FROM THE INDEPENDENT PRESS (NJN Publishing)
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
By ROBERT KOPACZ
Parking 'problem' seems to be one of perception, not reality
MADISON -- Madison Borough consultant Ben Margolis gave a detailed progress report to the Downtown Development Commission on March 1 that had several commission members puzzled. In the words of At-large Alternate Commissioner Eric Range, he thought that he had come to hear a "parking and development study, not a development and parking study."
Mr. Margolis, introduced by commissioner Paul Daly as presenting Phase II of a "parking study analysis," presented what he described as a "progress report" on second of four phases of the study under preparation by his firm, Phillips Preiss Shapiro Associates, Inc. It focused on many aspects of future downtown development and what the borough could do to prepare for further development. However, some commissioners expressed concerns it did not sufficiently address downtown parking issues.
Mr. Margolis limited his comments on parking to an observation that the shortfall in parking was "exaggerated." He noted that there were many ways to show how to use existing stock better, such as better enforcement and shuttle bus service from more remote parking facilities. He suggested that the borough should consider those options before they start to "spend $20,000 to $30,000 per space on deck parking."
He referred the commission to his firm's Nov. 16, 2006, report, which analyzed the parking situation in the downtown area and suggested alternative solutions.
Mr. Margolis's answer left some commissioners sounding skeptical. "What I have heard is that there is no problem with parking capacity," said Commissioner Steve Whitehorn, who occupies one of the "owner-merchant" seats on the DDC.
Others had hoped for more. "I was hoping for some short term parking initiatives, said Downtown Manager Janice Piccolo. "I thought there would be more."
However, the commissioners also had positive words for the presentation, which offered insights on Madison's demographics and commercial data, to help prepare municipal leaders for future development.
The Commission learned that Madison downtown retailers, who occupy 550,000 square feet of commercial space (or roughly two thirds of all downtown commercial space) sold an average of $140 per square foot per year, a respectable performance in Mr. Margolis's view, although that figure falls below the sales productivity expectations of retail stores in malls and retail centers.
This compared to downtown retail rents from the mid $20 per square foot range, to just over $30 per square foot.
Mr. Margolis noted that the downtown retail stores were capturing only 51.5% of the total retail spending of residents of the trade area. Based on studies of Madison resident retail expenditure, Mr. Margolis estimated that the downtown area could realistically support another 250,000 - 350,000 square feet of retail space to capture some of this demand.
Mr. Margolis placed Madison as a community well positioned to attract future development and to further shape that development. "Many towns have downtowns in decline and have no choices," noted Mr. Margolis.
He also noted that Madison differs from other communities in that the demand for retail services could drive future development. In other communities, residential demand drives development, with retail following the residential development.
Although questions about parking persisted throughout the session, some commissioners acknowledged that the parking problem might be more perceived than real.
"People will go from one end of the parking lot to the other at Short Hills Mall," yet object to such a walk in the downtown area, noted Commissioner Brad Cramer. Mr. Cramer is also a retailer in the downtown area.
"Although it seems as though it may be impossible to change the habits of people, it has been shown that you can get people to walk two minutes from a parking area to a downtown destination," said Mr. Margolis in response to Mr. Cramer's and other similar comments.
Mr. Cramer also noted that retailers could do more. "If we have 50% leakage, we have to ask if there is something that we can do to stop the leakage. Retailers have to ask that," said Mr. Cramer.
Downtown retailer Mark Comry commented on a plan to contact corporate employers to conduct a survey of their employees on how the downtown merchants can serve them better.
Several Commission members wondered why all the unmet potential for retail development has not driven developers to Madison. Mr. Margolis replied that, "the word is not on the street that Madison is ready for growth."
The input moved several commission members to share Mayor Ellwood Kerkeslager's comment in support of preparedness and action, stating that "we will be better off as a town, the more we think about these long range plans, because if we do not take action, developers will do things [simply] by right, within our code."
Further information on the study's progress may be found on www.rosenet.org/gov/ddc.