City Likely to Create New Public Parking in Downtown Core (Knoxville: appointed, university)

[jabogitlu]

JohnsonCityPress.com - Local News - Johnson City, TN (http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/09/News/article.php?ID=68062 - broken link)

City officials are looking at another item they feel will aid the ongoing downtown redevelopment efforts.

At tonight’s City Commission meeting, the panel will consider an offer of three buildings at the corner of Buffalo and Tipton streets. The property’s owner, JC Ventures, LLC, which also owns surrounding properties, contacted the city around a month ago offering to give the property on which the buildings are located if the city would demolish them and install a public parking area.



These buildings are an eyesore, and Tipton Street is so beautiful. I really hope they go through with the proposal. And we really need some parking in that area, what with Freibergs, etc.

[SarahSal]

Yes, true Jab, they're pretty bad but there's one I'd love to see saved, the only one with any character. It was a former jewelry store and next time you go by look at the beautiful old tile on the entryway floor - and the fancy woodwork in the storefront window. It will probably go though. They've torn down some cute other ones (for parking) that some of us downtown folks didn't think should go. Unfortunately though, we're living in 'the age of the car' so parking is usually the prevailing issue. That's why we always questioned their taking away the parking on our side of Spring Street - after many decades (or more) of its being there.

[mbmouse]

I hate to see good buildings with character be taken down, but parking in downtown JC is about a necessity at this point for downtown to make it.
Hopefully the city will allow someone to come in and salvage some of those great architectural elements and refurbish them into something for new life.

[SarahSal]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

I hate to see good buildings with character be taken down, but parking in downtown JC is about a necessity at this point for downtown to make it.
Hopefully the city will allow someone to come in and salvage some of those great architectural elements and refurbish them into something for new life.

I guess it's a balancing act between preserving buildings that make up and add the character to a downtown's *look* - and people easily finding places to park. I really liked the signs in some downtown Kingsport windows touting how many parking places were avaiable.

Actually downtown JC has loads of parking places, too - they're just not as convenient as some would like. I'd just prefer not replacing buildings with asphalt unless it is absolutely essential. The one thing this plan *would* do is make the Tipton Street project much more visible. Maybe this is part of the intent.

[Ripshin]

Preservation is essential for any small urban center. Those buildings are significant. JC has already lost a great deal of its downtown. Look at what smaller cities are doing all around the country. The downtown planners in East TN have a history of being clueless. They have to knock down structures to make Tipton Street more visible????? Um, folks, downtown JC isn't big - people know what's there. And, most out-of-town tourists APPRECIATE architecture - they don't want to see empty lots. People aren't as lazy as the city planners think they are. Stop living with the 70s Urban Renewal mentailty that nearly destroyed every downtown in East TN.

[SarahSal]

Originally Posted by Ripshin

Preservation is essential for any small urban center. Those buildings are significant. JC has already lost a great deal of its downtown. Look at what smaller cities are doing all around the country. The downtown planners in East TN have a history of being clueless. They have to knock down structures to make Tipton Street more visible????? Um, folks, downtown JC isn't big - people know what's there. And, most out-of-town tourists APPRECIATE architecture - they don't want to see empty lots. People aren't as lazy as the city planners think they are. Stop living with the 70s Urban Renewal mentailty that nearly destroyed every downtown in East TN.

All I can say is amen to that!
Thank you for adding this important perspective.. We've already lost too many really significant old buildings downtown because of this clueless mentality. The demolition needs to stop until a closer examination of what we're giving up to make room for more cars is made. Granted at least two of those buildings aren't *significant* but before more whole-scale destruction occurs, consider the cityscape we're left with when they're gone..

[DiderotsGhost]

I can't recall which buildings are at that street corner (and Google Street View doesn't cover it), but I'd hate to see more buildings demolished for parking lots. I haven't lived in Johnson City in six years, but I'm normally there at least a few times every year and parking was not a huge issue when I was there.

I realize more and more people are starting to frequent downtown, but if they really feel the need to expand parking, they ought to build a garage on one of the four major free lots in that area. One of the two lots adjoining Commerce Street could probably work.

Downtown Johnson City has quite a revival going for it right now and they should be doing anything and everything possible to preserve as many of those old buildings as they can. I also wish that Johnson City would wise up and embrace its historical legacy as a 1920s boom town associated with Chicago bootlegging operations. There aren't too many other cities in America that claim to be such a perfect embodiment of the 1920s. I love downtown Johnson City and I think others would too if they were aware of the architecture and knew more about the history of the city.

[jabogitlu]

I have a question for those more in the know than I. When the court center-thingy in Jonesborough is completed, will the downtown annex move there? If so, what's going to happen to that building? It is very ugly and Sovietesque. We could use that parking garage for a lot.

I also noticed the other day when I was downtown that the lot across the tracks from Ftn Square (aka where you park to eat at Mid-City Grill) was not full at all. So at the moment I'm wondering if knocking these buildings is a good idea, too. I was initially all for it but I actually went and looked at them and I have to say with a bit of work they could be really neat.

[Josh Woods]

I go out of town on business alot. Each time I always go to every cities "downtown area".

Each time I am sorely disappointed that we can't have one of these in our own town. Things as simple as "Market Square" in Knoxville would be sufficient. If the downtown people really wanted to do something, then wipe out that crap beside of KLUB KARMA and build a nice little "downtown" area there which is clearly out of the flood zone. Hit us up with some coffee shops, Rita's Ice downtown as well, a pizza parlor and some patio dining with evening entertainment.

That would certainly get me to come out and spend my money much more quickly then having to drive 3-4 miles to get to my favorite places.

[rccrain]

Here's my argument. As Jakila said you can't get right up to the building with "street view". This was as close as I could get 37601 - Google Maps

If you look almost directly south in this viewpoint all the way past that left turn lane, you can see a glimpse of the buildings in question. IMO they are pretty crappy and in a highly visible area. We need to do something about them. So there is something to be said for tearing them down.

However, assuming they are salvageable, the parking argument is pretty stupid. First it's just not that many spaces. Also with the help of google street view, pan to your left. What is that just across the street from our building but two giant, lighted parking lots.

There just has to be a better use for these buildings than turning them into parking. That is a fairly prime location. I did some traffic research. E Market handles about 6000 cars per day. (A side note in 1996 it was over 10000; what happened in 96?) That section of Buffalo handles about 3000. The nearby section of Franklin handles over 8000.

These buildings have plenty of traffic flow, visibility, and convenient parking. Let's do something creative; donate them to the university at a minimum. ETSU could use them as part of their business incubator program.