December 21, 2010
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Articles New Parking Garage in South San Francisco Seen as Economy-Booster Retired Parking Meters Become Works of Art Bob Hope Airport Raises Parking Fees Lansing Township Plans New Retail, Parking Space Near Eastwood Westchester County Airport Garage Draft Environmental Study Incomplete Union Resists Hike in SkyHarbor Airport-Parking Fees Nine Companies Submit Bids to Build Saint John Parking Garage Greenwich to Introduce Pay-by-Phone Parking for Commuters City Hopes RFP Adds More Downtown Development  Another Contract Between Fond-Du-Luth and Duluth Possible Pittston Will Use Parking Revenue to Fund Memorials Latest Parking Plan Rejected by Pittsburgh City Council Nogales Parking Meter Accepts Nickels and Dimebags Pittsburgh's Online Parking Search Tool Launches Yonkers to Consider Extending Parking Meter Hours South Bend to Pay $6.5 Million for Parking Garage, 1000 Jobs Remain Higgins Beach Parking Plan Making Waves |
Anchorage Police May Relinquish
Meter-Reading Duty It's inefficient for police to write the tickets and ACDA to
process the tickets and manage parking, Flynn said. |
New Parking Garage in South San
Francisco Seen as Economy-Booster
Neil Gonzales / San Jose Mercury News
December 19, 2010
South San Francisco leaders are counting on the long-awaited new
downtown parking garage to bring additional visitors to the city's
financial heart and help spur the local economy.
The $12 million, five-level Miller Avenue Parking Structure is
expected to open in February, featuring 254 stalls as well as about
14,350 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and
energy-efficient elements.
The project, at 329 Miller Ave. between Maple and Baden avenues,
has been under construction for more than a year, but anticipated
for much longer than that.
"It's been talked about by the City Council and downtown businesses
for at least 10 years -- that we should have more parking (because)
parking is very limited," said Terry White, South San Francisco
public works director.
The parking will be free for the first two months the structure is
open, White said. Afterward, motorists will pay for parking.
The city's parking district will use revenue from the garage to pay
back the $12 million loan it received from the Redevelopment Agency
for the construction, he said.
The commercial space has room for four businesses -- including a
potential restaurant -- although no tenants have signed on yet,
White said.
"That's a bit of a disappointment," he said of the commercial
vacancy. But given the current economic climate, "I'm not
surprised." So for now, he said, the city plans to use some
of that space as an office for its employees.
Maria Martinucci, chief executive officer of the South San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce, said the new garage will prove to be
a boon to the city. "It's going to be a great addition," Martinucci
said. "It will provide more parking and get a lot more people to
downtown to see what we have to offer."
Mayor Kevin Mullin echoed her sentiments, saying that the
multifaceted garage should help revitalize downtown.
The project also comes as the city faces a potential structural
deficit of up to about $6 million over the next few years.
The garage's environmentally friendly aspects include the use of
recycled products in the construction, recharging stations for
electric vehicles and an underground geothermal system to cool the
commercial space, White said.
The garage is also wired for solar panels to help power the shops,
lights and elevators, he said.
In addition, the structure incorporates pedestrian-friendly
features such as a breezeway and landscaping to foster the idea of
a walkable community in downtown, he said.
Retired Parking Meters Become
Works of Art
WACH-Fox News
December 20, 2010
When you think of a parking meter, a work of art is probably the
last thing that comes to mind.
But some creative folks are working to transform retired meters
into a masterpiece.
The city of Columbia donated 125 old parking meters to WACH Fox and
we gave them out to local artists.
The newly painted and decorated meters will be featured in an art
show and silent auction called Change for Change Tuesday
night.
The event will raise money for the city of Columbia Climate
Protection Action Campaign, known as CPAC.
"The funds raised for this will actually be put into promotion to
educate people into things they can do to make a difference," says
Mary Pat Baldauf with Change for Change.
Bob Hope Airport Raises Parking
Fees
Bill Kisliuk /Los Angeles Times
December 19, 2010
Officials have voted to raise parking daily rates at Bob Hope
Airport by $1 next year to fund a legal battle against Lockheed
Martin Corp. over who should pay for the cleanup of polluted
groundwater beneath the airfield.
The fee increase is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute
between the Burbank airport and Lockheed, which once manufactured
military aircraft at the site. Airport officials insist the
contamination is the fault of Lockheed alone, but the aircraft
manufacturer and the Environmental Protection Agency say the
airport is partly responsible and should therefore shoulder a
portion of the $108-million cleanup expense.
"This is a most regrettable situation, and we think it's totally
unfair of the EPA to put the airport, the airlines and the
traveling public in this position," said Dan Feger, executive
director of the Burbank-Glendale- Pasadena Airport Authority. The
authority approved the increase unanimously.
Beginning Feb. 1, the short-term daily parking rate will be $31 a
day, the long-term rate will be $10 to $12 a day and the valet rate
will be $21 a day.
The change will push the short-term rate at Bob Hope Airport
slightly higher than at Los Angeles International Airport, which is
the most expensive in the region, according to the airport
authority.
Bob Hope Airport's long-term rate will still be lower than LAX's,
and the valet rate will remain as the lowest among regional
airports.
Feger said his agency would also launch a campaign to explain to
travelers why fees were being raised.
The rate increase is expected to generate $1.4 million to $1.6
million a year. The airport last raised parking rates in
2006.
In July, the EPA informed the airport that it was considered a
"potentially responsible party" for cleanup of the contamination -
including chromium, dioxane and volatile organic compounds - that
occurred during the decades when Lockheed used the area for
manufacturing military aircraft.
The EPA action led the airport to file a lawsuit asking a federal
judge to order Lockheed to cover its portion of the cleanup
costs.
Airport officials claim that in 1978 Lockheed agreed to indemnify the airport for any cleanup costs related to former uses of the site.
"Lockheed caused it. Lockheed should
clean it up," Feger said. Lockheed spokeswoman Gail Rymer
said in an e-mail that the company has offered to negotiate with
the airport over cleanup costs and has long taken responsibility
for its former operations in the San Fernando Valley.
But Rymer said some contamination came from other sources. "A
portion of these groundwater impacts are associated with a facility
on the airport property that contained fire pits not created or
operated by Lockheed Martin," she said. "As such, the airport
authority should take responsibility, or pursue other potentially
responsible parties."
Lansing Township Plans New Retail,
Parking Space Near Eastwood
Derek Melot / Lansing State Journal
December 19, 2010
Ten years ago, the Eastwood Towne Center was just an idea. In April
2011, a decade after Lansing Township gave zoning approval for the
"lifestyle" shopping center, the township will break ground on the
next major phase of its development strategy: 120,000 square feet
of commercial space and 1,300 parking slots on vacant land just
north of NCG Cinemas. A fall 2012 completion date is the
goal.
Borrowing $22 million via mostly tax-exempt bonds, Lansing Township
is making a bold bet that the first decade of retailing success at
Eastwood is the first of many to come.
Rather than just helping private development, Lansing Township,
through its Downtown Development Authority, will be its own
developer. The township will construct the store space, erect a
620-slot parking ramp and pave 700 additional surface parking
spots.
"I think the township board and DDA board felt it was time to
leverage the money for the very reasons why the DDA was created,
which is to create economic development. I'm excited that we're
finally moving forward," said township Supervisor John Daher.
Additional retail development always has been part of the
township's goal. The so-called Eastwood DDA actually encompasses
property far beyond the confines of the eponymous lifestyle center.
The new project actually is a smaller version of a previous
proposal for more than $100 million in development that would have
included a hotel, a much-larger parking ramp and two 12- to
15-story buildings.
That proposal was meant for property adjacent to U.S. 127 on
Eastwood's eastern flank. The new version is due north on property
owned by Mike Eyde, who will lease the land to the DDA, which will
then serve as the landlord to the retailers themselves.
Steve Hayward, who heads up the Eastwood DDA and serves as township
planning director, says he has initial commitments to fill 61
percent of the space. The DDA will use lease payments, fees and
special assessments to pay the bond debt and its obligation to
Eyde. The DDA also will draw down $2 million in reserves from
previous "tax captures" for initial costs.
"We have a belt and suspenders on this," Hayward said, in reference
to the financing.
Caution Advised
Mark Skidmore, who holds the Betty and David Morris Chair in State
and Local Government Finance and Policy at Michigan State
University, says caution is advisable for any agency relying on
"tax increment financing."
This technique allows an agency to "capture" all or most of the
taxes generated by new development in a specific area for
reinvestment in that zone.
"People have to be really careful in how 'TIFAs' are used and what
kind of developments they are used for," explained Skidmore, who
emphasized he was speaking generally and not specifically about the
details at Eastwood. "If you are not expecting a high rate of
growth in real estate values," he added, "you are not able to
capture as much money."
Center Not Immune
The original Eastwood Towne Center, owned by Inland U.S.
Development, is the single most valuable retail property in Ingham
County, with a taxable value of $31.72 million. But the center has
not escaped the trend of declining values, losing nearly $2 million
in value between 2009 and 2010, according to county records.
"There's a big concern that generally, commercial values are going
to see a decline," Skidmore said. "But Eastwood may buck the trend.
It is one of my favorite places to go."
Hayward emphasized that the Eastwood DDA is well-covered on its
existing debt and that the new phase will stand on its own
revenue.
"Anyone who does speculation (work) is assuming some risk ... but
additional retail will only continue to enhance the quality of life
aspect that Eastwood has brought to the region," said Tim Daman,
president of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce.
New Stores Coming
Hayward expects construction, which includes rerouting of Preyde
Boulevard/Showtime Drive, to take 18 months. One new retailing face
expects to be here much sooner, though:
"We are actually hoping to have (our restaurant) open in fall
2011," said George Kurajian, co-owner of Florida-based Tony Sacco's
Coal Oven Pizza. Kurajian and business partner Chuck Senatore
already have a lease for the Eastwood location, part of a
multi-store expansion into Michigan.
Westchester County Airport Garage
Draft Environmental Study Incomplete
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy / Lower Hudson News
December 19, 2010
One month after developers of an airport garage on New King Street
submitted their preliminary version of the draft environmental
impact statement for the project, the Planning Board has deemed it
incomplete.
The applicant, 11 New King Street Associates LLC, proposed a
267,000-square-foot, five-level parking garage, which also would
require a zoning amendment from the town. It has faced considerable
opposition in the past.
"The ball's in their court," said Adam Kaufman, the town Planning
Board director. "The Planning Board has instructed the developer to
respond to all of the comments and submit a revised DEIS."
Among the comments from the board are concerns about a statement in
the draft environmental study that the impact and planned
mitigation of groundwater resources "would not be
significant."
"It is not clear how the applicant can come to that conclusion
since the pumping test has not yet been completed," the written
comments said. "It is possible that the pumping test program will
identify a significant impact."
The applicant also claims in the draft statement that because the
existing runoff is uncontrolled and untreated from the project
site, the storm-water control measures and water-quality treatment
features would, in fact, have a "benefical impact" on the quality
of water.
The Planning Board comments also say the draft statement does not
propose any mitigation for town-regulated wetland buffer
disturbance.
"The Town Code requires that a mitigation plan be prepared that is
twice the area of the proposed disturbance," the Planning Board
memo said. William S. Null, the attorney for the applicant, said
King Street Associates was looking forward to responding to all the
comments. "We think the comments are fair," Null said. "We hope to
respond promptly with a revised DEIS."
The proposal has fueled concern among longtime airport watchers and
neighbors that the garage could lead to more flights and therefore
more noise, traffic and pollution.
The impact on the Kensico Reservoir, which supplies drinking water
to 9 million in New York City and Westchester County, is a few
hundred feet away and a core concern of environmentalists opposed
to the project.
The garage, to be known as Park Place and to accommodate 1,450
vehicles - has been touted as a solution to the airport traffic
congestion because passengers will be shuttled to the airport and
fewer travelers will have to be picked up and dropped off.
According to the proposal, a 9,700-square-foot office building,
just outside the northern end of the airport, will be torn down to
build the garage with a building footprint of about 51,000 square
feet.
Tania Vernon, a member of the Sierra Club's state Watershed
Committee and a Rye Brook resident who lives about five miles from
the proposed site, has been opposed to the project from its
inception. Vernon said that both the county and the state
Legislature approved resolutions in the 1990s and 2003 to restrict
any expansion or additional parking at the airport.
"This project is specifically to increase the public's access to
the airport which has been increasing in size," Vernon said.
"Although there is a restriction on commercial flights, they have
been steadily increasing the number of planes."
Vernon said the need for extra parking has been a direct result of
the increased number of planes. "This is something they have
brought upon themselves," she said. "We urge the Planning Board to
reject the idea altogether."
The draft environmental statement will be open to a public hearing
only after the Planning Board pronounces it complete.
Union Resists Hike in SkyHarbor
Airport-Parking Fees
Emily Gersema / The Arizona Republic
December 18, 2010
Southwest Airlines workers want to stop a parking-fee increase for
employees at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The Transport Workers Union Local No. 556, which represents
Southwest Airlines flight attendants nationwide, raised concerns
about the $10-a-month increase at a recent City Council
meeting.
The monthly parking fee will rise Jan. 1 from $40 to $50. The
increase affects an estimated 11,500 people who work at the
airport, Sky Harbor spokeswoman Claire Stern said. A few hundred of
those employees work for Southwest Airlines.
"It's a huge hike for Southwest Airlines employees," TWU Local 556
president Thom McDaniel said.
Various Phoenix departments have either increased fees or are
considering an increase. Phoenix Aviation Department
officials told council members they will talk with union
representatives about the increase. Officials said TWU Local 556 is
the only union that so far has complained.
Nine Companies Submit Bids to
Build Saint John Parking Garage
Reid Southwick / Telegraph-Journal
December 18th, 2010
Nine construction companies are vying to build a parking garage in
the Peel Plaza district, with the lowest bidder estimating the
project would cost about $16.5 million.
The Saint John Parking Commission, which is funding the project,
will review the bids early next week, said general manager Richard
Smith, adding the submissions were "very close" to the commission's
estimates.
PCL Constructors Canada, a firm with offices in Halifax, submitted
the lowest bid among nine competitors, although Pomerleau Inc., the
same company building the city centre police station, sent in a bid
that was just $3,600 higher.
The 446-space garage is expected to be open in the spring of 2012,
around the same time the other major Peel Plaza projects, the
police headquarters and law courts, are scheduled to open their
doors.
The provincial government will pay about $5.5 million for
construction of the garage, about a third of the $16.5-million bid,
and another $1 million for future maintenance. That's because legal
staff and visitors of the nearby courthouse will park their
vehicles there.
The garage would front onto Carleton Street, but vehicles and
pedestrians could also access the building from the rear entrance
on Sewell Street. Common council gave the parking project the green
light in late October, signing off on the second-most expensive
Peel Plaza project funded by the city, next to the controversial,
$20.6-million police station.
The politicians agreed to borrow money for the project on behalf of
the parking commission and left the arm's-length organization to
oversee the rest of the work.
The city is subsidizing the project by waiving property taxes on
the building.
Greenwich to Introduce
Pay-by-Phone Parking for Commuters
Neil Vigdor / The Greenwich Citizen
December 17, 2010
For anyone who has ever left their car overnight in a Greenwich
commuter lot and returned to a $55 parking ticket the next day, the
town has come up with an alternative. A pay-by-phone system
allowing commuters to add time for their space is expected to be
introduced in January by the town's parking services
department.
"If they end up spending the night (in the city) and don't get
back, they'll be able to call and get space for the next day," said
Allen Corry, the town's parking services director. Pay-by-phone
parking will be available in the Island Beach, Horseneck, Soundview
Drive parking lots, as well as the public garage at Town
Hall.
The town is contracting with Vancouver-based Verrus Mobile
Technologies to provide the service, which Corry said will allow
commuters, shoppers and visitors to Town Hall to use Visa,
MasterCard and Discover to pay for parking. Other locations
featuring the firm's technology include Yale University and
Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
A convenience charge of 25 to 35 cents will be added onto the
town's parking fees for the lots, two of which offer $5 all-day
parking and two of which have short-term hourly options, according
to Corry.
The pay-by-phone system is only being implemented in those lots
with electronic pay stations, where drivers enter a space number on
a keypad and purchase denominations of time.
Corry said that a smart phone application to pay for parking is not
part of the current plan. Prior to Corry's arrival in late
2005 as parking czar, the town allowed the Greenwich Chamber of
Commerce to experiment with a text messaging-based payment system
for parking in the Town Hall garage.
Selectman Drew Marzullo, who came into office in 2009, welcomed the
latest innovation. "It's a great idea, especially for
commuters and people who work in the city and want to enjoy a
dinner there with their significant other," Marzullo said. "My only
concern would be, how do we prevent people from taking advantage of
it and leaving your car here unaccounted for more than one day?
Other than that, it's fantastic."
City Hopes RFP Adds More
Downtown Development
KSFY- Sioux Falls
December 17, 2010
The city of Sioux Falls is looking for proposals from developers to
redevelop more of its downtown property. The city issued
an RFP (request for proposal) to redevelop a parking lot
and parking ramp that crosses the Big Sioux River.
"It's a really good time to issue the RFP and take advantage
of all the exciting redevelopment that's taking place." Said
Community Development Manager Erica Beck. Beck says the
redevelopment on the east bank of downtown began in 2005 and was
really jump started with the emergence of Cherapa Place and Eighth
and Railroad businesses.
So far most of the downtown redevelopment has taken place on the
west bank of the Big Sioux but Beck says the east bank was
specifically targeted in the 2015 future study. "We identified the
east bank area as a major redevelopment area for downtown and so
we've been trying to support that the last couple of years." Said
Beck.
The RFP is for the city owned parking lot but because the
river ramp sits on a portion of the lot if the city selects a
proposal the parking ramp would have to be demolished. Proposals
will also have to include space for the downtown green way
improvements but the city is pretty much an open book to whatever
takes the River Ramp's place.
"Anything consistent with downtown redevelopment is really what
we're looking for, we have a lot of activity going on, on the east
side right now." Said Beck.
With downtown redevelopment projects in the works it makes the
possibility of a downtown events center seem right at home.
The cut off for proposals to be submitted is February 10th and
community development says they will announce the winning proposal
to the city council shortly after. View Video News Story
Another Contract Between
Fond-Du-Luth and Duluth Possible
KBJR-TV
December 16, 2010
The city of Duluth could possibly enter into another contract with
the Fond Du Lac Band, even though the band has not paid the city
millions in court ordered casino funds in a separate contract since
August 2009.
The city might have the Fond-Du-Lac band manage a parking ramp
adjacent to the Fond-Du-Luth Casino, and the city would pay the
tribe $185,000 annually to do it.
The city attorney spent several minutes explaining to the council
why having the band manage the parking ramp would be a good
idea.
He said the city would make more money off the ramp if the casino
managed it. With the casino open 24 hours, the ramp would be
staffed longer, creating more revenue for the city.
Councilors expressed some concern over the whole idea of entering
into another contract with the tribe. The Fond-Du-Lac Band
has still not abided by a long-standing contract and court order to
give the city part of the casino revenue in turn for operating in
Duluth. The attorney says this deal has good working history behind
it.
"There's a benefit for the band and for the city in the parking
ramp and I fully anticipate the city to prevail on the casino case
and for things to move forward," said Duluth city attorney Gunnar
Johnson.
"The fact of the matter is that the working history indicates that
they haven't paid us $6.5 million since August 6th 2009 and yet
we're going to enter into another contractual arrangement?," said
Duluth city councilor Todd Fedora.
The attorney also said the city would not lay off any workers with
the parking ramp management change.
The parking ramp contract says it only takes the city 60 days to
terminate it if need be.
The contract is for three years, starting in 2011.
Pittston Will Use Parking
Revenue to Fund Memorials
The Citizen Voice
December 16, 2010
The city will honor two hometown war heroes killed in Afghanistan
with monuments in Jefferson Park, funding the memorials with the
parking-meter fees from December.
The statues will honor Army Spc. Dale J. Kridlo, killed by
insurgent gunfire last month, and 1st Lt. Jeffrey DePrimo, killed
by a roadside bomb in 2008. Each year, the city donates the
December parking-meter fees to some sort of charitable cause. The
statues are expected to cost about $600.
City Manager Joe Moskovitz called the decision, made at Wednesday's
council meeting, a "wonderful honor for two fallen heroes."
"We can all appreciate the sacrifice of these heroes and their
families," he said.
Latest Parking Plan Rejected by
Pittsburgh City Council
Bill Vidonic / Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
December 16, 2010
Pittsburgh City Council yesterday rejected the latest parking
proposal to avert a state takeover of the city's underfunded
pensions.
"It is time to go home," Councilman Bill Peduto told Alan Lazowski,
CEO of LAZ Parking. "The city does not want this plan."
Under the plan from Lazowski, Pittsburgh Parking Partners -- a
venture between his company and JP Morgan -- would pay $305 million
up front to the city to operate garages and metered lots, and share
with the city an additional $340 million to $355 million in parking
revenue over 40 years. He proposed the plan Nov. 29.
The city must raise the funding level of its $1 billion in pension
obligations to 50 percent by Dec. 31, or the Pennsylvania Municipal
Retirement System will take over management of the funds for the
city's 8,000 employees. It needs more than $200 million. Lazowski
told council members they would have to approve an agreement by
Christmas Eve in order for his group to raise the money to deposit
into the pensions.
Councilman Ricky Burgess, who introduced the legislation, urged
council to come together and reach "a great compromise." But before
a 5-2 vote, with 2 abstentions, to reject the plan, council members
expressed sharp opinions.
"We need to solve this problem," Councilwoman Theresa Smith said.
"Quit playing games with everybody."
Nogales Parking Meter Accepts
Nickels and Dimebags
Dawson Fearnow / Desert Living
December 15, 2010
For years, we've been hearing about drug tunnels running across the
Arizona-Mexico border. But this latest discovery in downtown
Nogales the takes the cake.
On Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents discovered
a 13-foot-long tunnel that begins at the border fence on the
Mexican side and leads to small hole carved into a
parking space in downtown Nogales, AZ. According to
officials, vehicles with holes cut in the bottom would park in
the space, and then people inside the tunnel would push
tightly-wrapped bales of marijuana through the holes and right into
the vehicles. Sounds like the perfect caper. How could
it have all fallen apart?
Well, it's probably a good idea to close and secure the
doors before you start driving your van that's been freshly stuffed
with pot. Turns out, agents uncovered the tunnel on Monday after
seeing a suspicious cylindrical bundle fall out of a van. According
to the AP, the agents began chasing the van, but the driver
escaped on foot. The passenger was arrested and will face
charges.
Pittsburgh's Online Parking
Search Tool Launches
Joe Smydo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
December 15, 2010
If Cultural District visitors have an easier time snagging a
parking place from now on, they can thank Bill Benter and his habit
of running late. Mr. Benter, a Strip District resident and
president of the Benter Foundation, dislikes the pressure of trying
to find a parking space with little time to spare before a
show.
His angst led to ParkPGH, which, beginning today, will provide
real-time information on space availability at eight parking
garages in the Cultural District. The information may be accessed
by iPhone application, a website for other mobile phones, a regular
website, regular telephone and text message. "The whole city
needs this," Mr. Benter said.
In time, he may get his wish. If the pilot project led by the
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust goes well, the system could be expanded
to the rest of Downtown, Oakland and other neighborhoods.
The Cultural Trust and its partners will launch the program at a
news conference today.
When it debuts, ParkPGH will provide space availability and price
for eight garages with a combined 4,800 spaces.
The garages are Theater Square; Sixth Street and Penn Avenue; David
L. Lawrence Convention Center; Three PNC Plaza; Town Place; Grant
Street Transportation Center; Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Sixth
Street; and Smithfield Street and Liberty Avenue. The first
five are operated by Alco Parking and the others by the Pittsburgh
Parking Authority.
In January, ParkPGH will add a ninth location, the parking
authority garage at Ninth Street and Penn Avenue. At that point,
the system will encompass 5,300 spaces -- 25 percent of Downtown
garage capacity.
Software will monitor arrivals and departures at each garage and
transmit the information to a central server. From there, the data
is disseminated by Web and phone, said Marc Fleming, Cultural Trust
vice president for marketing and communications. The data will be
updated every 30 seconds.
Other cities in America and abroad already provide real-time
parking information, often on electronic road signs. ParkPGH's
planners said their system is more comprehensive and
technologically advanced than most.
The iPhone application is available for free at the online App
Store. The website for other mobile phones is m.parkpgh.org. The
regular website is www.parkpgh.org. Information is available by
land line at 412-423-8980. Users also may text "parking" to that
number and receive parking data in a reply.
The system will give not only the number of available of spaces for
each garage but also a color indicator: red (no availability),
yellow (limited availability) or green (wide availability).
ParkPGH began taking shape after Mr. Benter shared his
parking-related frustrations with J. Kevin McMahon, president and
CEO of the Cultural Trust. Not only do other patrons dislike the
parking free-for-all, Mr. McMahon said, but some eventually give up
searching for a space and go home.
Parking "can make or break an evening," Mr. McMahon said, noting
the system will offer peace of mind to those running late or
weighing a last-minute decision to grab a meal before a show. The
Cultural Trust said the system also will cut down on pollution
caused by motorists circling the block in search of a parking
space, "decrease the number of latecomers to performances and
further improve the overall visitor experience" Downtown.
Mr. Benter's foundation provided financial support for the $175,000
pilot project. Other assistance was provided by Hillman Foundation,
Deeplocal Inc., Numeritics and the Pittsburgh Downtown
Partnership.
Traffic21, a research initiative of Carnegie Mellon University,
will evaluate the pilot program. One day, planners said, motorists
might be able to both locate and pay for a space online.
The system potentially benefits 2 million annual Cultural District
visitors and about 150,000 daily Downtown commuters. The first big
tests of the system include the First Night celebration Dec. 31 and
the winter staging of "Mary Poppins" at the Benedum Center, a
production expected to draw many first-time visitors to the
Cultural District.
Mr. McMahon said he hopes use of the system will become as
commonplace as "making sure you have your tickets" before leaving
home.
Yonkers to Consider Extending
Parking Meter Hours
Ernie Garcia / Lower Hudson Joural
December 14, 2010
Motorists heading to the city's oldest retail districts for some
after work shopping or dining better stock up on extra
quarters.
The City Council is expected to vote tonight on extending the hours
that parking meters must be fed. If the council adopts the
ordinance, which will take effect immediately, meters will have to
be fed until 8 p.m. city-wide.
In most of the city's older shopping corridors where there is
metered street parking, the current meter hours are between 9 a.m.
and 6 p.m. Some areas near the waterfront and the Yonkers
Raceway have metered parking until 10 p.m.
The city's biggest shopping corridor on Central Avenue north of
Tuckahoe Road will be unaffected because most retail parking there
is located on private property and is free.
The increased hours are meant to help local businesses, said Joseph
Dalli, the Yonkers Parking Authority's deputy executive
director.
"Instead of ending up with dead parking, businesses will receive
additional turnover in traffic," Dalli said today.
The two extra hours will also bring in additional revenues for the
authority, which collects the parking meters' quarters, and for the
city, which issues tickets for expired parking meters.
Dalli said the authority proposed changing the city's parking meter
hours after doing it downtown last year and determining that the
effort was a success for businesses and the authority's
revenues.
South Bend to Pay $6.5 Million
for Parking Garage, 1000 Jobs Remain
Brandon Lewis / WNDU-TV
December 14, 2010
The city of South Bend, Host International and 1st Source Bank have
reached a deal to keep about 1,000 jobs in the city. The South Bend
Common Council approved the deal Monday night in which the city
will pay $6.5 million for a parking garage beneath the 1st Source
building.
"We are grateful to have both of these fine businesses in downtown,
said Mayor Steve Luecke. "These really are our anchor tenants for
downtown South Bend and it is because of their location here that
others can survive and thrive in downtown South Bend."
The council had to approve the deal during this month's meeting
because 1st Source's landlord needed to know if the company was
staying by December 31st.
All of the money will go into upgrading the building. $1.2 million
will come from the County Option Income Tax fund while the rest
will come from the Urban Development Action Grant fund. Private
funds will also be used.
The bill's future was not certain after it left committee with no
recommendation, however during the council meeting the bill passed
9-0.
"It would have been a devastating blow if 1st Source and others in
that site of the building had moved out if hotel, had gone to an
economy hotel, or perhaps senior housing or some other use," said
Luecke.
As part of the negotiation, 1st Source has agreed to remain in
South Bend for ten years, while Host International, the owner of
the hotel, has agreed to remain for seven years. There are
penalties if any party decides to leave early.
"It's touchy when you have a three part negotiation and actually
some auxiliary players as well because 1st Source doesn't own its
facility, it leases from another company. They wanted to buy the
facility, but couldn't reach an agreement with the owners," said
Luecke.
The owners of the building will also maintain and operate the
parking garage while under city ownership. The city has agreed to
turn the garage over to the owners by 2041, although Luecke
indicated he wants to turn it over well before that to avoid any
serious ownership costs.
$8.2 million in construction will be completed in phases over the
next three years, with the first upgrade being the building's
atrium.
Host International said its franchise agreement with Marriott is up
for renewal in 2011. If the deal had not gone through it, Marriott
would likely not have agreed to allow the hotel to remain a
Marriott.
There is no guarantee the upgrades will prevent Marriott from
pulling its name from the hotel.
"It is our hope that by virtue of the proceeds of this garage sale
going into the improvements of the hotel that it will continue to
be a Marriott. In the event it's not a Marriott, and there's no
indication at this point that some other hotel is going to be
there, but we have to plan for these kinds of events, in
conjunction with host, 1st Source and the city arranged for a list
of hotels that will be satisfactory to all the parties," said
Richard Nussbaum, attorney for the redevelopment commission, who
added the hotel will be an upscale or upper upscale hotel if it is
not a Marriott.
All parties said they negotiated in good faith to remain in South
Bend, if terms were met. 1st Source CEO Chris Murphy said at one
point during the negotiations its Board of Directors were ready to
move, but he wanted to come back to the table because of the
company's strong ties to the community.
If 1st Source were to leave other tenants in the building would
have also left, including law firm Barnes and Thornberg and Merrill
Lynch.
Luecke said 1000 jobs were maintained because of the deal, 600 jobs
at 1st Source, 200 jobs at Barnes and Thronberg, 100 jobs at Host
International and 100 jobs at surrounding businesses.
Also included in this deal were the final terms for the College
Football Hall of Fame.
Luecke announced if the city could find a new tenant for the
building by March of 2011, the Hall of Fame would close in October
and would be out by December.
The Hall would keep $450,000 for local operations, but the city
would not have to repay a $1.9 million loan it took from the Hall
when it first opened. It would not be allowed to spend the $450,000
on moving expenses or anything related to its move to Atlanta. The
2011 enshrinement will be held in South Bend. View Video News Story
Higgins Beach Parking Plan
Making Waves
Ann S. Kim / Portland Press Herald
December 13, 2010
The Scarborough Town Council revisits the contentious issue of
parking around Higgins Beach on Wednesday.
Up for consideration is a package of proposals that includes a
limit on on-street parking during the off-season. The proposal to
impose a 30-minute limit on Bayview Avenue has generated the most
heat in the parking debate.
Critics of the proposal have been boosting their effort in recent
weeks. They are collecting petition signatures and going
door-to-door to urge residents to contact councilors, write
editorials and spread the word to others. They also have a Google
site called Save Higgins Parking and a Save Higgins Facebook
page.
"This is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger as the word gets
out," said Douglas Lund-Yates, a town resident who collected and
turned in 500 petition signatures earlier this month.
The proposals were generated by the Higgins Beach Advisory
Committee. The Town Council discussed them earlier this month but
put off any decision as the meeting ran late. The deliberations
continue Wednesday, and a preliminary vote may take place.
Town Council Chairwoman Judith Roy hopes for an on-street parking
compromise the town can at least try for a season.
"I'd like to see a healthy compromise that looks at the quality of
life for both the resident and the visitor. Whether we can do that
is to be seen," she said.
On-street parking is prohibited from April 1 to Oct. 1 around the
beach. Under the proposal, the ban would be in effect year-round,
with the exception of 30-minute parking on the ocean side of
Bayview Avenue between Pearl and Ashton streets during the
off-season.
The committee made its recommendations after hearing complaints
ranging from cars playing loud music to visitors changing clothes
outdoors to public urination to lack of turnover in street parking.
Residents presented a petition with the names of 253 residents who
support a year-round prohibition on on-street parking.
Opponents, many of whom are surfers, argue that the complaints are
exaggerated and reflect the desires of a small number of property
owners.
"This is a small group of people that pay a large amount of
property tax because their property values are higher. And they're
trying to dictate what goes on at a public resource," said Ben
Keller, a town resident.
Rodney Laughton, who served on the advisory committee, said there
was never any intention to limit beach access. Two other committees
studied area parking in 1980 and 1998 and each recommended that
there be no on-street parking. Laughton said his committee's
recommendation was an improvement.
"I would say to anybody in any neighborhood anywhere, 'If you had
5,000 people coming through, you'd want some semblance of order,'"
said Laughton, a lifelong beach resident who owns the Breakers
Inn.
Opponents note that some parking along Bayview Avenue was already
lost with the construction of the seawall. They also worry that the
parking lot the town purchased earlier this year will have fewer
spots if it builds amenities like restrooms and changing rooms on
the site.
Some say on-street parking at Higgins Beach should be expanded to
mirror the situation at other Scarborough beaches, where the
prohibition is from May 1 to Sept. 15.
Town Manager Tom Hall is expected to provide councilors with an update on the parking lot Wednesday.The town bought the lot with $632,145 from the Land for Maine's Future program, a matching amount from a town bond and $7,270 from the Trust for Public Land and the Surf- rider Foundation.
