Miami Parking Authority is infringing on their fun
So Wynwood business owners are not fans of the Miami Parking Authority (MPA). Why? Because they don't want parking meters to ruin the vibe in Wynwood.
Business owners claim that after years of free parking, now the MPA wants to ruin their party.
The vibe in Wynwood is getting more commercial daily as more art galleries, tech start-ups and condos/lofts come in. I have to admit that I go to Zack the Baker often on Sundays and I try to get there before the meters kick in at 10 am. But to be real here, why should the rest of the City have parking meters and not Wynwood?
If it's so great there (and it is), I doubt parking meters are going to hinder people from going.
Do parking fees hurt a neighborhood? If so, no one cares that Coconut Grove is drowning in fees. I know so many people avoid the Grove because of it, but other hot places in South Florida all have meters including South Beach, South Miami, Brickell and Coral Gables, so I doubt that putting meters in Wynwood, which are supposed to take effect on September 1, will make a dent in their traffic.
One reason the MPA is giving for starting to charge parking fees is to fund trolley services. If only. Not sure how the MPA makes out with free trolleys full of people who don't pay for parking, so that really doesn't make sense.
The word "disaster" has been used by some business owners to describe the new parking meters. I think that's a bit extreme, but welcome to the club Wynwood, now you know how we all feel.
Business owners claim that after years of free parking, now the MPA wants to ruin their party.
The vibe in Wynwood is getting more commercial daily as more art galleries, tech start-ups and condos/lofts come in. I have to admit that I go to Zack the Baker often on Sundays and I try to get there before the meters kick in at 10 am. But to be real here, why should the rest of the City have parking meters and not Wynwood?
If it's so great there (and it is), I doubt parking meters are going to hinder people from going.
Do parking fees hurt a neighborhood? If so, no one cares that Coconut Grove is drowning in fees. I know so many people avoid the Grove because of it, but other hot places in South Florida all have meters including South Beach, South Miami, Brickell and Coral Gables, so I doubt that putting meters in Wynwood, which are supposed to take effect on September 1, will make a dent in their traffic.
One reason the MPA is giving for starting to charge parking fees is to fund trolley services. If only. Not sure how the MPA makes out with free trolleys full of people who don't pay for parking, so that really doesn't make sense.
The word "disaster" has been used by some business owners to describe the new parking meters. I think that's a bit extreme, but welcome to the club Wynwood, now you know how we all feel.
posted by Tom Falco at 5:00 AM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
20 Comments:
Coral Gables meters charge every fifteen minutes increments, in the Grove we get charged one hour $1.50 even when we park for ten minutes, who knows, maybe Wynwood will get a better deal and rate while we continue getting screwed by everyone, MPA behaves like the mob.
Can't believe I'm sticking up for the MPA but you can actually put 1 minutes or 4 minutes or 22 minutes or any number if you have the phone app. You're not stuck with the $1.50 hour charge that way.
So you can park for 10 minutes with the app and only pay for 10 minutes.
Why are the new big parking meters not as smart as the apps?
Best part about the parking app in the grove is you get a discount if your billing zip is 33133. Contrast that to the gables that charges a premium "for the convenience" of using the same parking app.
Hooray MPA!
Switch the concept of the MPA, a parking authority designed to create cash flow, to a welfare program. Once government gives something away, as in welfare it's difficult to stop as the people expect it. It's not that the meters are unsightly, Wynwood business interest want the freebies. And if that isn't so why are there no parking meters West of CVS, down to US#1? Jobie Steppe
The business owners in Wynwood took big risks, and created something out of nothing. They took the most unwanted land in the city, and turned it into the hottest thing in town. Now the city is coming in to try to take away as much of the money as possible - it's what Miami always does - act just like mafia.
Wynwood should have to abide by whatever parking policies exist in the rest of the city (such as the Gove)...either eliminate parking meters everywhere within city limits or enforce them everywhere...
DKF
everyone should pay for parking everywhere, or no one should pay for parking anywhere.
Equality for all!
AM
Here's the thing that the last two comments and their authors fail to comprehend - for all eternity, there have been no meters there. The city could not get anyone to open businesses or buy property there. it was a wasteland. So, a few people took a big risk and took the bad with the good and made something - the city made not improvements - the city didn't redo the sidewalks every 4 years, over and over at millions of general taxpayers dollars. The city didn't widen streets and add infrastructure.
But now, in return for nothing, the city is taking, taking taking, each benefit that the area had, one after another.
probably at the behest of those afraid of losing their advantages power and wealth. Those who inherited rather than invented. those who played it safe, rather than gambled and won.
Try running a city anywhere on this planet in modern times. Leaders of modern democratic civilizations are elected & represent the people who elect them - - - - and are a reflection of common folk. Taxes, etc., etc., and etc., plus revenue from billboards, gas taxes, and parking all add up to providing citizens with benefits; so if you enjoy modern conveniences, pay up or build a log cabin, live in some anchorage, pay up or get out. For example I won't shop or dine where I'm expected to pay for parking. You want to own a business in Whywood or you want to shop at Whywood, then you have money, so pay up! Jobie Steppe
The City allowed a grace period to help Whywood by purposefully not installing meters for a period of about 15 years. Their struggle is now over, so pay up.
A good example of this concept of a grace period begins @ CVS on Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove, all the way West to U.S. # 1, no meters, no fee for parking, why? The City of Miami is helping a community - period. Jobie Steppe
Wynwood and the Grove are quite different. The Grove has many vertical parking garages and Wynwood has none. Wynwood does not have the many parking options offered in the Grove. People claim the MPA is just money hungry.
That's true, but Wynwood is probably 400/500/700% larger than the Grove; i.e., more streets for more cars. Personally I think the real reason is most of the owners and customers are elitist's who resent getting out of their auto's to walk to the nearest parking pay station, then back to their car to place the parking slip on their dash - - - - what, who me!?
To 10:14pm, I don't think you know what elitist means, or how parking in the city of miami works, particularly for the young, tech-savy crowd that visits wynwood. no one uses that slip of paper thing anymore.
ELITIST, that's a tough one, try ARROGANT.
"How parking works" another tough one, try, TO PARK!
"young, tech-savy crowd that visits Wynwood", Sounds ELITIST to me!
And "no one uses that slip of paper thing anymore"! Fine with me, but don't forget to pay that fine! Full circle back to elitist & arrogant mentalities again!?
Really, wouldn't it be easy enough just to pay & park?
The Miami Parking Authority (MPA) never built any garages or surface parking lots in Wynwood. The MPA just wants money without making any investment. Maybe if the MPA built a garage in Wynwood they could justify taking advantage?
Anon 11:13 - It seems you're correct. (MPA) should have a mandate to project into the future the need for X-number of parking spots & make them available, But, I disagree that MPA mgrs. or employees suffer from greed, it's probably plain old myopia due to lack of, concept of future, due to a lack of education in urban planning. Jobie Steppe
The MPA has never invested a cent in Wynwood. No surface lot and no garage. The MPA just wants money so the MPA's overpaid executives can have fatter pay and benefit packages.
Anon 2:57, sorry, but parking fees simply don't go to MPA, the money goes to Dade County where a small % is returned to MPA; it's a county program. 1st jurisdiction is the U.S., then the states, then counties, then municipalities.
Anon 6:20 PM Actually, the MPA pays its executives and staff over $6 Million per year. That is pay and benefits to the Executive Director and his friends. The MPA always puts up new parking meters which generate 50% of its revenues, so the executives can make more money. The MPA never invested in Wynwood, it just takes money out.
Post a Comment
<< Home