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Parking problem downtown - too much of it? Not enough?


GRDadof3

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Based on that article, I still don’t know why the city doesn’t work collaboratively with developers. Seems to me they could work to add a couple of levels to each development and get the net gain in parking they need. I agree with what Orion says, they’re not in the business of speculative parking. But if the city were to partner, they could get additional spaces without taking up an extra inch of downtown real estate. I’m sure it’s a complex negotiation, but you could easily kill two birds with one stone. 

And we’ds get a few more stories tacked on to developments. :)

Joe

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19 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Based on that article, I still don’t know why the city doesn’t work collaboratively with developers. Seems to me they could work to add a couple of levels to each development and get the net gain in parking they need. I agree with what Orion says, they’re not in the business of speculative parking. But if the city were to partner, they could get additional spaces without taking up an extra inch of downtown real estate. I’m sure it’s a complex negotiation, but you could easily kill two birds with one stone. 

And we’ds get a few more stories tacked on to developments. :)

Joe

You're exactly right Joe. But it's been the city's mantra lately that if "private companies need parking then private companies should provide their own parking" and "the city is getting out of the parking business." It's really a stupid, stupid supposition because most downtown employers are very small employers and have no way to build a parking ramp of their own. 

In the article they also mention they are a "victim of their own success." No one is a victim of its own success. If a company expands to the point where they can no longer take new customers, they are not a "victim" of success, they are a "victim of poor planning and investment." City officials have no business saying they are "victims."  The other victims are the companies that do business in the city and their workers. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
15 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Here's a solution: go back to ParkMobile! :rofl:

Seriously, I am not sure why they even switched.  I'm assuming it is cheaper.  I really hope it wasn't because they could get their own MOTU skin on the app...  Or that they hoped that they could raise additional revenue because nobody that visits the city will have the app and they will issue more tickets...

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4 hours ago, Sparty97 said:

Seriously, I am not sure why they even switched.  I'm assuming it is cheaper.  I really hope it wasn't because they could get their own MOTU skin on the app...  Or that they hoped that they could raise additional revenue because nobody that visits the city will have the app and they will issue more tickets...

For what it is worth, I was told by a highly reputable source that among many other reasons related to software changes etc, that all pay-by-cell parking systems are phasing out the use of start and stop parking for credit card compliance rules and were limiting even more the amount of customization that can be done to make it more City specific.  The move to MOTU was kind of inevitable.  They knew there would be bugs but by designing and running their own platform they can make changes over time as needs/issues change.  There really is no cost or income savings by moving to MOTU.   The problem is they did not BETA test it before launching it, so instead of "testers" working through the bugs, the general public is by default working through the bugs.  I can tell you that every time someone at our offices has had a problem with a ticket being wrongly issued, the City has responded quickly to rectify the situation.

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3 hours ago, KCLBADave said:

For what it is worth, I was told by a highly reputable source that among many other reasons related to software changes etc, that all pay-by-cell parking systems are phasing out the use of start and stop parking for credit card compliance rules and were limiting even more the amount of customization that can be done to make it more City specific.  The move to MOTU was kind of inevitable.  They knew there would be bugs but by designing and running their own platform they can make changes over time as needs/issues change.  There really is no cost or income savings by moving to MOTU.   The problem is they did not BETA test it before launching it, so instead of "testers" working through the bugs, the general public is by default working through the bugs.  I can tell you that every time someone at our offices has had a problem with a ticket being wrongly issued, the City has responded quickly to rectify the situation.

Wow, and that was never communicated to parkmobile users. Go figure. :)

I have yet to sign ip for motu. The only time I use meters now is after hours. Ramps during the day. 

 

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On 12/9/2017 at 10:38 AM, mgreven said:

I found four proposals in a packet online.  Some include housing, ground floor retail or park space.  I'm glad they're think more mixed use but some of these are more 
"interesting" than others.  

Here's a link if you want the whole packet... http://grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=10951&MeetingID=3978

Screen Shot 2017-12-09 at 10.35.47 AM.png

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Any news on this?

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In other bonehead parking news, you'll notice a large proliferation of metered parking stations on streets that used to be free parking. Thanks Mobile GR and Parking Services:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/new-parking-meters-popping-up-in-grand-rapids/1386888743

 

https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Mobile-GR-and-Parking-Services

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I have also noticed a reduction in the posting of Parking enforcement times.  Each meter used to have stickers that would indicate when parking is enforced.  Many no longer have this.  Also the Kiosk systems do not have this posted either.  Take a look, am I wrong?   Seems like another way to get parkers to pay when they don't have to.

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Saw them on Cherry St. today.

Not sure what they think this is going to accomplish there other than pushing people to park on side streets and just walking a few extra yards,

which will then cause all types of anger from people that live there, that will then lead to the expansion of that crazy parking permit scheme.

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3 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

In other bonehead parking news, you'll notice a large proliferation of metered parking stations on streets that used to be free parking. Thanks Mobile GR and Parking Services:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/new-parking-meters-popping-up-in-grand-rapids/1386888743

 

https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/Government/Departments/Mobile-GR-and-Parking-Services

Parking meters (as well as duration maximums) encourage parking turnover, which is a good thing in busy retail/restaurant corridors with street parking. Ideally, those who need to be in and out of a business or restaurant will opt for the quick street meter parking in front of a business (shorter duration means cheaper), while those who want to linger will walk a bit further to free or cheaper parking or parking without duration maximums. This also discourages employers/employees from taking up prime parking on the street in front of storefronts. 

Edited by demhem
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4 hours ago, demhem said:

Parking meters (as well as duration maximums) encourage parking turnover, which is a good thing in busy retail/restaurant corridors with street parking. Ideally, those who need to be in and out of a business or restaurant will opt for the quick street meter parking in front of a business (shorter duration means cheaper), while those who want to linger will walk a bit further to free or cheaper parking or parking without duration maximums. This also discourages employers/employees from taking up prime parking on the street in front of storefronts. 

This is in a perfect world, but I think people are talking about in the neighboring business districts where the only unmetered parking is on side residential streets. 

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These new meter locations, are mostly on the main streets, which people will park free on side streets, further making problems for resident parking. If you look at the Eastown location, it is deserted with car parking til 5 pm, when it is free, along Wealthy Street. When the rates were 25 cents per hour a couple of years ago, to one dollar an hour today, shoppers and bar goers, tend to find cheaper parking, in free private lots and side streets.... If they extend that time, like what they did in Downtown Detroit til 10pm, there will be bigger problems. 

What I am thinking, the City Council is pushing for resident parking only, in certain areas where there is problems. But their enforcement times, are during the day, where the problem is at night, when residents come home after their 9-5 job. And who wants to pay $55 a year, and not guaranteed a parking space, when the city causes the problem, with meters and too little or costly parking space projects, like along Michigan Street....  

 

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55 minutes ago, Morris said:

These new meter locations, are mostly on the main streets, which people will park free on side streets, further making problems for resident parking. If you look at the Eastown location, it is deserted with car parking til 5 pm, when it is free, along Wealthy Street. When the rates were 25 cents per hour a couple of years ago, to one dollar an hour today, shoppers and bar goers, tend to find cheaper parking, in free private lots and side streets.... If they extend that time, like what they did in Downtown Detroit til 10pm, there will be bigger problems. 

What I am thinking, the City Council is pushing for resident parking only, in certain areas where there is problems. But their enforcement times, are during the day, where the problem is at night, when residents come home after their 9-5 job. And who wants to pay $55 a year, and not guaranteed a parking space, when the city causes the problem, with meters and too little or costly parking space projects, like along Michigan Street....  

 

Haven't you figured it out? The city, in thinking about the carrot and the stick, has decided to use the stick to get people to give up their cars completely. 

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20 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Haven't you figured it out? The city, in thinking about the carrot and the stick, has decided to use the stick to get people to give up their cars completely. 

Yes, and they also have to get re-elected too. Don't want to rock the boat too much! Instead of the stick, they should encourage companies like Zip Car with a carrot to  come to GR, with free parking spaces, and maybe even no city taxes for a couple of years....

Edited by Morris
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Is the permitting idea to issue neighborhood-specific permits, or city-wide permits?  When I lived in Milwaukee we had to have permits to park overnight in the city.  I lived a half-block south of Brady Street, one of the main bar/commercial districts that had meter parking on the main street and free parking in the surrounding neighborhood.  This was pre-uber/lyft days, and in Wisconsin your first DUI is a civil infraction, so there is little incentive to not drive.  In my three years in that apartment, I can think of maybe twice that I had to park further than a block away from my front door.  My overnight permit cost $55/year.  It really was not a significant burden, especially because that was the neighborhood I wanted to be in.  Small price to pay for walkability and vibrancy.  If you don't have off-street parking, you can't expect to always be able to park at your front door.

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13 minutes ago, discgrab21 said:

Is the permitting idea to issue neighborhood-specific permits, or city-wide permits?  When I lived in Milwaukee we had to have permits to park overnight in the city.  I lived a half-block south of Brady Street, one of the main bar/commercial districts that had meter parking on the main street and free parking in the surrounding neighborhood.  This was pre-uber/lyft days, and in Wisconsin your first DUI is a civil infraction, so there is little incentive to not drive.  In my three years in that apartment, I can think of maybe twice that I had to park further than a block away from my front door.  My overnight permit cost $55/year.  It really was not a significant burden, especially because that was the neighborhood I wanted to be in.  Small price to pay for walkability and vibrancy.  If you don't have off-street parking, you can't expect to always be able to park at your front door.

The permits are neighborhood specific right now. 

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I’m in Nashville right now. Parking is terrible. Small  expensive surface lots everywhere with  pay kiosks.  It seems very inefficient, but with the sheer volume of construction ( its insane btw) these will likely be gobbled up soon, so it is nice to have a pretty clean site. I have found few ramps after two days that are not tenet only.  I have no idea where everyone parks for convention center or arena events. In GR it’s pretty darn easy to find parking. Just thought I would post a comparison. 

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I've been pretty discouraged about the parking situation in GR for a while and I've been trying to understand the decisions being made. 

I recently got thinking more about the new Spectrum parking structure.  Will Spectrum be moving ALL their downtown parking to that structure?  Specifically, will they be moving people out of the City of GR parking ramps and consolidating into their own ramps?  I remember when they moved many of their IT/developers downtown and it took a huge number of spots.  If they relinquish all their GR ramp monthly parking spots, do we all of a sudden see some breathing room in available spots and people can get the monthly parking passes they need??

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When Spectrum moved many IT positions downtown, the city gave them a two-year deal where a certain number of spots would be reserved for Spectrum employees, at a cost of 1/2 the normal monthly rate. The relationship was directly between the Mobility Department and the employee—Spectrum didn't themselves hold or manage the passes.

The two-year discount expired last November, at which point the passes reverted to their full cost. Anecdotally (I used to work for Spectrum, at that location), I know of quite a few people that made alternate arrangements to save money, such as taking the bus or parking at a cheaper lot (such as the lots across the river).

I doubt that any new Spectrum parking structure would impact the employees at that IT facility at all—there is a big enough parking crunch just from the Michigan St campus as it is.

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4 hours ago, organsnyder said:

When Spectrum moved many IT positions downtown, the city gave them a two-year deal where a certain number of spots would be reserved for Spectrum employees, at a cost of 1/2 the normal monthly rate. The relationship was directly between the Mobility Department and the employee—Spectrum didn't themselves hold or manage the passes.

The two-year discount expired last November, at which point the passes reverted to their full cost. Anecdotally (I used to work for Spectrum, at that location), I know of quite a few people that made alternate arrangements to save money, such as taking the bus or parking at a cheaper lot (such as the lots across the river).

I doubt that any new Spectrum parking structure would impact the employees at that IT facility at all—there is a big enough parking crunch just from the Michigan St campus as it is.

Did Spectrum IT move from the old 60th St location?

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