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

[GRDadof3]

3 hours ago, GRLaker said:

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

I think a lot of them did. Several people I know who worked out at 60th were moved down to 25 Ottawa, which they liked actually. 

[GRLaker]

11 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I think a lot of them did. Several people I know who worked out at 60th were moved down to 25 Ottawa, which they liked actually. 

Makes sense. The 60th St building was very nice, but it’s totally out of the way for a department that services a health system in which most of the facilities are centralized around downtown and its immediate suburbs.

[organsnyder]

The 60th St location is still alive and humming. 25 Ottawa was mostly consolidating people from a number of offices around the city, including some (like my team) that were already downtown in other various spaces (we were in Blue35 at the time).

[GRDadof3]

3 different neighborhoods in Grand Rapids are looking at instituting residential parking permit programs: Bridge St and Alabama area, Belknap Lookout is looking to expand theirs, and the Cherry and Lake area.

In the Mobile GR agenda for this month. 

[EastownLeo]

37 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

3 different neighborhoods in Grand Rapids are looking at instituting residential parking permit programs: Bridge St and Alabama area, Belknap Lookout is looking to expand theirs, and the Cherry and Lake area.

In the Mobile GR agenda for this month. 

Our neighborhood voted it down when it came up.  The pricing and system for extra cars is restrictive.  If you have visitors or a babysitter, you run out of extra permits real fast.  In the case of houses that have no garage or driveway parking there are no credits so some neighbors pay more and some don't. 

[Kinkema]

33 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

3 different neighborhoods in Grand Rapids are looking at instituting residential parking permit programs: Bridge St and Alabama area, Belknap Lookout is looking to expand theirs, and the Cherry and Lake area.

In the Mobile GR agenda for this month. 

I really dislike neighborhood permit parking systems. It is essentially privatizing a public resource and subsidizing parking for those who get it.

[thebeerqueer]

30 minutes ago, iK1NkY said:

I really dislike neighborhood permit parking systems. It is essentially privatizing a public resource and subsidizing parking for those who get it.

While I agree that the  permit parking program is less than perfect,  for some neighborhoods that are experiencing an influx of out of neighborhood visitors,  i.e. Bridge St and Alabama, its the only way some of those folks can park on their block. I feel like the city has already forced the permit program on to neighborhoods by allowing parking waivers on large scale developments with no parking i.e. New Holland Brewing , thus forcing the thrifty West Michigan patrons to park further into the neighborhoods. 

[Kinkema]

12 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

its the only way some of those folks can park on their block. 

I don't really believe they should have the expectation of doing that, though. If we want to give them that right, then we should charge them to rent the space.

[thebeerqueer]

5 minutes ago, iK1NkY said:

I don't really believe they should have the expectation of doing that, though. If we want to give them that right, then we should charge them to rent the space.

So you don't believe people should expect to park anywhere on the block they live on? Okay, the permit program will actually charge them for the space to park in the permit area. Sounds like the solution you're proposing is exactly what's being instituted. 

[Pattmost20]

4 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

So you don't believe people should expect to park anywhere on the block they live on? Okay, the permit program will actually charge them for the space to park in the permit area. Sounds like the solution you're proposing is exactly what's being instituted. 

I've always held the belief that if you want a guaranteed spot you should pay for it. I bought a house without a functioning garage or driveway, I know that there will be times I can't park right near my house and that is fine. I'd rather see it just remain free and open in neighborhoods, but if I have to pay for a permit that is fine too. Small price for a huge convenience, especially compared to fixing and leveling my driveway along with rebuilding my garage. 

[GR_Urbanist]

I lived in an apartment on College years ago with no off-street parking. While I was always happy to park near my door, it wasnt something I assumed was an expectation, nor would I have supported having to pay to filter down the number of people to compete against. Because if everyone that lives there has to pay to park, then in the end you are  possibly paying to park and still having to walk.

This is going to end up charging a stealth tax to people that cant really afford it .

 

I mean, if you want to live in the city, this is part of the deal.

[Kinkema]

2 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

So you don't believe people should expect to park anywhere on the block they live on? Okay, the permit program will actually charge them for the space to park in the permit area. Sounds like the solution you're proposing is exactly what's being instituted. 

It charges a small fee to cover the permitting process, it does not pay for the parking spot. And no, I don't think people have the right to park in a public space on the block they live on.  From my own experience living in SD, I would usually park within 2 blocks of my apartment, but often had to walk 3+ blocks. I could have rented a space for $250/month, but I chose to take my chances parking on the street or occasionally paying for metered parking when I was feeling lazy. 

[thebeerqueer]

The interesting thing about the request for Bridge St and Alabama is the only neighbors left in that area are the new tenants of  the 616 Lofts on Alabama and maybe 5-10 houses in the four blocks surrounding . I wonder who's spearheading the request. I don't think it came through JBAN. 

[Guest]

Pay by plate pay stations will be activated soon all around Bridge/GVSU, Wealthy, Cherry, and Lake Dr.  Maybe this is in response to this?

[thebeerqueer]

15 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Pay by plate pay stations will be activated soon all around Bridge/GVSU, Wealthy, Cherry, and Lake Dr.  Maybe this is in response to this?

I think these pay by plate stations will driving parking into the neighborhoods even more.  At some point, everyone just needs to accept that no parking is free and that's just the way it's going to be. 

[GRDadof3]

9 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

I think these pay by plate stations will driving parking into the neighborhoods even more.  At some point, everyone just needs to accept that no parking is free and that's just the way it's going to be. 

Well if you want out of that system you can probably sell your house pretty quickly in those neighborhoods.

[x99]

On 9/11/2018 at 10:32 AM, thebeerqueer said:

So you don't believe people should expect to park anywhere on the block they live on? Okay, the permit program will actually charge them for the space to park in the permit area. Sounds like the solution you're proposing is exactly what's being instituted. 

My silly thought process on this:  If I get no parking, then why should I have to mow the city's lawn between the sidewalk and the street?  Requiring homeowners to pay to park on their own street is a complete scam, as is allowing every lot owner to claim spaces by occupants.  Each owner should be allocated free spaces annually in accordance with their frontage and available parking on the block they front.   Claimed spaces can be leased, transferred, etc.  Unclaimed spaces get auctioned off annually.  Fair solution, and as I've argued before, possibly the only good solution to the "no parking micro unit" swindle which can suck up acres of neighborhood street parking to service a single small project.

[Guest]

People will try to just park in the residential areas where the new pay stations are going in.  The cost is to pay for the permit process.  The city has no obligation to provide parking to residents and they don't meter in front of residential areas.

This is only Phase 3, there will be more coming.  Some business owners understand that metered spots increase customer turnover and some are overly dramatic.  I had one woman say she might as well just close her business.

[GRDadof3]

29 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

People will try to just park in the residential areas where the new pay stations are going in.  The cost is to pay for the permit process.  The city has no obligation to provide parking to residents and they don't meter in front of residential areas.

This is only Phase 3, there will be more coming.  Some business owners understand that metered spots increase customer turnover and some are overly dramatic.  I had one woman say she might as well just close her business.

edit: never mind.

[GRDadof3]

I saw a billboard on 131 yesterday that says that downtown Grand Rapids has 30,000 visitor parking spots. Had the hashtag #findyourspot

So I went on a search to find these 30,000 parking spaces... 

There are now just over 2000 meters downtown and near downtown owned by the city.  The city also owns about 7500 parking spaces in ramps and surface lots (not all are available to visitors, only about 1400 according to GRForward's report).

http://s3.amazonaws.com/downtowngr.org/general/GR_Forward_A4.pdf?mtime=20151119112738

There are about 9900 privately owned parking spaces downtown, but a great majority of those are not open to visitors (almost a 1/3 are GRCC and Spectrum Health owned and only available if you are visiting those institutions). 

I didn't even come up with 20,000 visitor parking spots to #findmyspot 

 

 

 

[ZAP!]

Just got this as a mobile ad as well, right here on UP!

Edited September 24, 2018 by ZAP!

[thebeerqueer]

On 9/22/2018 at 8:51 AM, GRDadof3 said:

I saw a billboard on 131 yesterday that says that downtown Grand Rapids has 30,000 visitor parking spots. Had the hashtag #findyourspot

I saw one of these BS billboards today on Bridge St and Valley St. It's a total marketing scheme. Anyone up for calling MobileGR out via social media? 

[GRDadof3]

53 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

I saw one of these BS billboards today on Bridge St and Valley St. It's a total marketing scheme. Anyone up for calling MobileGR out via social media? 

I dunno I'm kind of a trouble maker on social media lately.  Some put a post on their page and say "My elderly parents are driving here for ArtPrize next weekend and they heard there are 30,000 parking spots downtown for them to choose from. Can you tell me where those 30,000 spots are?"  

And you're being kind, it's a scheme alright. More like Schadenfreude, 

[joeDowntown]

9 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I dunno I'm kind of a trouble maker on social media lately.  Some put a post on their page and say "My elderly parents are driving here for ArtPrize next weekend and they heard there are 30,000 parking spots downtown for them to choose from. Can you tell me where those 30,000 spots are?"  

And you're being kind, it's a scheme alright. More like Schadenfreude, 

When I read @thebeerqueer‘s post I thought “GRDad probably did it already”.   

Joe

[GRDadof3]

27 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

When I read @thebeerqueer‘s post I thought “GRDad probably did it already”.   

Joe

 No I swear.