The Central Business District :Parking well that is just part of the Problem
September 28th 2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A Ridgewood Panel says lack of parking is the source of problems in downtown Ridgewood , but in readers offered many other ideas .
While parking is often mentioned , many felt the issue has been long over played. Readers said store hours , types of stores and restaurants , rents , taxes and Ridgewood’s over bureaucratic non responsive regulatory environment pose significant problems for businesses. It seems Ridgewood has gotten a very anti business reputation.
Readers also questioned the lack of comprehensive planning , spot zoning, ad hoc development, and a lack of efforts by the Chamber to promote new business in town .
Readers though the panel was a bit self serving , and said “What a bunch of self serving greedy people lead by a councilman who is a narcissi . The article shows how much the Ridgewood News is on board with this. These greedy people using words such as “stigma,” “that Ridgewood is asleep.” “that Ridgewood has lost its edge.” “Some similarly jarring points were made” “When you drive into this town, I don’t want to say it the wrong way, but it looks kind of dumpy… -” Thanks.
“Sarceno, a Ridgewood resident, said he wanted to attract anything other than a restaurant into the historic building, but he couldn’t.“It was amazing to see the lack of interest from anyone other than a restaurant,” he said.
Mr. Sarceno did you expect a Gap or a JC Penny to go in there. We all know what you did. You bought that building at a discount and then you go to your friend on the Council and push for a parking garage on Hudson St which would make the bank building more attractive for renters not to mention charging higher rent.”
An issue seemingly forgotten, and one that may offer a sensible explanation of the decline in traditional retail business, is Ridgewood’s physical proximity to Paramus.
Garden State Plaza gets more visitors then Disney land every year
Isn’t it odd that the same people who don’t mind parking at the outermost reaches of parking lots in malls like the Westfield Garden State Plaza complain about not being able to find a parking space in front of a store in Ridgewood?
Traditional brick and mortar stores are in decline everywhere thanks to the internet and greater price transparency. Stores that offer a unique product or service can do fine but you need to offer something that can’t be found on Amazon for less money. Ridgewood has always been near Paramus and Paramus has always been the retail mecca in Bergen, nothing new there.
In addition to #4, even malls are struggling these days, which is why many of them have adapted into more than just a collection of shops, with the addition of movie theaters and restaurants. They are trying to make it an experience. The traditional downtowns throughout America have been in decline for several years now. Retails establishments can rarely stay in business due to malls and the Internet. It’s why downtowns mostly look the same everywhere now with their collections of banks, hair/nail/spa, restaurants, and coffee places. Banks are now in rapid decline from downtowns as everything moves to online banking and ATMs. Banks, like them or not, were the most dependable tenant with rents/taxes always paid in full and on time.
#3 is correct – but it is a matter of consumer psychology and consumer expectations. If the consumer expects to not drive in circles a few times or expects VERY close parking in a downtown shopping area, that is what they expect. While in the past, I have read blog opinions railing about how “stupid” it is, but you can’t fight consumer psychology, you have to outwit it. I am not sure what will work, but trying to get employees and owners to lot(s) instead of on the streets is a worthwhile pursuit.
#6, true but that psychology is based in something. Part of that psychology is if you are going to shop local it should be convenient. You know it will be more expensive to shop in town but if you are going to pay more AND have it be a pain to navigate town or, why bother? And I think parking is a part but it is also the general congestion in town too.
Internet is new shopping. Soon we will have the Abbi baba or whatever it is called here too.
Let’s keep Ridgewood a sleepy , quiet, charming village. Let’s not turn the village into a city.
For culture it’s New York. For quiet living it’s Ridgewood. We should not have the goal of drawing people here for shopping.
WHATEVER THE COST!!
Gotta get revenues somewhere #8. I’d rather it be from goods and services vs. multiple rental buildings…
But you must understand that what make’s Ridgewood different from many suburban towns is its classic downtown CBD. It’s one of the reasons why people move here. Also, as someone has pointed out, its provides tax revenue to the Village that would otherwise have to be raised in the form of extra property taxes.
I miss stores like the sporting good shop, the pet shop and Drapkins. I understand all face fierce competition from lower cost big box stores in the same business but I would support any of these if they existed in town. Provided of course that they work the hours of Joseph A Bank and The Gap and not the hours of these other stores which close at 5.
everyone talking about tax revenue…i assume none of you know the actual amount of revenue generated by businesses in town (hint: it’s not as much as you think)
#11…not only do they face competition from online, they face absurd rent increases…stores that were in ridgewood for 40+ years shut down because rents were raised so much by the owners (the owners that are now trying to get us to pay for a parking garage)…no thanks, if you believe parking is the issue then pay for it yourself…landowners should get together and invest in their businesses by building a garage…