the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, It seems that many who voted YES, voted ‘yes” for more parking. More parking yes , but not a monstrosity of a parking high-rise building being proposed for the Hudson Street parking lot. Many feel they were misled into thinking that a particular design had not been decided upon, even though this giant megastructure was the only option that was ever, in reality, on the table.
Everyone is quite aware of the peak demand parking shortage in our Village. The above is an image of what the proposed garage would look like. As you can see if dwarfs all the surrounding buikdings. If this monstrosity of a garage is not what you signed up for, when you voted YES for parking, please attend this Wednesdays Village Council meeting and let the Mayor and members of the Village Council know that this mega garage may work for Hackensack or Ft Lee but definitely does not fit in to the character of our Village. Furthermore, plans for any garage should be held off until the 4 impact studies are concluded. What is the point of having impact studies on traffic, etc… if our Village Council pushes through this huge garage.
Bill H at 7:34am-
The main argument I’ve seen for the garage is that it will address parking shortages on the west side of downtown. Those shortages occur during the day on weekdays, and at night on both weekdays and weekends. Thus, it would help all visitors to town, including shoppers, commuters, and diners.
John V. at 8:18
In my opinion(and that of many) the “main argument”” should be to improve the overall appeal of the CBD. You have lost, and continue to do so, a tremendous number of retail traffic due to high rents, Internet shopping, competition from malls and other towns, etc. over the years. Until you reverse this trend you will have no need for such a large garage at that end of the CBD.
John V, ask Boyd for the data he got through OPRA on Village parking revs. It proves beyond a doubt there is no need for the garage as we don’t have a parking problem apart from Friday and Saturday evenings. Also, we won’t need a garage in 5-10 years because the Friday/Saturday night crowd who can afford Ridgewood restaurant prices will be savvy enough to use uber… Not sure why you have such a woodie for the garage, but you are barking up the wrong tree with that report. It’s completely unnecessary and anchoring the debate at 400 spaces because “that’s the cheapest cost per space” is just pure negotiating mumbo jumbo, residents aren’t that stupid
Bill H. at 8:54am-
The data indicates that the street parking spots and town parking lots on that end of town are both full on weekdays during the day and night, and on weekends at night. Thus, the data indicates that there is a need for more parking on that side of town.
I’m sure the mix of traffic has shifted a bit from retail trips to more “services” and “dining” overall. But the demand in town still seems to be there. I imagine it would only improve the appeal of the CBD for visitors if the parking situation is improved.
John V. at 9:10
Completely disagree with your “data.” Eyewitness observation, including mine, shows that it is usually very easy to find a space during the day/night ANYWHERE in town. “Shifted a bit” is a gross understatement, and you obviously have not lived here long enough to witness the change. I’m going on 32 yrs. and that is why I am of the opinion that this approach to solving a decades long problem is completely wrong.
Bill H at 9:57am-
Fair enough regarding mix of traffic. I haven’t lived here long enough to have the same long-term perspective. The decline of the department store certainly indicates that retail is less important. The increase in restaurants and cafes indicates that dining is more important.
Re: data, so you think the data collected by the Walker parking consultants is made up? Or just not representative of “typical” conditions? My own experience is that the Hudson St lot, N Walnut St lot, and street spots on the west end of downtown are typically full at night. To find parking quickly on the west side, I’ll often park in a bank lot! Finding parking on the east side is usually much easier at all times.
John V. at 10:36
I hope your not saying that the small business owner, other than those who own a restuarant/cafe, is dead within the CBD. Regarding the Walker folks, what I learned from the Valley “consultants” is basically tell them what they want to hear, or, at the very least tell them what you think they would like to hear because they are paying the bill. The “typical” conditions are positively not what I, and others, have seen, and continue to see.
My personal experience was,in the middle of December, dinner at Natalie’s and Pearl on two nights. No problem with 7 and 7:30 parking in Hudson St. lot. Two other days, Kilwin’s and Bagelicious, in and out, no problem. Cleaners, Hillman Electric, Post Office, rarely a problem. Sorry.
Bill H at 11:11am-
Definitely not saying that the small business owner is dead! Lots of good non-restaurant shops still, like you note. I use many of them myself, not just the restaurants.
Good to know that you’ve been able to find parking. My experience has been different at times. For example, we ate dinner at the new Ramen place on Chestnut last Monday. Couldn’t find street parking on Chestnut, Oak, Ridgewood, Franklin, or Broad. Didn’t check the Hudson St lot since a spot had opened up in the bank lot on the corner of Chestnut and Franklin and we just took a chance parking there.
Two days before FRIDAY Christmas holiday lots were wide open,
Week in between XMAS and New Years was movie family week and the district was full to busy during the day. ITS CALLED PEAK, YOU DONT BUILD FOR Peak as a business or you go out of business.
Towns restaurant power brokers was us to build for their Peak and don’t have a fig in the expense side of the Leger..upside for them downside for the town a Residents for an unacceptably Large and non conforming Structure across from an Historic and Beautiful Church in a cafe district that today operates despite tight parking at peak.BAN THE Super sized Garage..its a neighborhood Killler and financially Unproven.
Is it true the mayor now endorses “option C” after Mt Carmel started to mobilize?
It’ll be fun to be at the meeting tomorrow. “If you were going to do this, I was ready to be really upset.” “I know you now agree with Mike and Susan, but you’re doing it for what I’m assuming is the wrong reason so it’s disgusting.” “I know you now agree with me but that doesn’t mean you’re right.”
Anchoring at 400 spaces is a negotiating trick…. “Oh, then we’ll settle at 300” so those opposed to 400 think they got a better result. The anchoring should start at “No garage” and proceed from there.
9:08am-
It looks the data from Boyd was posted on another post here. Unless I’m missing something, nothing in that data “proves beyond a doubt there is no need for the garage as we don’t have a parking problem apart from Friday and Saturday evenings.” All it shows is total revenue of $1.3M?
Our best data source on parking utilization, the Walker Report, shows shortages on weekday days and nights, and also on weekend nights. What other data do we have that counters that conclusion?
The most valid criticism I’ve seen about the financial assumptions is regarding cost. I agree! There’s a big risk of cost overrun. But where’s the DATA regarding parking demand and revenue generation potential. All I’ve seen is the Walker Report, so that’s what I’m going off of.
Please note the walker team followed traffic and parking for two days. By far the most precious kind of parking is street level, it is limited and we can’t build any more. Of course our village decides to give it up.
John V, have you heard of uber?
The Walker team followed traffic and parking for two days and John V thinks this is the best data source on parking utilization? C’mon, that’s a joke. Let me guess, it was a Friday and Saturday night in mid-June after the end of the school year but before the summer holidays or in the first week post Labor Day last September that the Walker report team was in the Ridgewood CBD? The report is not credible.
People, the 400 space garage BS is a negotiating trick, don’t fall for it. The start of the conversation should be NO GARAGE. If you anchor the discussion at 400, then 250-300 spaces seems more reasonable. It’s a scam.
John V, are you related to Paul Vagianos?
8:31am-
Definitely not related to Paul Vagianos. If you are on any of the Ridgewood facebook groups, I’m the same John V that posts a lot there.