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Walker Study : Key verbatim assumptions on Ridgewood Parking Garage

parking garage cbd

Key verbatim assumptions/findings taken from the Village Council commissioned parking study prepared by Walker Associates:

Easing crowding does not, in and of itself, create a new revenue stream; it transfers revenue
from other metered spaces in the Village. The garage will likely encourage people to come
downtown who have been avoiding it due to parking constraints, but this is not a quantifiable
revenue stream and is not included in our analysis. More conservatively, we project the
following net new revenue streams for the garage:

• The 72-space Brogan Cadillac lot on South Broad Street at Essex Street and at the 92-
space Ken Smith Motors lot just east of the train tracks and north of Franklin Avenue are
going to be demolished for development. Both of these dealerships have closed and
lease out their parking. The Ken Smith Lot is permit parking for downtown employees.
The Brogan Lot accommodates commuters during the day and is leased out for
restaurant valet parking at night. We anticipate these demand streams would transfer
to the garage.

• We understand from Village staff that there are other restaurants downtown that use
valet services in private lots that would use the garage instead (probably doing away
with valet service since self-park options would be easier).

• The Village used to have 120 non-resident commuter permits, but doubled non-resident
permit rates because there was not enough space for these commuters. Currently
there are very few non-resident commuters parking in the train station area. The Village
plans to reduce the non-resident commuter rate to $875/year to increase that demand
stream again.

It is typical in downtowns that the revenue stream in a given garage is not sufficient to cover its
operating costs and debt service. Downtown parking systems are just that – systems – that rely
on pooled revenue from all resources, and especially the on-street meters (which tend to
have the highest turnover), to cover the higher cost associated with building and operating a
garage. This is the case in Ridgewood, where the net new revenue projected for the garage
is not projected to offset its expenses. Therefore, our revenue projection includes all downtown revenue and all expenses associated with the parking system. To operate the
garage and have a revenue-positive parking utility (with funds available for other parking lot
maintenance projects), we project that the Village will increase meter rates as follows:

• In 2016, meters will be extended until 9 p.m. and meter rates on key downtown streets
will increase to 75¢.

• In 2017, 75¢ meters will be increased to $1 and the rest of the on-street and off-street
meters will increase to 75¢.

• If needed, rates would increase by 25¢ after five years.

• Commuter permit rates would increase by $25 in 2021 and 2025.

12 thoughts on “Walker Study : Key verbatim assumptions on Ridgewood Parking Garage

  1. Did anyone ever think that people do not shop downtown because there is nothing to shop for? Aside from coffee, what on earth whould I be shopping for in the downtown on any regular basis?

  2. Petty much @ 6:33. People manage to find parking for the stores they like, eg. Alex and Ani, Learning Express or Sook.

  3. I ain[‘t paying those parking rates to drink a cup of Joe. Sunday, when it’s free yes.

    Imagine your average family in Paramus, for example, that Vagianos uses to compare to Ridgewood. (Like comparing apples to baseballs)

    So that family decides to have dinner out and they choose Ridgewood. Holy Cow. the evening parking that was once free is now New York City rates. Hey, they ain’t comin back.

    And instead of Pink Bungalow and expensive parking they will get their Vera Bradely Bag at the Depot in Midland Park with that real nice free parking lot.

    So there.

    Glass elevator or not. Elevators late at night; whose going to see me getting mugged. I want Pucciarelli to have his new wife in that nice glass elevator late at night. Alone.

    More police. Intensive police protection. Whose gonna pay for it. Me with my taxes. Screw that .

    Double decker parking lots maybe two around town to start.

  4. 26 years and I’ve never had a problem parking. Most of the shops I go to (Panico, post office, Starbucks, Chicos, paint store, movie theater, Country Curtains, etc.) are at the other end of Ridgewood Ave so I will never use this garage. Besides, garages tend to be vile. This is a disaster in the making; it cannot generate enough revenue to pay off debt service and maintenance. Who is going to pay for it? Me, I am going to be stuck with the tab.

  5. The design shown here is not a good one and should not be approved.

  6. I moved here in 1969 and can always park. The proposed garage is 4 blocks from my favorite places in town and I currently never have to park more than 2 blocks away.

  7. I can’t wait for the next election! As the Joker said, this town needs an ENEMA!

  8. I hear that Albert has open up his Meditation Room to the public. They can stop in anytime and chant ” Vote Yes”. Donation for Big Al the Developers Friend re election campaign can be left at the plate by the tdoor

  9. $1 an hour is not NYC parking rates. If the $1 parking meter will change the economics of you eating in Ridgewood, you probably shouldn’t be eating out.

  10. Raising a parking meter rate is raising taxes. It is considered a “use” tax.

  11. Brian, the Paramus family will not pay an extra four or five dollars an evening to eat out in Ridgewood. They will go Glen Rock or Ho-Ho Kus etc.
    And I certainly won’t pay three extra dollars to drink coffee at Starbucks etc.

    Let’s get real here.

    I voted no early this morning.

  12. I, for one, will not use the garage, will not pay the higher parking rates, and will probably quit going to the Pearl. The free parking right next door will no longer be available.

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