Working in redevelopment and revitalization allows me to meet and greet many different people from many different walks of life. Some of the most interesting people to meet are the Mayors and other elected officials who are so often torn between so many factions that they can barely just do their jobs. However, if you’re looking for some interesting redevelopment talk – sit down with these elected men and women who have to sell the redevelopment plans to their constituents.
One thing that you will ALWAYS hear from the residents is that there is not enough parking in the new development. Anywhere you go, anything you do, you will ALWAYS hear that. And what you’re likely to hear from the elected officials is, “We have met our parking requirements with this design – we’ve even added extra spaces. And remember, if we have a parking problem – that’s a good thing! It means that people are coming here and that’s what we want.”
Well, with all due respect, that is not what you want.
Take Pier Village in Long Branch as an example. This multi-million dollar project is one of the best looking developments in the state. It has great eateries like McLoone’s Pier House and Michael Angelo’s Pizza; it has great attractions like the village square where movies and concerts are held; and it has easy access to a public beach on the Atlantic Ocean. One thing it does not have, however, is parking. Oh sure – if you’ve been to Pier Village and you’ve seen it jam packed you may take the mentality that when the available spaces are filled, there are enough people in the development and on the beach.
Well, I take issue with that. As a member of the Gold’s Gym located at Pier Village, I’m insulted that I’m asked to pay a $60 membership and that I am not provided parking within a mile radius of the gym. That’s obscene. Some may call it robbery.
And yes, I know I can get up and go to a different gym – but if you know anything about the gyms in the area, you know that they’re pretty crappy unless you go to a low-end gym and folks, low-end gyms in the Monmouth County area of New Jersey are crawling with predators. Not interested in that, at all.
So let this be a message, no matter how small and meek, that if you have the ability to design a development and if you plan on this development being a tourist attraction – plan for it properly. Right now at Pier Village there are probably 2,000 cars (some parked, some not) and 20,000 people within a mile radius coming in and out of the project. If they would have only planned this project better and allowed for more parking, they could have easily doubled those numbers.
Too many people you say? Tell that to the folks whose property taxes just keep going up and up because of a decreasing tax base. More people buying goods at those new shops = more tax revenue = lower property taxes.
And it all comes full circle again!
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