Landing bill moves forward without preservation funds, but mayor may veto

[Jim]

But when those spaces are required to attract business in the first place...well, car before the cart in this case.

You don't get people without businesses.  So the only way to get the ball rolling is to get outside people inside...that means cars and parking.  And after 23 years, someone needs to get off their ass, fulfill the obligation and then they can carry on about walkability and urban vibrancy.

[thelakelander]

This is what happens when you have novices telling the retail industry what it needs to be successful. If anyone wonders why our DT can't turn the corner despite billions invested, the Landing situation is a great example why. Hopefully the council will step up and override this guy.

[tufsu1]

I am not following that one. Would detract? The only detracting from the goal of the city becoming a walkable, vibrant, and urban environment is the COJ itself.

it is quite simple really....the provision of more parking (especially when subsidized) makes it all the easier for people to continue to drive.

Cart before the horse.  People still have to drive to the downtown in order for it to have enough numbers to be vibrant.  The narcoleptic planning department over at JTA has already decided for downtown that nothing useful in the way of mass transit is available for outlying areas is available.

fine by me...as long as we all realize that more (and/or low cost) parking will make it harder for existing and future transit services to succeed.

[Jim]

But you must understand that without businesses and the people they attract...mass transit is an empty facility.

Indeed it is a bit of a catch-22.   But the goal is garner a valid reason to get people downtown.  If at first they travel by car, they see how great DT is, the core population grows and mass transit gains traction...as it were.

[thelakelander]

Keep in mind, they don't need more parking, just dedicated parking. The only people trying to add to the parking supply is Peyton and the JEDC.

[thelakelander]

Mass transit really has nothing to do with this particular issue. It's just a curve ball that keeps us from dealing with the actual problem.

[Charles Hunter]

Exactly, lakelander, Sleiman wants to take existing parking and dedicate it to the Landing. The JEDC and Peyton are the ones insisting on a new parking garage - which would probably have to be subsidized because there isn't demand for another 600 spaces DT.  So, Peyton is arguing with himself.

[fieldafm]

Keep in mind, they don't need more parking, just dedicated parking. The only people trying to add to the parking supply is Peyton and the JEDC.

Absolutely!  Peyton wants Sleiman to build another parking garage... which this city needs like another vacant lot DT.  All the Landing needs is dedicated parking for national tenants.  Something that Rouse also wanted 23 years ago. 

[thelakelander]

This is really a case of Alice in Wonderland verses the real world. One side has a track record of downtown failures and the other is a retail industry powerhouse. What would make anyone believe the JEDC knows what they are talking about? Whatever it is must be laced with extra ingredients.

[stjr]

Maybe if streetcars ran by the Landing from Riverside to Springfield and the stadium, we wouldn't need to discuss parking at all. 

[thelakelander]

The place would still need dedicated parking to land anchor retailers. Mass transit won't help this issue anytime soon.

[Jim]

Maybe if streetcars ran by the Landing from Riverside to Springfield and the stadium, we wouldn't need to discuss parking at all.  

For you, I and the other 2,300 members here, that's a grand idea.  But for national retailers and restaurants...they have other requirements that don't exactly mesh with our urban ideologies.

[thelakelander]

+1

[Keith-N-Jax]

All this back and forth is making me dizzy. Gotta be more to this than just parking. City seems to be against the one and only true destination DT. Are we missing something here?

[thelakelander]

Politics and bad blood.  Nothing more, nothing less.