Free parking? Will it work?
Someone suggest this on our Facebook Fan Page:
How about businesses chip in each month for a parking lot and give the parking away free to customers.
Our Facebook friend says: "How about petitioning the city to cut the disgusting parking rates they charge to enjoy a few minutes in the Grove. Business would be better without the predatory and inconvenient parking authority obstacle imposed on Grove visitors. Businesses should contribute to a free parking lot and see how business picks up!"
Join us on Facebook here.
How about businesses chip in each month for a parking lot and give the parking away free to customers.
Our Facebook friend says: "How about petitioning the city to cut the disgusting parking rates they charge to enjoy a few minutes in the Grove. Business would be better without the predatory and inconvenient parking authority obstacle imposed on Grove visitors. Businesses should contribute to a free parking lot and see how business picks up!"
Join us on Facebook here.
posted by Tom Falco at 2:30 PM
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12 Comments:
Cannot find the suggestion on your Facebook, great idea though, to get our obscene local government and its semi private tentacle entity (MPA) out of our lives.
Businesses already have to pay a "parking impact fee." This is supposed to go towards people coming to their business and the MPA using the money to improve and add more parking around the Grove. Have you seen any improvements being made besides the parking rates increasing?!
I doubt the business owners would go for this but I do think it's a good idea if the businesses didn't already have to pay a fee.
Too bad the City cannot control the MPA. The only way they can is by city wide vote. Too bad also the proverbial $*** has hit the fan and they are dealing with other stuff.
Most important question there is no place to put a parking lot like that - it sure would not be the playhouse parking lot. No one wants to walk several blocks to go into a store for l5 min.
Parking rates are not the problem with Coconut Grove businesses. People spend much more to go to Miami Beach or Mary Brickell Village. They spend as much or more to go to South Miami. The problem with the Grove is that the businesses don't attract people with bucks to spend.
Visitors can not find any space to patronize any business in the Grove. All spaces are taken by employees hoping to serve a few visitors. The City of Miami has screwed up the area royally. Viva Banana republica
Anon 9:47, Agreed. "IF" the Grove provided "real entertainmnet" folks would simply come and spend their money. I've lived in the Grove since 1965. I'm not even slightly implying the Grove is not something very, very positive; on a beautiful bay, parks, tree lined streets, picture perfect, etc. But "real entertainmnet", a real magnet; absolutely not. The reality is collectively the Grove is not capable of creating a profit. There is no potential for excitement; no motivation to drive into, to mix, to have an expectation of something.
I think it would make more sense for businesses to be able to offer parking validations for customers who actually patronize their establishments. This already exists with the private lots. Although a free lot sounds great, parking is a scarce resource and if you don't put a price on it then people will abuse it, to the detriment of the business owners.
Jobie and SWLIP make excellent points. There are a combination of many things that will work in our favor.
Another point that has been made countless times on this blog is that the bay view needs to be unubstructed. That alone is a reason for people to come and see the INCREDIBLE beauty of the Grove.
Tony, you just brought a vision to mind. From Peacock Park, all the way down to where you turn right at the toll booths to Key Biscayne----open it all up and create water sport(s) activity; remember Cypress Gardens? I understand the powers that be have such a walkway planned to connect the three parks.
It's not just the city. Sunday I had to park in the Cocowalk garage just to pick up a couple cheesecakes at TCF. 8 bucks, even though I was in there for 10 minutes max as shown in the ticket. No break, no mercy, nothing. Goodbye crappy Cocowalk, may you go bankrupt soon, and goodbye Coconut Grove.
Anon 8:30 Sorry! Come back and park in my yard free; 1.5 blocks from Coco Walk. We need you business.
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