I appreciated the editorial on the parking situation in Amherst and the recent release of a study finding that Amherst does not, in fact, have a parking problem.
The Gazette recently quoted from the report that, “if downtown Amherst added 500 residential units and additional commercial and retail space, it still would not create a parking crunch.” As one of the 84 percent of those recently polled who were in favor of looking at a second (real) garage, it comes as a surprise to me, and most downtown business owners, that Amherst could add that much overall square footage and still not create a parking problem when it already has one.
While I, for one, feel the report is flawed (counting access to 3,400 spaces, more than half of which are private or permitted), I believe you are correct in asserting that, “Before townspeople accept ponying up money for a second garage, they’ll have to believe all other avenues were exhausted.”
I do take issue with one statement in your editorial. You stated that the present Boltwood parking garage facility is “similar” to the E.J. Gare garage behind Thornes in Northampton. I see no similarity in these two structures whatsoever. Both Amherst and Northampton were grappling with downtown parking at about the same time in the late 1990s. Northampton built a beautiful four-story structure with 430 spaces that fits seamlessly into downtown and made a major gesture toward solving the city’s parking dilemma.
Meanwhile, Amherst built half a garage; actually, more of a parking deck. Yes, it has 186 spaces, 106 at ground level and 80 down in a basement. But it replaced lots where 96 spaces previously existed. Amherst realized a net gain of 90 spaces at a cost of $5 million. You stated that garages as a rule cost $25,000 to $35,000 per space in today’s dollars. Amherst paid $55,000 per space for 90 new spaces in 2003 dollars.
We could have built a beautiful garage, like Northampton, when we had the chance, but poor planning, politics and lawsuits got in the way.
You stated that “this debate isn’t over – and shouldn’t be.” I couldn’t agree with you more.
John Kuhn
Amherst