This is a good point - regardless of the details of what parking would be restricted the assumption seems to be that more traffic will help the struggling business nodes along 38th.
I drive 38th every day at typical rush hour times and I think there already is healthy traffic flow. More to the point, I have even at times deferred or skipped a stop at these 38th street businesses that everyone is concerned about because I couldn't find a place to park, or there was too much traffic behind me to stop and backup into a free spot. How will more traffic make this situation better for the businesses?
Mike Hess
Kingifield
>From: "Lisa McDonald" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "david brauer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,"forum issues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: [Mpls] 35W Access Project-Urban Legend
>Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 17:28:13 -0600
>
>The problem with the 35-Access project is that it will take all the on-street parking off of 38th street. This will be the death knell for many of these small businesses including Quality Coaches. When we talked about dedicated bus lanes on Hennepin Avenue the businesses came out in full force against removing on-street parking. All the access project does is move traffic. It doesn't improve small business access.
>
>Lisa McDonald
>East harriet
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: David Brauer
>Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 9:04 AM
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: [Mpls] 35W Access Project-Urban Legend
>
>While I agree with Ken that ramps at 38th won't make the street more
>economically viable, he asks:
>
> > the Urban Legend I was referring to is the one the
> > Access Project supporters are spreading that Lake Street and the
> > intersecton of 38th and Nicollet Avenue are blighted business districts
> > with failed and "struggling" businesses.
> >
> > I'm still waiting for evidence that this is so. What are the addresses of
> > the empty stores at 38th and Nicollet?
>
>There are a few.
>
>On the northeast corner, 3 storefronts on either side of Finer Meats are
>vacant (2 of a former Latino market, not Marissa's, and a former bakery).
>
>On the northwest corner, the former Domino's Pizza storefront remains
>vacant, and when I walked by Midtown Chicken Shack on Saturday afternoon, it
>was closed - despite hours-of-operation sign saying it should be open.
>
>On the southeast corner, it appears that the former exterminator office on
>the corner is vacant, but he is moving around the corner to between Nicollet
>and 1st on 38th. The owner of the building is marketing the corner space as
>a coffee shop. A dentist at 38th & 1st is never open, but he is rehabbing
>his exterior with help from the neighborhood association.
>
>The southwest corner sometime APPEARS vacant because of the hulking Theissen
>Vending. However, they will undergo an extensive exterior rehab soon, so
>should add some visual life to the intersection.
>
>It's true that there are several vital consumer businesses at the
>intersection: Nicollet Ace Hardware, Marissa's, Finer Meats, Shorty & Wags,
>Tacos Blass - but this is an intersection that is struggling.
>
>Whether tons of cars whizzing past will make it better remains to be seen.
>
>Also, on the subject of thriving Nicollet business nodes at 46th & 54th, but
>not 38th: let's not ascribe everything to transportation. As you move
>further south on Nicollet, disposable income also climbs - which, I submit,
>has more to do with supporting strong neighborhood businesses than anything.
>
>38th was THE major east-west bus street between streetcar lines, but I
>submit the hollowing out of business nodes had at least as much to do with
>increased poverty and declining real incomes than building ramps at
>35th/36th instead.
>
>It is certainly possible that the Access Project could raise the standard of
>living north of 38th, especially if 35th and 36th become more sane places to
>live (or at least compensate for 38th's decreased sanity). Still, I think
>it's a huge gamble, especially for $150 million.
>
>David Brauer
>King Field
>
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