Will free parking boost Hoboken economy?
Letter: Hoboken residents and visitors deserve free parking
Hoboken council members Theresa Castellano and Michael Russo will be presenting a great idea at tonight’s city council meeting to stimulate the local economy – especially after Hurricane Sandy – and the failed Small Business Saturday.
Do you think this plan would work? Or does Mayor Dawn Zimmer need to keep stuffing city coffers so she can give out more pay raises to her friends in the administration during fledgling financial times?
Free parking in Hoboken during December
First Ward City Councilwoman Theresa Castellano, and Third Word Councilman Michael Russo tonight will ask the city administration to suspend on-street parking regulations, for the entire month of December.
Traditionally, the City provides free holiday parking in the weeks prior to Christmas, but the council members believe the gesture should be extended for the entire month in response to super storm Sandy in October.
“Businesses are hurting and we don’t expect PATH service in Hoboken to resume until possibly mid-December,” said Councilwoman Castellano, who owns and operates City Discount on Washington Street. “We need a month of free parking to lure consumers to come to our community and shop locally,” she said.
She noted that last weekend’s Small Business Saturday failed to generate increased citywide consumer spending, in part, due to the closure of the Hoboken PATH station. “We have customers from New York and Jersey City who rely on mass transportation.”
Councilman Russo noted that the loss of parking revenue could be offset by consumer spending by out-of-towners and City residents. “We need to get the message out that Hoboken is open for business. Our business owners have worked hard for the past month and this is a way to reward their efforts and perseverance. Our unique shops and restaurants are the economic backbone of our community,” he said.
The council members will ask their colleagues and the city administration to approve the measure at tonight’s City Council meeting.
Hoboken NJ
22 Responses to ** Will free parking boost Hoboken economy? **
December 1st, 2012 |
The distance isn’t necessarily a problem. Look at Tonnelle Avenue up in North Bergen where Home Depot and Lowes are right next to each other, with another home improvement center on the next block. Up in Secaucus the Walmart and Sam’s Club came in and look at how it opened up the area (Home Goods, pet store, AC Moore crafts, Sports Authority etc. all opened up in the area). We need some kind of destination shopping. And the comment about having no odds and ends store is spot-on. I miss having an old style five and dime store like the old McCorys. We unfortunately have the wrong mix of stores, and how does one make money with the kind of rents these stores have to pay?
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December 2nd, 2012 |
Well I don’t consider any of the big box stores “destination shopping”. I mean why would anyone come to Hoboken to go to a Target (for example) when their own town plus 5 other towns they drive past have the exact same thing. Hoboken is just not a great retail market, but thats a similar problem with any downtown. Mom & Pop shops have been dying out for 50 years across the US. Hoboken is no different. Chains can afford the higher rent because of their corporate backing, and they can afford the cheaper prices because they are buying in bulk. Mom and Pop can only exist if the local community will support them. I am a big fan of buying local, I just don’t think its something you can just sit and hope and wish it to be a success.
In response to Snip119 who said:
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