubt the new project will be completed with the same level of craftsmanship and professionalism as the former ones.

What’s potentially different in this case, however, is the parking situation that tenants of the apartments and shoppers visiting the retail spaces will face. The city estimates that 55 to 60 spaces are available in the nearby Cherry Street lot. Planning officials have said they expect residents of the new lofts to need the spaces mostly in the evening, whereas most of the businesses that use that lot do so during the day. They also have said the demographics of the expected tenants lead them to believe some will not even have cars they will need to park in the lot.

All of that may be true, but the simple fact is that filling the apartments and retail spaces will result in a glut of new vehicles searching for parking spaces that are often hard to find downtown. Parking availability and convenience are perhaps the greatest limiting factors in the future growth of downtown Suffolk, and Suffolk officials seem averse to the idea of a multi-level parking garage to serve that area.

Even if their estimates for the new development turn out to be accurate, the time is quickly approaching when Suffolk officials will have to show they have some long-term plan to deal with parking in the downtown area. And that plan must be more elaborate than just hoping fewer people drive cars.