$8 million for 400 spaces is $20,000 per car (which is about the national average for parking structures). Gee, that's seems like kind of a large subsidy to each car commuter. Since I bike to work, I don't suppose the city would give that subsidy to me in cash? (Of course, I actually *live* in the city, and many of the potential recipients of this subsidy don't, so perhaps I should move out of the city so that I stop paying city property taxes that in part pay for the maintenance of city roads that lead to city parking ramps).
And on the same subject, if "The parking utility has reserves and can borrow and repay money on its own", then perhaps the city has found a solution to Madison Metro's financial woes. chuck At 08:48 AM 10/23/2002 -0500, Robbie Webber wrote: >Susan Schmitz, president of Downtown Madison Inc, seems to be singing a >different tune than when Mike Barrett kicked off his Parking Cash-out plan >last year. [Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] if you want a summary of this >innovative plan to put cash in the pockets of those who pass up >employer-subsidized parking.] > >At that time, she said that it was important for downtown to maintain >stores, offices, and residences instead of parking structures. Now she >thinks "upper State St" needs a ramp. And the irony is that the locations >they mention are each ONE BLOCK from another city ramp! > >And then they are still talking about a "mid-State St" ramp next to Uno's. >Looks like we are going to end up with one big parking ramp and no >restaurants for the Overture Center folks. > >-- RW > > >http://www.madison.com/wisconsinstatejournal/local/34712.php >********************************** >Downtown parking relief may come sooner >0:03 AM 10/23/02 >Dean Mosiman City government reporter > >Madison may build a large parking garage near Overture Center next year in >an effort to keep businesses Downtown, city parking manager Robin Williams >said. > >The city is considering two sites that could handle an $8 million garage >with a minimum of 400 parking spaces, plus privately developed retail and >office space, Williams said. > >If a site can be acquired, construction could start next year, two years >earlier than envisioned, she said. > >The city has been losing major office tenants in the area, partly due to >parking woes in the upper State Street-West Washington Avenue area. > >"It's extremely serious," said Susan Schmitz, president of Downtown Madison >Inc., a business group. "We need to keep those office spaces full." > >After Alliant Energy Corp. moved its 850 employees from the area in the >spring, business on State Street dropped 20 percent, Schmitz said. > >Last month, the UW Medical Foundation declined to take over four floors of >the 10-story, former Alliant building, now called Network 222, at 222 W. >Washington Ave., partly due to parking. > >Mayor Sue Bauman has long tried to create more parking in the area, but so >far there has been more study than pouring concrete. > >But the city is now focused on sites at 309 W. Johnson St. and 115 W. >Mifflin St., Williams and city real-estate manager Don Marx said. The city >is exploring other sites, but they don't offer the same mix of location, >size and availability, they said. > >The 30,540-square-foot West Johnson Street site, owned by Hovde Building >LLC, has a commercial building and was assessed at $1.5 million in 2002, >Marx said. The 16,038-square-foot Mifflin Street site, owned by Wisconsin >Power and Light Co., also has a building but had no assessed value because >it is owned by a public utility. > >"I think they're very good choices," Schmitz said. > >The mayor's proposed capital budget shows land acquisition and design for a >parking garage to serve the upper West Washington Avenue area in 2004 and >construction in 2005. > >But the city can build the garage sooner than planned - without socking >taxpayers, Williams said. The parking utility has reserves and can borrow >and repay money on its own, she said. > >A committee is expected to make a recommendation on a site in the next two >weeks, she said. > > >"We're as pleased as we can be," Schmitz said. "It's been a long time >coming." > >The garage would be in addition to a possible $5.5 million, 250-space >mid-State Street parking facility, Williams said. > >Another committee is reviewing a proposal for building that garage on the >Buckeye parking lot and adjacent properties on the 200 block of West Gilman >and Gorham streets. The proposed capital budget envisions land acquisition >and design in 2003 and construction in 2004. > >The mid-State Street garage, which might have retail facing the street and >housing above, has faced opposition because it would require demolishing >three houses on Gilman Street. > >"The only thing that's stopping us from putting more parking Downtown is a >place to build it," Marx said. > >"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated individuals working together >can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- >Margaret Mead >_______________________________________________ >Bikies mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
