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.
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Monday, November 10, 2008
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8 comments:
This little light o' mine, I'm goin' let it shine,
This little light o' mine, I'm goin' let it shine,
This little light o' mine, I'm goin' let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Is downtown parking the problem, or is not being able to park directly in the Union Square parking lot, necessitating a stroll from a parking lot or space a little further away? I think downtown employees are expected to rent a parking space from the city for the privilege of working downtown...or have the employer present that as a benefit of the company by paying for it. I certainly hope the rented spots were not included in the 2000 count. I do feel for Mr. Shuford...I'm sure his clients do need more than two hours on occasion. For that matter, what kind of sense does it make to draw people downtown for shopping or whatnot and then chase them off after two hours? Personally I don't see the true harm in the farmer's market; it's only there for a few hours two days a week and actually draws people downtown. Then again, people coming just for the farmer's market are probably parking in Union Square and walking over, taking up space in front of the 'real' businesses.
there's already too many empty parking lots on the weekends. another, because they already have one, parking deck downtown does not address the issue of the economic viability of downtown.
There used to be plenty of parking before they turned Union Square into an outdoor mall back in the 1970's.
Look at the old pictures and tell me there wern't a whole heck of a lot more spaces when the street ran through there.
My Dad had like four different office locations downtown while I was growing up, there was Belks, Sears, 3 theaters, two five-and-dime stores and a variety of local businesses and plenty of parking.
Who cares about how it used to be downtown. That was before the mall concept was created. Why would anyone want to walk out in the weather from store to store when you can stay inside and shop all the stores that you could ever need.
Why would anyone want to invest money downtown? You have two dying and over priced jewelry stores, some over-priced junk stores and a couple of good restaurants.
I also know that unless your city is tourist destination then downtowns are DEAD! Sure Asheville, Charlotte, and other tourist towns have vibrant downtowns but Hickory is a "former" fiurniture manufacturing town.
No one plans a vacation to Hickory or even a weekend getaway to Hickory. There is nothing here for tourists. There is nothing here for citizens in the way of entertainment. If Octoberfest and Hickory Alive is all Hickory has and all that citizens look forward to then it is a sad dying city. Downtown is dead! Bury it and let the people get over it.
We need to build a Civic Center or arena for concerts and sporting events. We could host some sports tournaments and live popular music concerts of all music genres. We travel to Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro and Lenoir to spend money and take in concerts and sporting events. The Asheville Civic Center has about 7000 seats and they have concerts. sports and other attractions year round!
Build a Civic Center.
Build it and they will come.
Serpico, I agree with you on the entertainment complex idea and I think it would be nice if it were at the old Catawba Mall. If Mr. Ikerd could be brought into the fold on such a plan.
I don't think our Downtown has to be necessarily buried 6 feet under, but it needs to stand on its own 2 feet. I believe if the shackles were taken off of true Downtown Development, then we would have the possibility of downtown revival. It won't be like a mall, but it would become a viable area of commerce, like Wilmington's downtown.
We will not be able to do that with the current downtown cabal and their conflicts of interest. Someone reminded me yesterday that the Mast General store wanted to locate an operation on Union Square. Guess who screwed that up? The Chair of Tenant Recruitment for the Downtown Development Association, who happens to be on the city council, who happens to have a shop on Union Square, and whose son happens to own a t-shirt business on Union Square.
These conflicts of interests are what is stifling the growth of Hickory. If these people want to own this city and tell their tenants what to do, then they need to start coming up with some serious cash.
But, I don't think they have that kind of money, so they need to start taking care of their own houses before those tenuous pains of glass start shattering all around them.
How is it that Sally Fox can vote to give city money to downtown promotions? It is a waste of money for the taxpayer and uses city money to increase sales for the handful of businesses there. But there seems to be a serious ethical issue here when a council member can vote to use city money to promote HER BUSINESS along with her neighbors. This is a violation of the public trust and if it is not illegal it should be. Fox should have the decency to abstain from voting money for herself.
I agree with you Mr. Shell. Mast General Store would be a very nice addition to Union Square.
I also agree that The old Catawba Mall would be a good place for the Civic Center. Another good place would be land adjacent to I-40 and McDonald Parkway.
I also agree with anonymous that Sally Fox should abstain from voting any money to Union Square. The other Council members can handle that situation.
This situation involving Sally Fox and Union Square gets smellier every day. It seems very unethical and possibly illegal.
We need to vote her out of office!
I also believe that Mr.Shell should run for City Council. Perhaps we could get some support for a civic center through The Hickory Hound.
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