Solving a downtown parking problem without help from parking authority
Following up on Mayor White's successful creation of a parking commission, the Chronicle reports that a downtown group has come up with a solution for evening parking, without the help of the new parking authority:
[T]he Downtown Entertainment District Alliance, which includes downtown merchants, has come up with a parking alternative aimed at eliminating parking woes: Those going to restaurants and clubs can now park free, with validation, at the JPMorgan Chase Center garage and Market Square Garage. "It's a win-win situation all around," said Bob Eury, president of Central Houston.
"It's a way to promote more convenient parking and promote downtown establishments that need more business."
The program takes advantage of an underutilized evening resource: parking garages.
"Now you know where to go and what to expect. It's like having two beacons," said Joe Martin, owner of El Centro and M Bar and a member of the alliance's board.
Parking lots in prime locations have been charging from $10 to $30 on weekend nights, he said, and there is gridlock caused by drivers waiting to get into lots.
Using the validated parking program, on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., drivers can park at the Chase or Market Square garages for $5. Eighteen bars, clubs and restaurants will credit a person's bill with the $5 fee.
[snip]
Early in 2005, the alliance conducted a survey to learn of any perceived problems among Houstonians when they come to downtown on weekends.
By far the biggest complaint among the 1,500 e-mailed responses was parking, Martin recalled.
"People were passionate about it. We got responses like, 'It's horrible,' 'Much too expensive.' 'I don't know where to go,' " he said.
In May, Councilwoman Carol Alvorado convened a group of stakeholders, including downtown merchants, Eury and Jordy Tollett, president of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, to address the parking issue.
Liliana Rambo, assistant director for the parking division of Houston, was brought in.
Their solution, the validated parking program, had a soft rollout on July 22 and 23.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/26/05 06:42 AM | Houston Transit | Print | Comments (0)
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