A proposal: Parking garage
I know this will sound like a horrible proposal but I hope that there is a large enough consensus in the Truxton and Eckington areas that maybe residents we can pursue it, or at least be open to it, but I really think North Capitol or New York Ave needs a parking garage. Not a surface lot, but a multilevel for profit garage.Why because we are already complaining about parking and there are future parking headaches around the corner. The current parking pressures come from churches and businesses in the area as well as new residents. There is the big ugliness that is the ATF building coming up and couple that with XM employees driving in from the far reaches of civilization, you have folks parking in the neighborhoods, pissing off residents. I'm thinking of the various proposed businesses for North Capitol and wondering, if these places are successful they may attract people not living in the area who might want to drive here.
Yes, there is the metro station on Florida Ave but not everyone can take the metro. It helps to live near a metro and have decent public transit near one's house. Yet, if a portion, even a large portion of people are coming to the intersections of Florida Ave and North Capitol or Florida and New York Avenues, there is another portion (large enough to be annoying) who won't be doing public transit and putting pressure on the residential streets. I know for a fact, XM employees are willing to pay between $10-$20 a day for parking. And who knows the future actions of the ATF people, maybe they'll park at Union Station, maybe they'll invade the neighborhoods, who knows.
Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud and thought I'd share.
posted by Mari @ 30.1.06
5 Comments:
yep. its an excellent idea.
where would you think is best?
maybe part of that undeveloped triangle at new york and north cap?......
...over by FedEx, on that strip on NY Ave near North Cap, on top of Jo Mamo's land at North Cap and FL, convert the parking lot of the DC govt bldg and turn that into a garage... there are enough empty lots to choose one.
Yes. I've been wondering what will happen once the old firehouse on North Cap & Quincey NW becomes a viable business. It would be a good place for long-term guests of homeowners to leave their cars too.
A parking garage is a good idea. Perhaps it could be public instead of private. If the city were to build it, theoretically at least parking fees would be lower because the city isn't out to make a profit. (Remember I said theoretically.)
Why would I want lower parking fees? There should be some sting to driving in as opposed to public transit. Also private firms could raise or lower fees according to the market quickly enough without going through various committees. And I'd be afraid the city would just hog the spaces for their own vehicles.
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