Parking Meters, Again? (Sarasota, Christmas: budget, installing, government)

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Picshooter

No sarasota downtown business has lost any money due to parking meters.
Sarasota news and books said their lease was $12,000 a month. Thats a lot of cups of coffee!

I make a habit of parking out of the way to keep door dings, nicks and bangs to a minimum. I like and don't mind walking. On my visits I see many employees parking what appears to be as close as possible to their business. I don't care but I am sure their customers would if they knew.
The nicest downtown area have visited lately was Boulder, CO. The area was packed day and night. They have meters. The meters they have accept credit cards, and prints out a paper with the expiration time. If you choose to move a few blocks (or miles) you have until the alloted time runs out.
I don't think meters would hurt a vibrant downtown.

Well, this isn't Boulder Colorado. Sarasota has always struggled with downtown. It's only been the last few years it just started to take off and now the economy has businesses closing their doors left and right. Greedy landlords are choking the life out of it. It will cost a lot of money to install these d*mn things, and people here will not be swarming downtown with the meters, I guarantee you that. I haven't even been back here a year and have already seen at least 7 nor 8 Main street businesses close. I don't think we have even seen the last of the closings. Meters will all but assure Sarasota goes back to being the ghost town it was when I lived here 20 years ago. The business owners are very upset, I see their letters in the Herald-Tribune every day.

This is a huge, huge mistake, huge.

[ZaraZoteBuccaneer]

This is really too bad. I thought better of the city and always feel there are better ways to rejuvenate lost revenue than 'raising taxes on parking'. Hope the voters are paying attention. If they aren't yet then we'll all know for sure when the revenue is truly lost. Businesses deserve more respect than this... and so do citizens.

[atroxanautin]

I don't know. It seems foolish now. But, I'm not too concerned about downtown becoming a ghost town. Its august and a bad economy.

I think the bigger reason for the (past) resurgence of downtown has been the condos, etc that have brought people to live downtown.

[Ladywithafan]

There is a meeting downtown, tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 10:30 a.m. at Five Points Park re: Save Our Downtown, if anyone's interested.

[ZaraZoteBuccaneer]

Save me a spot

That's right, I'm not down there yet to help.

Well, it was worth the thought.
Good luck at the meeting!

[Chimpie]

Originally Posted by Picshooter

I don't think meters would hurt a vibrant downtown.

That's the problem. We don't have a 'vibrant downtown'. I only go there on weekends when I'm off of work, mainly to the farmer's market. I love parking a block or two away but staying on Main Street.

Originally Posted by Ladywithafan

There is a meeting downtown, tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 10:30 a.m. at Five Points Park re: Save Our Downtown, if anyone's interested.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Chimpie

That's the problem. We don't have a 'vibrant downtown'. I only go there on weekends when I'm off of work, mainly to the farmer's market. I love parking a block or two away but staying on Main Street.



Thanks for the heads up!

We do have a vibrant downtown...if you're not out & about during the week, you have no idea. Don't worry, they'll eventually meter the off streets as well.

[Picshooter]

I understand Sarasota isn't Boulder.My point was Boulder thrives in spite of meters. Meters won't deter a vibrant downtown. Sarasota News and Books says they paid 12k a month rent. When downtown is empty the greedy landlords will lower prices.
People also need a reason to go downtown. Business needs to provide goods and services at competitive prices. Currently there is not much to draw me there.

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Well, this isn't Boulder Colorado. Sarasota has always struggled with downtown. It's only been the last few years it just started to take off and now the economy has businesses closing their doors left and right. Greedy landlords are choking the life out of it. It will cost a lot of money to install these d*mn things, and people here will not be swarming downtown with the meters, I guarantee you that. I haven't even been back here a year and have already seen at least 7 nor 8 Main street businesses close. I don't think we have even seen the last of the closings. Meters will all but assure Sarasota goes back to being the ghost town it was when I lived here 20 years ago. The business owners are very upset, I see their letters in the Herald-Tribune every day.

This is a huge, huge mistake, huge.

[Peter the Brit]

Problem is the prices are high downtown as the rents are high so shop owners have low margins.
I cannot see any reason to shop downtown at inflated prices and pay tp park !

[Picshooter]

Peter has it right. Plus shops need to sell what the public wants and needs.
We rode through saturday evening. Upper Main near the theatre was crowded and there wasn't a parking spot to be had on lower Main.
I myself miss the old Main St. Depot. It was truly a melting point on the weekends.