Train station parking garage to go?

STAMFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Commuters rely on it; now, they may lose it.

It's a battle over a parking garage and plans to develop it into something more.

The debate is over the parking garage at the Stamford train station. The DOT wants to knock it down and develop the space. Commuters don't want to see the nearby parking go.

The issue has been debated for a while now, but in less than three weeks the Department of Transportation will start accepting proposals from developers for how to replace and develop the space. The parking lot they want to knock down holds about 730 parking spots. The DOT says it would replace it with a new parking garage no more than a quarter mile from the train station, which they say would have at least 1,000 parking spaces. The DOT hopes the new development will include housing, retail and office space. Many commuters say they're not happy about the Transit-Oriented Development.

Thursday night commuters got a chance to weigh in on the proposal. Some are asking why they can't just build the mixed-use development somewhere else.

The Department of Transportation will start accepting proposals from developers some time in the next three weeks.