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PT BLOG
more difficult for customers to find parking near her business. Since parking in the Majestic lot behind her business was
made free in October, people living in downtown lofts choose to park in prime spots during the day – and not the spaces reserved for loft tenants in the back of the four-row parking lot. Nolan said the spots reserved for loft tenants remain empty most of the time, while spots customers most desire are filled. Nolan and several other business owners on Huron Avenue
between Grand River Avenue and Quay Street said the parking problems are driving away customers just as the downtown is making strides toward revival. Late last year, the City Council voted to eliminate paid parking for most of downtown, a move meant to encourage people to frequent the shops and restaurants. Themeters have been a hot-button issue in the city for sever-
al years. Many have argued the meters should be removed as a way to entice people downtown and allow stores to compete with the Birchwood Mall in Fort Gratiot and big-box stores, where parking is free and plentiful. Some business owners said it’s not only loft tenants taking
up the free
spots.Downtown employees and business owners also are parking in the spaces for lengthy
stretches.To help relieve the problem, the city gave some downtown workers 60 free passes to park in McMorran Place’s lots, but officials there said that is reducing revenue for the downtown civic center. City leaders said they are working on a solution.
What did they expect to happen, as correspondent Mark
says. So the downtown merchants have decided that the reason they can’t compete is that malls give “free” parking. It has noth- ing to do with the fact that the mall is inside, warm, has great street scenes, good people-watching, theaters, bars, clubs, and great stores. If you build it, they will come. If you give free on-street park-
ing, you will have chaos.
What they should have done: Correspondent Mark continues with this reference to the
post below. The city of Savannah, GA, took a more enlightened
approach to its parking problems. Fromthe localTV 3 news cast: Parking rates will be changing in downtown Savannah,
effective Feb. 2. The changes, adopted by City Council in December, are
designed to help relieve congestion in the downtown area by encouraging long-termmotorists to use off-street parking while freeing up spaces for short-term parkers. The changes include: Garages/Lots • Free parking is available at the Trade Center on Hutchin-
son Island with decal. A free ferry ride back and forth across the river is included in the package. • The monthly fee in theWhitaker Street Garage has been
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44 MARCH 2009 • PARKING TODAY •
www.parkingtoday.com
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