NEW ALBANY —
Kathy Brennan remembers a time when finding an empty parking space along Pearl Street was never an issue. With so little activity for years downtown, the area resembled more of a ghost town than a shopping destination.
But those days have come and gone. With the revitalization of the downtown area in recent years, parking has become one of the main issues shoppers face when traveling downtown.
“I’m glad it’s an issue,” New Albany Mayor Doug England said.
England, along with several downtown business owners, held a Merchants Mixer on Wednesday night at Preston Art Center Inc. along Pearl Street. And the topic that dominated the discussion was parking.
Many customers are having problems finding open parking spaces, and England said it’s an issue he is ready to address. He said two-hour parking regulations downtown along Market and Pearl streets have been lifted until further notice. He also said business owners and their employees need to park in paid city lots and not in front of store fronts.
“You’ve created a vibrant business area. People from Floyds Knobs and Louisville are coming downtown,” England told the business owners. “I have ordered the police department not to do anything in a four-block radius when it comes to parking. We want you all to police your own parking.”
England said he was embarrassed recently when a woman told him she had friends from Louisville join her for lunch in downtown New Albany and to shop. She said when they returned to their cars, they had parking tickets.
“We have to create close-in parking for customers. You don’t need to have someone driving around looking for a space because if they do, you just lost a sale,” he said. “No employees should be parking in front of their business.”
There are several paid permit parking spaces in the downtown area including the parking garage at the corner of Market and State streets. Spaces in the garage rent for $28 a month. Other spaces in open lots near the downtown area are cheaper, according to City Clerk Marcey Wisman. So far there are 120 spaces rented in the parking garage.
“We are leaving it up to you merchants to police the downtown. We are not going to chalk tires anymore,” England said.
The mayor said the two-hour parking signs will remain up for the time being.
Brennan said Wisman has been “very helpful” when her customers have received tickets. She said downtown parking has been an issue for “the 32 years” she has operated Preston’s.
“When nothing was going on it wasn’t a problem,” Brennan said.
Brennan said she rents four spots a month for employee parking in the city garage.
Curt Peters with Gallery on Pearl suggested new signs be placed along Market and Pearl streets which state “Parking For Downtown Customers Only.”
Others suggested turning Pearl into a one lane street which would allow for more angle parking spaces.
England said he will take the suggestions under advisement. He said maps will soon be distributed to merchants which will show paid and free lots in the downtown area.
“It’s really a blessing to have this problem,” he said. “New Albany has come alive, because of you.”
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