ON DECK, MAYBE: NEW DOWNTOWN GARAGE
Mayor Pasquale Menna says Red Bank has an “extraordinary” parking shortage that is crimping downtown businesses. (Click to enlarge)
After idling for several years, the possibility that Red Bank may get a second downtown parking garage is back in gear.
Though he never mentioned the word “garage” or “deck,” Mayor Pasquale Menna said Saturday that he would appoint a committee to explore ways to address what he called a perennial problem: “surface parking.”
“Everybody talks about parking, and they all say the mayor doesn’t talk about it enough, so let me stick my neck out,” he told an audience that packed the council chambers for the annual borough government reorganization . “Beginning this year, the council will be discussing initiatives that will carve out initiatives for parking on borough-owned properties in the business district.”
He later told reporters he was referring specifically to the White Street municipal lot.
“There is no question that there is a parking deficiency,” he said in his annual address, “one that has impeded economic utilization of properties.
“We’ve outgrown what we have,” he added, noting that the municipal lots were created in the 1950s. “Surface lots are not going to carry the day.”
Twice in the past decade or so, efforts to build a municipal garage on the White Street have proven highly controversial, with many merchants in favor and residents opposed. Both times, Menna, then a councilman, opposed the plans because, he said, they would saddle residents, rather than investors, with $8 million or more in debt.
Menna, who has previously expressed admiration for cellphone-activated meter technology in use in Europe, said the committee, whose members he has not yet named, would also look at state-of-the-art technologies and “green initiatives” that he did not specify.
The town’s only existing parking deck, the Globe Court Garage, is owned by the borough but rented toRiverview Medical Center under a 20-year lease that expires in 2022, when the hospital has an option to buy the structure.
Following Saturday’s meeting, Menna told redbankgreen that construction of a lot with no debt load for the town “is the only option” that he, borough Administrator Stanley Sickels and others he did not identify had talked about. He said there are no proposals from developers or other firm plans to build a garage.
Menna said two major investment banks he did not identify declined to come into town “because there was insufficient guaranteed parking,” and that second-floor offices throughout the downtown were underutilized for the same reason.
Jan 03, 2011 @ 12:10:56
“surface lots are not going to carry the day” Of course not if you keep adding more housing.
the lot at white street would not lend itself to a deck or garage. maybe the lots on the other side of broad st although there are home back there. they probably wouldn’t like to see decks/garages out their windows.
Jan 03, 2011 @ 12:44:58
For people that are sooooooooo concerned about parking, it certainly took them long enough to plow out the White Street lot. It was still unplowed Wednesday night at 7 pm.
This is also deceiving:
The townÂ’s only existing parking deck, the Globe Court Garage, is owned by the borough but rented toRiverview Medical Center under a 20-year lease that expires in 2022, when the hospital has an option to buy the structure.
There is another parking deck, on West Front Street. Is this statement meaning that the Globe Court deck is the only “TOWN OWNED?”
I don’t see a difference. If we have one, why can’t people just park there.
THIS PARKING ISSUE IS SO ANNOYING. No one wanted it 5 years ago when there were businesses in town. Please don’t tell me that corporations are waiting around for parking garages so they can come here. It’s such BS.
Jan 03, 2011 @ 12:47:54
By the way, what major investment firms?????? By my count we already have:
Merrill Lynch – w/ their own underground parking lot.
Smith Barney – own parking lot in back & lots on Wallace
Charles Schwab – own lot
Wells Fargo – not sure of their lot situation
Scott Trade – own lot
Fidelity – in English Plaza.
Chase Bank – own parking lot
& there’s another one on Linden (can’t think of name) but they have their own lot as well for their customers/employees
Seriously??? Who else is there? I just named 7 banks/institutions in town. These people are so full of sh*t I can’t stand it any longer.
Jan 03, 2011 @ 12:49:38
Oh sorry, it is not Fidelty – it is Investors Savings in English Plaza. But this subject makes my blood boil, so I am typing too fast to remember their exact names!
Jan 03, 2011 @ 15:54:57
I’m not sold on the necessity of a garage, but if they build one, I hope it would be something like this one, which I saw this past summer in Brattleboro, VT. I was pretty impressed. It blended in with the streetscape and had retail on the ground floor. I didn’t know it was even a garage until I looked up and looked closely. I hope they consider something like this.
https://www.epa.gov/ne/brownfields/success/brattleboro_btc.html
Jan 03, 2011 @ 16:52:22
In addition to their own smaller private parking lots, investment firms such as Smith Barney and Morgan Stanley do pay the town for parking spots in both the Linden and Mechanic/Wallace muni lots.
Jan 03, 2011 @ 18:26:28
The garage in Vermont might be pretty, but it cost over 9 million dollars back in 2003. It was paid for with state and federal grants, and a consortium of 27 surrounding towns. It is a major transportation hub, for busses, trains and Amtrak. Red Bank is not that.
The Globe garage was rented to Riverview because when it was totally run by the town, it lost too much money.
So what has changed?
Jan 04, 2011 @ 08:13:03
Time to put this issue to bed. Some thoughts: If the Mayor is serious in relooking at the problem, committee must be formed with both business and residents who are willing to look at all aspects of the issue. First step should be to look at what folks believe is the issue: lack of parking or is it that there is a lack of parking where visitors want it to be. There are surely different sides of this question and so it needs to be answered with data. Committee should not start the study believing this has already been answered. Secondly, what are the alternatives to solve the problem, if there is a problem? Is the only alternative to build? If so, where, what and how big? Finally, costs and who pays for it? A realistic view of revenue must be considered based to some extent on the data used to determine if there is a problem. Not clear how you collect data on how many folks do not come into town because of parking…
This is not an easy issue to resolve but for all involved a well thought out study must be conducted
Jan 04, 2011 @ 09:18:07
funny, my husband and i were just talking about this last week after our street was not plowed for three days. and we were saying how thank god it never passed and menna really stood his ground and was very vocal on not having this parking garage built. $.
Jan 04, 2011 @ 10:01:27
Shoppers complain about the meters and they clain they will shop at the malls, so do we think that these shoppers will pay to park in the garage..If this is built it will become a white elephant and who pays for it to be manned or maintained..
Jan 04, 2011 @ 15:02:30
That garage could be filled with many people who work in town already. They are getting tickets cause there are no long term parking lots. if your working 10 hours you need to leave work three times just pay the meters now. there are so many ways to pay for this and many companies would take the deal on and front the money too. White St needs a garage and Im PRO garage after seeing they were the only places people could park in the conditions we were left after last weeks storm. lots were not clean up til Friday morning in one of the busiest week of the year for most retailers. 40% of the taxes are paid by downtown business and the downtown is looked at like some second class citizen. Downtown cannot make it without a parking deck, don’t look at it like we need it now but when business and the downtown do turn around we will need it or business will suffer like it did before. Im not saying jump on the first deal or there should be talk but a garage is needed and the talking from both sides of the mouth should stop. You cannot go on with just talking about it you either say we do or don’t so we can decide what our next step is to fix this problem.
Jan 04, 2011 @ 15:57:12
George,
I don’t know too many people that work 10 hours in Red Bank that have to refill their meters. I have worked in Red Bank & park in the lots, or have obtained a parking permit.
We do not need a parking deck. We already have 2 of them. People are too lazy to walk 1 block to their destination. If 40% of taxes are being paid by the downtown business that means 60% of taxes are being paid by residents & as a resident who attended the last “we need a parking garage” council meeting. NO ONE could come up with any numbers that made sense.
All projections were for a garage that was 100% full 24/7. Now let me ask you….do you think that’s reasonable? I think it’s ridiculous. & what major investment firms are coming to Red Bank, but won’t because they don’t have parking. I’m weary of any large investment firm that says we’re coming & you need to build us a parking deck. I’m even leary of ones that say we want to come & we’ll help you build it. You know why? 2 words. Lehman Brothers. Nothing is certain in this economy. Even promises of we have the $$ to build.
Jan 04, 2011 @ 16:57:56
What would be worse for the Red Bank economy: parking as it stands now or 12-18 months or construction on a parking garage that would (likely) cut into the available parking and congestion even more? I wonder how many retailers would be able to make it through a year like that.
Jan 04, 2011 @ 20:38:06
I will never, for the life of me, understand how the same people who are willing to walk long distances from the mall parking lots into the malls are not willing to walk shorter distances in Red Bank.
Jan 05, 2011 @ 09:31:44
GUYS i dont have the answers what I do know is I’ve been in the downtown for 15 years and I work 5-6 10 hour shifts. I also dont care nor we need investment more investment banks in downtown. what we do need and its always the same story when denied is national stores. They always use the excuse we dont have enough parking or we dont have any long term parking lots. Both parking garages are not in the spots where they should be. I did do research proving we had enough parking to do a project but those numbers were also wrong cause it was during the a bad recession. How do you explain that every person who comes into town always say we have a parking problem or they stopped cause parking was an issue. Say or think what you want but when this downtown starts boarding itself up your taxes will go even higher.
Ive never been to a downtown that has no backing from its town officials and residents. Yes the town itself got away from most of us but some of us down here are really trying to reel this town back in and move it to where it should of headed. Dont blame the whole downtown for a few who tried to take it to something we are not. Nationals will only come if the parking is corrected so if a garage is not the answer someone needs to tell us NO garage so we can find a different solution. white St would be perfect for a garage but if not no big deal we just need to correct parking period. better signage, lights make it look more inviting. all these things are not being done cause we keep hearing garage talk. Change meters out to a better system. Anything other then wait to hear for an answer
Jan 06, 2011 @ 11:08:47
there is nothing wrong with discussing a town owned (or leased) garage: a very real opportunity exists here to address the congruent issues of traffic flow, pedestrian safety, alternative transportation, and yes, parking structures – it all starts with an open discussion. Smart development is desperately needed here; going forward without a coherent, well publicized, and publically vetted plan is irresponsible.
Just two examples, and there are countless others: Westfield, NJ is a town similar to what I think RB could aspire to emulate – while it lacks the cultural diversity of RB or the draw of two distinct theatres, Westfield’s downtown remains economically viable – attracting national chains, offering a wide variety of shopping venues and dining experiences, all in the middle of suburban NJ. Westfield does not have a parking deck – but rather they do have a well thought out traffic flow and parking configuration https://www.westfieldnj.gov/ Millburn, NJ is another great example of how a cultural hub town split the main thoroughfares into a series of one way streets – this increased traffic flow, foot traffic, and available parking. Millburn is home to the Paper Mill Playhouse. https://twp.millburn.nj.us/ I am not saying we should want to become Westfield or Millburn, what I am saying is that these models (and other similar ones) should be looked at for ideas on what RB could adopt – all downtowns have to battle the parking and traffic dragons. And yes, it all starts with an open discussion.
Jan 07, 2011 @ 08:47:14
John parking in westfield is worse then ours they actually have people coming into town we lack right now. also there parking meters are mostly inoperable as well. Traffic flow is much better thought out I will say that and makes you go around the town easier. We also have rt 35 in red bank that makes traffic flow a little different too.
Like I said before its not an easy question to answer but we finally need an answer to it yes or no so we can find answers to our other parking issues.
red Bank has a parking issue not sure if the garage is just the answer but it is a start.