Tuesday Town Garage 12:10 5 24 2016
I wish people would take photos of parking spaces all over town on different days of the week, ordinary and holiday, and at different times to show in aggregate that parking IS AVAILABLE. A large number of photos documented at various times and days of the week would tell the story. Walking a couple of blocks is good for your health! And unless you’re going to a Hudson St. or S. Broad Street venue, you’ll walk a couple of blocks (or much more) from the garage anyway. Please VOTE NO on June 21 and get an absentee ballot if you can’t.
send them in : onlyonesmallvoice@gmail.com do not forget date, time
I still am puzzled by how more than 60% of people voted in favor of a garage back in November. I voted NO for exactly the reason stated in this blog. I hope the garage never gets built. In addition I hope our new leaders invest some money in our CBD especially street paving, sidewalk, From certain angles CBD looks just like another Bronx hood.
Town Surface lots outside of newly paved Graydon Lot are a disgrace..beyond seasonal pot holes.neglected to the point of few viewable stall lines esp in darker seasons,
Current regime Got out the Vote . For bad or good a lessons learned.
My guess on why so many people voted in favor is a classic case of not thinking the issue through. I think many people just didn’t give much thought to things like massive costs and the sheer size of the proposed place.
“Vote YES for mom and apple pie.”
A fixed cost of a retail business is rent. Have market pressures driven the cost of leasing retail space down?
The landlords want development. They point to empty storefronts as proof that they are suffering and that the village has to help the CBD. Maybe the rent is just too damn high.
We still have plenty of medium to high end new store build outs..Macy’s division BlueMercury cosmetics and Spa at former HSBC bank across from Fish,plus
California Closets and New Cafe build outs at former Heidi’s bakery and the next door former Indian restaurant, New shared space modern office TCI center across from the train, In general Landlords of ridgewood literally crying out with two loaves of bread under each arm,we are locals guys and gals we support your stores.some might fail,parking issues at peak times just a cop out .that games been tried and failed.vote no on June 21 parking referendum,Pave the lots we have and that are underutilizedl
store owners ,,parking violation teams Hate your new customers from out of town..they loose you more business than you know due unfriendly ticketing of family trips to the village .they come to spend money and we mug them with petty parking fines for repeat parking,incorrect car parking
Orientation ( fines for head out vs head in parking)repeat parking while they stop into that last store or cafe..we are idiots for putting up with this poor business and towns attitude towards residents and visitors.change the laws..example permit repeat parking on weekends..technology is there on Parkmobile APP.
I’d vote yes for the garage
Westfield much friendlier on parking .all surface lots.bigger business district same type market as Ridgewood.Retail and restaurants.Open on Sunday blue law not applicable.
And yes, a very large part of the overall problem is that the rents are high.
High rents are an issue from the past. Commercial rents have declined precipitioulsy since the last recession. Rents and house prices are not determined solely by landlords or home sellers they are determined by prevailing market conditions at the time a transaction is contemplated. The entire process is driven solely by supply and demand. If demand for a particular real estate product is high then the cost of that product will be priced to reflect the current market demand. Conversely when demand is weak prices will fall …..and .sometimes they will fall rather quickly …..and dramatically. Generally speaking at any given time rents are a fairly accurate reflection of either current or anticipated conditions in the specific market to which the property relates. The problem is if a business cannot attract enough customers ANY RENT THEY PAY IS TOO HIGH TO SUSTAIN THEIR BUSINESS. The problem in Ridgewood is a dearth of customers. On the retail side people increasingly prefer to buy goods online at incredibly good prices and they enjoy the added benefir of having the goods delivered right to their door.. A conventional retailer can’t beat that type of competitor.
1207 – – you have stated the economic theory, but what is the reality for Ridgewood. I have heard that our store owners pay higher than market rates because the property owners have owned the properties free and clear, in some cases for generations. They don’t react to market pressures. Instead, they urge on people like Vagianos and Sarenco to push for garages thinking that will create more uses for their properties once there is increased parking. They are probably wrong, but what do they care?
12.07. Good analysis all around
Case of other people’s money hubris..
The CBD and our school system are victims of the high jacking of the Village agenda. When all the focus of debate is on Valley, complacency and rot sets in elsewhere. This is visible in our declining downtown with run-down, empty lots and gold pawn shops, as well as in our schools. RHS was one of the top schools in the entire country in the 1980s and 90s. Now it’s not even one of the top high schools in NJ but we’re paying taxes like it is. Property values are starting to reflect this complacency and the Village can no longer rest on its laurels.