A parking ramp in downtown St. Paul that was condemned by city officials Friday reopened for use Saturday afternoon, after workers made temporary repairs to the structure.

Five construction workers spent Saturday morning and most of the frigid afternoon shoring up supports at the Lowertown Business Center Annex parking ramp at 255 E. 6th St., between Wacouta and Wall Streets.

The most pressing problem with the ramp is that some of the metal decking has corroded, said Tom Riddering, building official for St. Paul. He spent part of Saturday afternoon inspecting the structure following the repairs.

The workers, from an Oklahoma-based national construction firm called Aduddell Industries Inc., said they were hired by the ramp's Twin Cities-based owner, GMT Inc. Officials from GMT could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Riddering gave the ramp's owner 30 days to make permanent repairs. He said the work done Saturday -- which largely involved installing wood reinforcement beams to support the structure's exit and entrance ramps -- should safely secure the structure temporarily.

Riddering's main concern was that the ramps used by cars moving from one level to another could sag or collapse. Over the years, cars using the ramp likely tracked in road salt, which helped cause the metal and concrete to corrode, he said.

The ramp has nine levels, eight of which can still be used.

The city sent a letter to GMT on Jan 9, revoking the ramp's certificate of occupancy, Riddering said. When the city learned that the ramp was still being used, it condemned the structure.

A second parking ramp downtown, at 345 Jackson St., has also been ordered to make repairs.

Minneapolis' director of traffic and parking services, Jon Wertjes, said Saturday that he is not aware of any dangerous parking decks in the city. The bulk of the city's parking decks are downtown, and most are privately owned. Wertjes said the ramps must be inspected annually.

Janet Moore • 612-673-7752