December 14,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, parking is the issue in the Village ,but one issue that no seems to be talking about is if the increase in parking fees has been driving away business from Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD)?
January 2015 : New Hours and Fees
In response to concerns of the business community and residents, the Cottage Place lot now allows parking for 8 hours, Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. The hourly rate for the meters is 75 cents/hour.
Hourly rates in all Village lots and in streets are now $.50 per hour for a maximum of 3 hours. Street and Lot meters are regulated from 10AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday. Vehicles parking for more than 3 hours will be in violation and subject to a ticket. Repeat parking is also prohibited
Do you really think that the 3 Amigos and the Manger would ever give the right figures.
This is a valid question. As someone that works in the CBD I can say that #1. 90% of the time there is plenty of parking on the street so the new garage, no matter how big or small they build it will be 90% empty most of the time. #2. Increased parking rates and the unavoidable step up in enforcement will drive traffic away. There are plenty of options on Rte 17 or adjacent towns where parking is free.
I’ll never use park mobil
If they eliminate cash meters, I’ll stop shopping in RW
If they raise the parking rates to astronomical rates… again, I’ll stop shopping in RW.
I’ll also never use the garage
I’d like to continue supporting local business, but there are way too many other shopping options (online and in other local towns – also Paramus is NOT far away) for me to be compelled to continue using local merchants if I do not agree with the parking options.
The Build the Mega Garage merchant restaurant mafia and their village counsel supporters have picked a major high stakes fight.Lets give them what they want..a major battle to stop this mistaken CapEx bonding and future Taxpayer Liability,
In 2011 the Chamber of Commerce asked the Village Council to roll back meter rates and roll back the meter hours from 8p.m. to 6p.m. because the meters were a deterrent for would be shoppers and restaurant patrons. Now in 2015 the Chamber is OK with the tripling / doubling of rates and meters in effect til 9 p.m. to finance a parking garage. Makes NO sense! If the meter rates and hours were hurting businesses in 2011; just wait until the hours are extended and rates are tripled; downtown businesses will be crushed.
Parking is FREE elsewhere…..
Get it?
What part of FREE does the VC and the chamber not get? HELLO.?
At 35 cents per use Park Mobile must be making some good money.
Have there been any problems with the Parkmobile app?
To 7.16. This is precisely why the whole project makes no financial or practicle sence with so much Downside exposure for the taxpapers. A concrete monolith can not be painted over like other previous village parking mistakes
Many of my friends will not go into Ridgewood for any reason because of the parking problem and the raise in rates. Senior citizens do not have the extra money that the Council is looking to gain. Lunch and dinner are available in many towns with neither inconvenience nor fees. And the Broad Street stores will not survive the loss of their only parking lot while this massive construction continues.
All this reasonable opinion and our VC WONT LISTEN TO ANY Other Opinions or alternatives.LETS DRIVE THEM OUT.
Current Merchants on Broad and nearby going to get hammered all around both before during and after. Thats when the poorer less afluent small shops barely survive in the shadow of a horrible garage
Go visit new haven moristown newark and see what survives under and across from those horrible light sucking garage structures. Lucky if its a seven eleven all nite homeless station with drugs alcohol and many tired souls. ALL FOR WHAT. GETOVER YOURSELF RIDGEWOOD THIS IS YOUR HOMESPUN NIGHTMARE HOME TO ROOST
Shopping in town yesterday there were plenty of spots. This is an epic mistake.
Epic mistake, perfect description 5:46.
To 5.46. Completely agree I was in town yesterday TUESDAY 12 15 th from 4 thru 7 and the whole district south of train station was loaded with off ridgewood Street parking..cottage place Lot also wide open entire grids of open Tarmac,
If you build for Peak..expect to take a Peek at a bad business plan forever :
Needing subsidies even Just to cover a part of the Operating budgets no less the servicing expense of the bonds..for which our VC EXPECTS US
TO SUBSIDIZE operating /maintenance and debt servicing.NO thanks.
5:46 And this is 9 days before Christmas. Scary…
Ask anyone except Roberta, Paul, Albert, Gwenn and Rurik and all will tell you that there are plenty of spots at any time of the day or night.
Build it and they just won’t Come.garages are unsafe places ESP for women and the Elderly.great place to get run Over as the restauranties exit for Mahwah estates with more than a few drinks
In Summary.TEXTBOOK Boondogle.Action Plan: expose these rougue Politicians and Merchants for what they are: Opportunists with strong opinions about what to try to do with my money and future tax liabilities ..this Garage business plan is not even marginally close to viability.time for the Garbage Shoot..most village ridgewood folks walk or park where they can and work up a good appetite before dining,,Ho Ho ho