As sure as you’re born, a parking garage erected by Ridgewood’s village government will be co-opted for use by out-of-town commuters in accordance with the preferences of those seeking to dismantle New Jersey’s deeply ingrained “home rule” tradition and replace it with a new oligarchical style of regional government. Imagine a regional, multi-county board of overseers populated by Gwen Hauck-type cloned hand-puppets easily manipulated by nameless, faceless third-party wealthy power brokers. That’s what many forward-thinking progressive statists see in their dreams. They don’t give a whit about mere business owners and their parking concerns…
A parking garage that close to the train station and bus stop would be sufficient to serve commuters. The street level spaces near the should all be limited to 3 hors for the benefit of CBD businesses and their customers. Oh, and parking should be free on Sundays. Okay, now someone else can be king for a day…
The chamber wants it for increase parking for the business but you say it for the commuters. Can’t have it both way. And if you think that the commuter are going to get off the train and eat and shop in Ridgewood I don’t think so. Commuter just want to get home after a long day. On a side not if they get off the train after 5:30 they couldn’t shop anyway all the store are closed. Which is it?
If it is meant to be a place for long-term commuter parking, then I can see a better chance of it working. For this to happen, the existing all-day parking bays at/near the train station and the bus station will need to be changed to meters that only allow short-term parking intended for shoppers and diners.
The parking garage under consideration would be constructed across the street from Our Lady if Mount Carmel Church. Has this location been determined to be the best? What happened to the lot across the street from TD Bank on Franklin Avenue? Wasn’t that lot condemned for the purpose of erecting a parking garage? And wasn’t a bond issued at the time that we never used to build the structure?
Readers say at the end of the Taxpayers will be on the hook for the garage while business,developers and NJT will all benefit from it
My questions:
1. What happens if parking revenues fall short of expectations?
2. What is the proposed parking fee structure for the new garage?
These are very important questions and I will explain why. For the first one, the answer is pretty obvious. The Village taxpayers will be on the hook for it as the construction bond cannot be reneged on just because you hoped there would be enough revenue. The second one will absolutely dictate the success or failure of the entire project. Any fee structure that is more than street parking will completely disincentivize most people from using the garage. They will circle the blocks until a street space frees up, or they will go somewhere else to eat/shop. As I’ve stated before, this garage will represent the parking location of absolute last resort, and I predict it will be viewed in years to come as one of those “what were they thinking” buildings.
Its called a shell game. money from the parking revenue is now used to support the town budget. money from the new garage if a surplus will be used to pay the loan off on the new garage. If revenue from the new garage isn’t adequate the town (I mean taxpayers) will have to make up the shortfall.
Or should the Village tax the CBD landlords for the garage or local businesses, their the ones that are going to profit from it.
Ridgewood NJ, Walker Parking study compares a traditional self storage parking complex of 5 stories to using an automated vehicle storage and retrieval system(AVSRS). A 5 level self park structure would increase parking approximately 350 spaces while the AVSRS at a significantly higher cost would add approximately 393 spaces according to Walker.
Walker looked at 2 types of automated parking systems Puzzle and Rack .
Self park would cost roughly $42,200 per car and total cost estimate of $11,500,000.
Puzzle Automated Park $60,900 per car and total cost estimate of $23,900,000.
Rack Automated Park $53,800 per car and total cost estimate of $17,310,000.
Larger capacity self park 394 spaces , $30,800 per car and total cost estimate $12,140,000.
Walker Parking Consultant Study – Ridgewood Hudson Street – July 5th
Ridgewood NJ, Come enjoy beautiful music and art in downtown Ridgewood, NJ tomorrow, July 10, 2015. The Ridgewood Guild is coupling its weekly summer program, Music In the Night, with the first ever Art in the Park.This will be located in Van Neste Square Memorial Park. Visual artists will be present with their work on display and for sale.
The musical feature at the park will be Take 4, a trio fronted by James Mabli.
Around town, you can catch the following musical artists at these fine restaurants:
Mike Flanagan – It’s Greek to Me Emily Ertle – Ridgewood Coffee Company Brielle Liebman – Due / LaTour / Malee Dom Boresta – Mediterraneo / Sant. Egidio Deirdre Morgan – Kilwin’s Jake Thistle – Ben and Jerry’s Johnny Horizon – Daily Treat
JULY 10, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print
Council should not rush hearings on downtown housing
To the Editor:
Re: “Council sets up meeting timeline,” The Ridgewood News, July 3, page A1.
Why is the Village Council eyeing its mid-September public meeting as the one and only date on which an official public hearing will be held for as many as four ordinances related to a master plan amendment approved by the Planning Board last month which would permit high-density multifamily housing in the village’s Central Business District?
In 2011, Village Council members scheduled its official public hearing on The Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion over six separate dates. The schedule was developed to ensure there would be ample opportunity for residents to express their views on the issue, and that no individual(s) would miss out due to planned business travel/vacation, family emergency, illness, etc. Council members then were also concerned about meeting room capacity and allowing ample time for comments. Current Mayor Paul Aronsohn was a member of that council.
Although Mayor Aronsohn has indicated that the issue may be brought up during the public comment portion of any council meeting held between now and mid-September, strict time limits may be imposed on comments made during those meetings, and individual speakers desirous of speaking again may not be given the opportunity to do so as is required during an official public hearing.
The question now becomes, what’s the rush here? Why are Mayor Aronsohn and his fellow council members planning to schedule just one official opportunity for residents to comment? The mayor was a primary proponent of a former council’s plan to allow multiple opportunities for official public comment regarding The Valley Hospital expansion plan. Why the change in attitude related to a proposal for high-density, multifamily housing in our Central Business District? Am I missing something here?
The Ridgewood Guild Presents Live Music in Ridgewood – July 3
Come enjoy the beautiful evening in downtown Ridgewood, NJ from 7pm to 9pm while listening to the following artists:
Bill Craig and Mike Casey – Mediterraneo / S. Egidio
Brielle Liebman – It’s Greek to Me
Dom Boresta – Ridgewood Coffee Company
Tim Gysin – Ben and Jerry’s
Take 4 – Malee / La Tour / Due
Johnny Horizon – Kilwin’s
JULY 3, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Residents looking to weigh in on the issue of multifamily housing should circle September on their calendars.
The Village Council set forth an ideal timeline for consideration of ordinances relating to a master plan amendment approved by the Planning Board last month.
Although the issue can be brought up during comment portions of any council meeting, officials are eyeing the mid-September public meeting as the date for a public hearing. An exact date will not be fixed until the ordinances are formally introduced.
In early June, the Ridgewood Planning Board approved a master plan amendment that would create four new zones in the Central Business District, three of which would allow for multifamily housing projects to be built at a maximum density of 35 units per acre for affordable rental units.
Readers say : non binding = if the residents approve great they will move forward. If the residents do not approve it is non binding (on the mayor and council) and they will move forward. It’s a done deal folks.
So let’s get the business owners in the CBD who want this (Fish, Greek to Me) to help pay for the garage if it’s a done deal. If they have skin in the game, at least they’ll help protect Village taxpayers from cost overruns and “slippage” better than the Village ever could or would. Why should taxpayers be liable for 100% of the cost and inevitable overruns when this garage will benefit the businesses in the CBD? C’mon, this is North Bergen in NJ. Everything costs multiples of what it should so that everyone can get their “taste”.
The CBD business interests and landlords like to say that Ridgewood always says no to change. Not true. In the past couple of decades we built a new Village Hall, expanded the High School, built a new library, turfed Maple and the HS fields, upgraded Graydon, built a new track facility at BF, added a new gym at GW, converted Habernickel to public use. Whether you agree with all of these actions or not, Ridgewood has not sat still and has spent when needed. Contrast that with the decades long debate about a parking garage. It has NOT been built because there has been a consistent view by most residents that it is not needed and will detract from the Village. The only thing that has changed is that the commercial interests seem to have gotten a firmer foothold with the VC.
so why aren’t these CBD business interests helping to pay for it? Why should taxpayers be on the hook for 100% of this? Makes no sense.
JUNE 29, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — When it meets on July 15, the Village Council could move to add a non-binding referendum to November’s ballot, gauging public support for the financing of a parking garage downtown.
For well over a year, Ridgewood officials have been implementing various measures aimed at providing additional parking throughout the central business district.
Business leaders agree with the council that constructing a garage on Hudson Street would lure more dollars to the village.
Last week, Ridgewood’s council reviewed a draft resolution regarding the non-binding ballot question; a final version of the resolution will be prepared in time for the council’s July 8 meeting, with a vote likely a week later.
According to Marshall Valuation Service (updated May 2015), the cost of multi-level parking structures range from $9,900/space to $21,500/space depending upon height and quality. We can assume in Ridgewood, it would be at the upper end of the range. But that’s just a rule of thumb. Marshall’s estimates the cost per square foot of gross building area at $92.12 per square foot, which is the cost before developer’s profit, and is the more accurate method. So what is the size of the proposed building? Using an average of 350 +/- square foot per space including an aisle would result in a per space price of $32,200. So $15,000,000 divided by $32,200/space results in a garage with 465 spaces. Does this math sound crazy yet? A 465 space garage sounds crazy, unbelievable and won’t look very good no matter how it is dressed up.
Discussion? No need for discussion! Gwenn, Paul, and Albert are our 3-person council. Ms. Gwenn might want to recall that she won by 6 votes, while Mike and Susan were voted in on a huge margin. It won’t be too much longer before sanity will rule again. No way are the thre of them getting re-elected
Let me make one thing perfectly clear: Paul Aronsohn and Albert Pucciarelli will not, I repeat WILL NOT, be swayed by public opinion, common sense, or realistic facts. They are going to build this god-forsaken garage and look out anybody who gets in their way. They feel this will make their mark in town. Yep, it will be a mark alright, a gigantic debt and a garage with so few cars in it that it will look like an abandoned property. But they won’t care. In a couple of years Aronsohn will be in DC (he hopes) working as a gopher for Hillary, and Pucciarelli will be living in MidlandPark, and we will be left with this mess, their legacy.
maybe, maybe Gwenn will decide to rein this project in and make it mor sensible and less colossal. Say what you will about Gwenn, but she of the three of them truly TRULY cares about Ridgewood. lately there have been glimmers of hope that she might be standing on her own away from the two of them on a couple of issues. Maybe she will back off on this folly. We can hope.
JUNE 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
On Wednesday night, the Village Council revisited the notion of a non-binding referendum for a municipal garage on Hudson Street and also debated the merits of having a similar vote on the plans for the North Walnut Street redevelopment zone since it could mark a significant change to downtown Ridgewood.
The village is in the midst of doing environmental work at Hudson Street while waiting for results from a parking consultant on a recommendation of a traditional or automated parking garage. A $500,000 bond ordinance for pre-construction activities has been introduced and will be subject to a public hearing on July 15.
Meanwhile, officials are currently working with Kensington Senior Development, which has pitched an assisted living facility for the Town Garage property at Franklin Avnue and North Walnut Street. The village is in the process of reviewing financial information from the developer.
Boyd A. LovingRidgewood NJ, In 2011, Village Council members scheduled their official public hearing on The Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion over six (6) separate dates. The schedule was developed to insure there would be ample opportunity for members of the public to express their views of the issue, and that no individual(s) would miss out due to planned business travel/vacation, family emergency, illness, etc. The public hearing dates were: 9/13/2011, 9/19/2011, 10/13/2011, 10/24/2011, 11/22/2011, and 11/29/2011. Current Mayor Paul Aronsohn was a member of that Council.
On July 15 of this year, Village Council members expect to introduce four (4) separate ordinances related to proposed changes in the Village’s Master Plan that would permit high density housing in our Central Business District. There has been significant controversy associated with the proposed Master Plan revision.
During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Mayor Paul Aronsohn announced the Council’s firm intent to set September 16, 2015 as the one and onlydate for their official public hearing on all four (4) “changes to Master Plan” related ordinances. That’s right folks, if you’re not around on September 16, or if the meeting room is closed off due to over crowding, you’re SOL.
So I wonder, why is Mr. Aronsohn so hell bent on pushing these Master Plan changes through to the point of scheduling just one (1) official opportunity for residents to comment? He was a primary proponent of a former Council’s plan to allow multiple opportunities for official public comment regarding The Valley Hospital expansion plan. Why the change in attitude related to high density housing in our Central Business District? What’s the rush? Am I missing something here?
Ridgewood NJ, Despite the contention by Ridgewood Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli that nobody on the dais knows exactly how much the new parking garage will cost (“. . . no price has been set. . . “) the number $15 million was put into play during Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session. The last I heard (just a few weeks ago), the number being kicked around was $10 million. A 50% increase in less than 60 days; I must say, somewhat surprising, but not utterly shocking.
Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn said on Wednesday evening that between $10-$15 million in public finding would “presumably” be “asked for.” Then the Mayor read the draft of a question intended to be part of a non-binding referendum the Council is considering including on the ballot of November’s general election.
The draft question was read as follows: “Do you support a proposal to finance and build a downtown parking garage on the Hudson Street lot, located on the corner of Hudson Street and South Broad Street, by bonding up to $15 million of public funds through Parking Utility revenues.”
Remember folks; following damage caused by Hurricane Floyd, renovations to Village Hall were expected to cost $4.5 million (or at least that’s what taxpayers were told). Change orders approved by the Village Council back then escalated the actual costs to above $11 million. How far above $11 million we spent is a closely guarded secret.
So now we’re being told, by our mayor, that we might spend up to $15 million to build a single garage. Anyone out there want to hazard a guess on what the real number will turn out to be? Will history (the Village Hall renovation fiasco) repeat itself?
And what about the language of that draft question (and you can insert any number you want into the equation). Is it just me, or would many of you interpret that language to indicate Parking Utility revenues will completely pay for the project (including bond interest?). Translation, our property taxes won’t increase? Am I the only one who’s a bit worried by that statement?
I am neither for nor against the financing and construction a parking garage at this point, but I am completely against being misled as to projected costs and the impact on an average homeowner’s property tax bill. I refuse to be fooled again.
If there is a non-binding referendum on your November ballot, be sure to read the entire financing plan very carefully before you make a choice.
