This is a recent article that was in the Charlotte Observer
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/524/story/304352.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted#Comments_Container
Read this article and see if you don't think this is a trial balloon to interject the subject of a new parking deck downtown. If the people downtown want a parking deck, then they need to pay for it 100%, like any other business in this town would have to do.
Frankly, it is getting a little more than tiresome to see downtown development always brought up when we have so many other problem areas in this town that need to be addressed. We all want to see a progressive, vibrant downtown. I think there are things that can be done to get downtown going, but it isn't going to happen until we get attractions downtown that average people want to visit. Land a major corporate retail chain downtown and then there might be a reason to build a parking deck.
When are the people making decisions about our downtown ever going to be held accountable for the money that has been fruitlessly invested there. As I have said continually, the best way to make downtown more attractive is to get the areas around it up and going (Outside-In Redevelopment). Read about this in the Comments on Problems and Solutions forum that is linked in the top right corner of this page.
As for this Problem, here's a Solution Idea. Maybe you could issue a set number of placards (like handicapped parking placards) to these salons downtown that could be hung on the patron's car mirror. These placards would give the patrons 3 or 4 hour parking. You could charge the businesses a nominal annual fee for the placards. That way parking won't be taken up by employees, although I don't understand why they are never part of the equation.
I will give our City Leaders some free advice. If you try to build a parking deck with any city taxpayer money, then you will be hanging an issue around your neck that will be of no comfort. The average person goes downtown very little and the problem has less to do with parking, than it does with a lack of viable economic commerce.
Check out the average person shopping on Union Square. Do they look like the majority of the citizens of our community? Do you think average citizens are going to stand by and watch you continually subsidize a place where they have no interest, just to humor a vocal minority? It is time for Union Square to stand on it's own two feet.
