Hundreds of downtown managers from around the world are gathered here to share best practices and gain from one another's expertise and experiences. Lots of information is changing hands--here are some brief examples:
- By far the most common use for blogging by downtown organizations at present seems to be retail promotion for downtown merchants--promoting special offers and unique sales to the widest possible constituency;
- The BIA and other downtown Tacoma stakeholders are currently promoting the idea of letting the market drive parking costs on the street, but two downtowns (Redwood City, CA and Denver, CO) have embarked on an even more radical experiment--eliminating time limits.
where BIA staff is participating in the 53rd Annual Conference & World Congress of the International Downtown Association.
ReplyDeletePaul,
You mean to say that you are in New York right?
but two downtowns (Redwood City, CA and Denver, CO) have embarked on an even more radical experiment--eliminating time limits.
Yes. If a city prices parking correctly, one does not need time limits. Some users of parking want and desire to stay in their space longer and should be allowed to. (Of course, they would have to pay market rates).
Plus, if one out of seven spaces are always available, the rest of the parkers can't complain.
Its kind of an advanced step though once the right prices were figured out in each area. If Tacoma allowed no time limits on free parking, it would be a disaster as people would store their cars on the street.
In many places, visitors to downtown want a chance to eat lunch and shop. That takes more than an hour.
Time limits can have the effect of actually driving people out of downtown.
Time limits is really only a bandaid step when parking isn't priced right.
I think time limits still has a place though as an intermediate enforcement step between unlimited timed free parking and metered parking depending on the demand.