It’s certainly not needed like it once was. Maybe if we keep talking about it we will never need it. Outside of inconveniencing a few restaurant goers on Saturday nights, Ridgewood Sales Days, and Christmas shopping, what the hell is the point in spending $10 million on this thing ?
Dont build for max capacity at peak useage. Bad business reasoning. This is Eco 101
It’s horiffic.. Where are the residents of Ridgewood when the council meets? a huge parking garage will cause huge congestion in that small street as cars line up to park and get out of garage. Will they charge in the garage after 6 p.m.
How much to park in the garage during daytime? It will change character of town. Will look monstrous; but fit in with high buildings of new high density housing.
What a laugh. No one really cares.
we do,but the rents need to stay low. if not the stores can not last. cottage st , lot, huddson st, lot and waulnut,st lots need to be built. they are way over due for a repave. they are all old. I can’t think the last time they have been paved. it must be over 25 years a go.
The biggest gripes about lack of parking spaces seem to come from people who can’t find a spot outside the place they are shopping/eating at, or at least in the main strip of the CBD. Putting this monstrosity in place will not solve that problem.
If there’s a referendum I wish it had a place to write comments.
Thirty years ago we had a fairly robust CBD and parking was just as bad if not worse than today. I no not think the problem with the CBD is primarily related to parking. Retail shopping in downtown areas is generally in decline. People will still be driving around looking for a spot in front of their destination and use the garage as a last resort. I see it as a boondoggle that will not materially improve business in the CBD.
I have also been told by a least one retailer who went out of business that it was the rent, not the volume of customers, that drove him out of town. Commercial landlords need to adjust their very high rent base to keep business in town. Unfortunately, I think many of them will see building a garage as an excuse to jack up rents even further.
Commercial rents are simply a supply-demand thing, just like most products and services. Yes, they are high, and yes businesses fold and leave. However, these empty storefronts tend to bounce right back with the next guy who thinks he is going to make it. As long as that guy keeps turning up with a new business plan, rents will remain high.
I agree with the garage being a parking place of absolute last resort. People are lazy and they will not want to park in the garage. They will circle blocks endlessly, and probably go elsewhere if they can’t find a street sport, before using the garage.
Totally agree that people are lazy and are not willing to walk any distance in town ,but go to a mall they will park a long distance away why is that?
the cops will have a new place to sleep. right.
How is it that EVERY study of the CBD over the past 70+ years conducted by both residents and professionals alike concluded there is a need for additional parking in the CBD. The number of parking spaces on the street and in the existing lots is fixed thus the only option to add additional capacity is to build upward, specifically to build a garage. With regard to the impact on the Village not a single study or shred of evidence has been presented by the naysayers to give credence to the position it will have a negative impact on either residential property values or quality of life. To the contrary towns similar to Ridgewood, specifically Summit, Princeton and to a lesser extent Montclair, have all constructed parking garages and the impact on the surrounding residential areas has been nil. If you can find objective data or a study in which the construction of a parking structure in a central business district created a negative impact on the town in which it was built bring it forth to the Village Council for all to see and hear. My hunch is you will not find such a study. In the absence of definitive data which indicates otherwise let’s move ahead with construction of a parking garage and in the end I believe Ridgewood will be a more vibrant town and one in which both commercial AND residential property values will be solidified for decades to come..
Then you pay for it Ed S.
Currently I can find the same number of spots available in town as store fronts currently empty. What happens when they are open? Don’t we want businesses to be able to grow and attract more customers? I think we have capped potential at this point. I’d favor more parking in the form of a second level or two at existing lots vs. one mega lot for congestion purposes but most disagree that no additional parking is needed for the future.
@2:39, it isn’t simple laziness. Stores in town often have a limited supply and are priced higher than elsewhere but I will go there because it is convenient. But guess what, I have a choice and if it is going to be difficult to park near where I want to be or you have to battle congestion to get there it isn’t worth it. Perhaps to some a lot providing ample spaces lets them avoid driving around and ending up on the opposite side of where they need to be.
How much will the garage itself and interest charges on the bonds cost the average homeowner on an annual basis? How much will it cost to park in the garage?
I am patient and can park when I want to. If not I go elsewhere, not a problem.
We may need a small garage but we don’t need condos.
They will bring more congestion to the downtown. Does anyone think that these people won’t be using their cars? Some may wrongly assume that the condo dwellers will spend theyr days on foot or public transportation. That is not realistic.
what about the cost of parking in garage after 6 p.m. the restaurant time?