Hopefully, these aren't too lame.
How about The Port Authority and maybe the Chamber of Commere?
I wouldn't leave out the Mayor's office.
Of course, I'll pass it along to the newsroom.
posted by paulhem at 02:35 P.M. EST on Sun Feb 18, 2007 #
I found it very interesting that surfcae parking was actually listed as one of the "turn-offs" of a vibrant downtown. While I think many people realize this, thinking back to previous TT threads about downtown Toledo reminds me that many people think parking has the the exact opposite effect.
It would be really nice if the new arena planned for downtown had street level retail or restaurants. I don't know if it's feasible, but if so I think that would be a great way to generate additional income from the arena and get people to hang around before or after an event there or at 5/3 Field.
posted by HeyHey at 03:53 P.M. EST on Sun Feb 18, 2007 #
Well, Kirk...Decades ago downtown Toledo had several good eateries, department stores, and movie theaters. That was when people went there by mass transit (bus, trolley car), so parking was not an issue. As more and more area residents bought cars, the more congested our downtown became. You could circle block after block and not find a parking spot. Then to compound the situation, the city put in parking meters. If your meter ran out while you were shopping, you could find a ticket on your windshield. However, Some of the two-way streets were changed to one-way.
That was done to facilitate the traffic flow at rush hour. Recently, some were changed back to two-way but only a certain portion of them. On Summit, Jefferson, and Erie Streets the right curb lane has a white diamond painted on it. It's taboo to drive on it because it's reserved for the TARTA busses.
I feel sorry for out-of-town drivers who come here to see our downtown and have to be ever so dilligent of the traffic signs. Finally, the issues of vacant office buildings and panhandlers need to be addressed. I suppose these are "signs of the times".
posted by flinty at 09:20 P.M. EST on Sun Feb 18, 2007 #
Oh, I should have mentioned that the parking meters are free between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. The signs don't word it quite that way. They tell the motorist what hours the meters are in effect. We are all expected to have enough mathematical astuteness to make such a conclusion.
posted by flinty at 09:29 P.M. EST on Sun Feb 18, 2007 #
I've never had trouble with panhandlers in downtown Toledo. I think of all the times I've been down there I have been asked for money two times.
And you honestly have trouble with parking? I've been downtown in the middle of the day, early in the evening, and late at night. Parking has never been an issue. I guarentee you can find a parking spot within two blocks of anywhere you want to go at any time of the day. With all the businesses leaving parking has become simple!
posted by HeyHey at 12:48 A.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
From a search of Toledo Talk, here are some threads that mention something about about "parking downtown" or "downtown parking" or "parking". Within a thread, use your browser's "find" feature to locate the comments with the word "parking." Some people believe parking downtown is a problem, and some don't. Some believe more free downtown parking is needed, and some don't.
- June 3, 2004 : Saga of the phantom arena
- February 9, 2005 : Parking subsidies offered to retain O-I
- February 15, 2005 : Trying to save the market
- February 15, 2005 : Downtown business deals
- June 16, 2005 : East side sports arena workshop
- August 5, 2005 : Why I will never attend the rib-off
- November 20, 2005 : Downtown Parking
- December 13, 2005 : Top Ten Reasons To Be A Toledoan
- March 1, 2006 :Toledo's Untold Stories
- March 6, 2006 : New Downtown Arena Details
- July 13, 2006 : Downtown Toledo Development
- July 16, 2006 : Up coming rib events, Toledo or Maumee or both
- August 14, 2006 : A Tourists View of Toledo
- November 8, 2006 : Cosi defeated
From the February 7, 2006 thread More sports arena news, a comment asking:
"Okay, so what are the problems with going to downtown Toledo?"
* Is it the confusing one-way and two-way streets?
* Is it the jackass drivers who know what they are doing and ride your ass while you make sure you don't turn against a one-way street?
* Is it finding a place to park that is close to where you want to go?
* Is it having to walk too far to wherever you want to go after finding a parking place?
* Is it a lack of signage or directions?
* Is it having to pay for parking while everywhere else around here is free?
* Is it safety concerns?
* What?
posted by jr at 01:46 P.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
I found it very interesting that surfcae parking was actually listed as one of the "turn-offs" of a vibrant downtown.
We Toledoans are spoiled - we like to park right in front of where we're going or we bitch. My college roommate is from chicago. We have a running joke that if anything's described as 'walking distance' - it's way different in Chicago than it is in Toledo...
posted by billy at 03:04 P.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
Library or Courthouse parking is difficult and pricey. In both instances I am carrying files and/or books. Even though I get down there about once a month the one way stuff still makes me plan a route before I leave home just to make sure I don't screw up. I usually try to end the trip at Michael's (After Court I sometimes need a little libation.) Akward to get to from my other destinations. My usual plan is to park at One Govt. Center and walk every place from there. Once in a while they are full and I have to hunt some where else for a space. Parking in Columbus is much more accommodating. Even though I get there maybe two, three times a year I actually find it less difficult to navigate. Four oclock rush hour is a real headbanger though. I make certain I am well north of Columbus by 3:30 pm. There is nothing like a stampede of civil servants at 3:59 pm on the outer belt. Now THERE are some high speed a$$holes.
posted by holland at 04:15 P.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
This might be a good event for him or he could contact John Henry Fullen:
John Henry Fullen (jhfullen@toast.net)
Hello Downtown Development advocates, residents, friends and supporters of ReUrbanism,
This Thursday from 5:30-7pm, Downtown Toledo ReUrbanism continues discussion and information sharing about the re-development of Downtown Toledo, at Downtown Latte, 44 S. St. Clair Street
So far, we have two speakers –
Bob Seyfang, Architect and Planner – on latest plans and progress related to Downtown and Marina District planning
Paula Ross, Urban Affairs Center, UT – on latest news and developments related to the Farmers Market (with a successful grant initiative to share)
posted by jhostetler at 05:22 P.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
Library or Courthouse parking is difficult and pricey.
Isn't library parking free in the underground parking lot?
posted by HeyHey at 11:44 P.M. EST on Mon Feb 19, 2007 #
Great video. I don't know if Toledoans would accept such a livelihood downtown. For one, most downtown buildings are banks and there is not much opportunity for window shopping. The development northwest of the government district brings some hope, but it's still rather ghetto, so to speak. The same is true for the warehouse district. These buildings are beautiful. Why not make a mall downtown, like that of Levis Commons, downtown, from these historic buildings? I would think that these buildings could provide a levis commons like atmosphere, without the cost, and without the randomness of a city like atmosphere outside the city in the middle of nowhere. Why has nobody thought of this before?
posted by junta330 at 12:34 A.M. EST on Tue Feb 20, 2007 #
I'm sure someone has thought of building one right in the middle of downtown, but once they looked at it they found it to be a bad business model. To be brutally honest, East and Central Toledoans aren't the demographic Larry Dillin is targeted when he built Levis Commons. They simply don't have the income levels (as a whole) to support the stores. That demographic does live in Perrysburg, Maumee, and Rossford. Hence the reason it's in Perrysburg.
What would possibly work in the future is if downtown Toledo becomes a destination for all of metro Toledo. If that happens then a Levis Commons-style development would work. However, I don't see that happening for a while, and any real estate development of the sort would go under long before downtown reached the status of "destination."
Shopping malls and other large venues typically follow in the footsteps of successful restaurants and clubs. Real estate developers are far more eager to go to the customer than they are making the customer come to them.
posted by HeyHey at 12:53 A.M. EST on Tue Feb 20, 2007 #
You can always find parking at the Erie Street Market cuz no one goes there. (Rimshot)
But seriously I've been all over Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia in the last ten years. Toledoans have it easy for parking and it's cheap too. Drive to Akron, they're rates are higher than Toledo's.
If you think you are entitled to free parking living in a city then you problably shouldn't be living in a city. Free parking is a novelty and you should enjoy it as such.
posted by MikeyA at 02:44 P.M. EST on Tue Feb 20, 2007 #
Ya know, I don't mind the payin. It's the trekkin carrying books, briefcases, files or what have you. Add an umbrella and rain and you have a real mess. I had an easier time in London for crying out loud. And the public loos in London were a religious experience - squeaky clean, hand painted Italian tile, and unattended. People there just don't vandal. You wouldn't dare provide a public toilet in downtown Toledo. Downtown USA anywhere for that matter. The London trip was a few years ago. Things might have changed since worries about bombs and terrorism.
posted by holland at 04:22 P.M. EST on Tue Feb 20, 2007 #
There are not enough police in the city of Toledo. No one is going to want to relocate to a city where the officers are not even safe.
posted by Rose at 08:05 P.M. EST on Sat Feb 24, 2007 #
Some additional info Kirk sent me:
If you've got time, you might find this video interesting: it's a talk recently given by a former professor of mine to the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (I edited his talk). It's about 30 minutes, I think:
http://cleinberger.com/AdminHome.asp?ArticleID=219 (click on the second video link)
...and if you're on a roll, Paul Levy, the head of Center City Philadelphia's BID, gave a great speech a few months ago on how his organization turned around that city (second from bottom, I think):
http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/umuliforum/video.html
posted by jr at 09:49 P.M. EST on Sat Feb 24, 2007 #
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