Southington Officials Seek Additional Parking Downtown

Buying the 148 Center St. property is expected to cost $387,500, Deputy Town Manager Mark Sciota said, adding that he hopes the town can close on the deal by the end of June.

[PaveParadise]

That's just what we need.

BTW, whatever happened to that Howard Slessinger apartment/condo complex that was rushed through P&Z? Seems like he had to get approval to start work before the 2007 snows started to fall; here we are with nothing done.

Sounds like a fix to me.

[YAY]

This is actually a good idea, the town will lose some parking once the Meridian Project is started so to replace those spots with something close by that people can you to shop/eat downtown or park and go walk the trail is a great idea.

The other option would be to leave the building vacant or get another bar in there but I don't think the town is too keen on that idea right now

[Joe]

Since the town owns the property, they will suspend the bar license. From now on, the most that can happened is a full service restaurant with a liquer license. Which in my opinion is better as it doesn't attract as many degenerates and hooligans (I.E. like in the past, and Quins in Plantsville)

The town will gain parking once Meridian begins. This will be on street parking, a dedicated lot, as well as a parking garage behind the retail buildings that will be built for public use. Meridian just got the special tax district approved at the end of April by the state. They will have to hold a public hearing on it, and then will be able to issue bonds to start the project.

I think the lot is a good idea as it will hopefully cause the lower end of Center street to open up with less dingy buildings and more shops. Pretty much that end is empty and there are some multi family homes still there (maybe in the future they will be demolished for one larger business building). South Center street (the Dairy Farms) really needs a push- maybe Meridian will be the tipping point for that end.

[Barbara]

I don't know why my tax dollars are going to be used to provide parking for people going to parties in the downtown clubs. "Downtown clubs!" This isn't Los Angeles. Sheesh! Since the recent events, we all know what these parties in clubs mean. I'm very concerned about this. I live near downtown and I say, "no club partiers and no tax used for their parking." I also say, "no sidewalk cafes condoning outdoor drinking and drug use". I'm very concerned if these "partiers" are driving in the downtown area where they can easily kill honest, non-drug using, non partying Southington citizens.

If these people are so interested in "partying" then they should go to another town like Plainville or Cheshire. These are real party towns, not Southington. I don't want these people wandering into my yard and urinating on my plantings. I shouldn't have to worry about this nonsense.

[CTKanes]

Cheshire's a party town?? Are you on crack?

[YAY]

Barbara wrote:

I don't know why my tax dollars are going to be used to provide parking for people going to parties in the downtown clubs. "Downtown clubs!" This isn't Los Angeles. Sheesh! Since the recent events, we all know what these parties in clubs mean. I'm very concerned about this. I live near downtown and I say, "no club partiers and no tax used for their parking." I also say, "no sidewalk cafes condoning outdoor drinking and drug use". I'm very concerned if these "partiers" are driving in the downtown area where they can easily kill honest, non-drug using, non partying Southington citizens.
If these people are so interested in "partying" then they should go to another town like Plainville or Cheshire. These are real party towns, not Southington. I don't want these people wandering into my yard and urinating on my plantings. I shouldn't have to worry about this nonsense.

HUH? Party town? Are you referring to the people who can actually afford to eat at Anthony jack's all the time? I get to go to dinner at 25 Center Street once in a while when I can afford it so I'm not sure who is partying down town, these days...

Extra parking is always nice so people can enjoy dinner and then maybe walk down to Praleien's on their was home have an ice cream and have an enjoying day downtown, sorry if that seems like too much of a party atmosphere to you but it seems like a nice day for me!

[GET A LIFE]

Seems to me that the businesses downtown are getting a free ride. Why do the taxpayers have to foot the bill. Gate the parking lots, like West Hartford. Easy access to enter, Free for a limited amount of time....first 1-2 hours, then charge a fee for time over that limit. West Hartford does it and it is self sufficient. Doesn't cost the Taxpayer a penny. And it doesn't hurt development. Look at Blueback....West Hartford is booming. Southington could be next!

[Joe]

At some point southington will have to impliment a pay as your park system. You can't just get a free ride and expect the town to pay for it and there be no control over parking. Since parking would be expensive to install and take up space, a ticket machine where you buy your ticket and place it on the dash would work. The thing is that the police don't enforce the parking regs that are there now. and people don't realise that they can park in the riccio lot and walk and extra 15 feet to the restaurant. Why can't the town get business owners to encourage theuse of the riccio lot as well among their customers?

[GET A LIFE]

At these prices the cost of 35 parking spaces is about $11,000 per space. That is a lot of money for free parking. Without a plan, the town will continue to err by shooting from the hip. Piece meal solutions will be the downfall of Downtown Southington. Especially when that new condo development brings in another 300-500 cars daily. Running out of room. And don't forget....NOTHING IS REALLY FREE. The Southington taxpayers are footing the bill.

[Concerned]

It's interesting that the town managers are using taxpayers money to help a small sector of the community.This coming from a town whose 08' budget has skyrocted, and who desperately needs money to build a new middle school,expand the high school,build a new library,and supposedly build a new town hall.This so called investment seemsto be helping friends of the council or members themselves that have a vested interest in that part of town.

[GET A LIFE]

How intuitive of you to notice. It isn't to difficult to recognize that the good ol boy network is alive and well in Southington, CT

Concerned wrote:

It's interesting that the town managers are using taxpayers money to help a small sector of the community.This coming from a town whose 08' budget has skyrocted, and who desperately needs money to build a new middle school,expand the high school,build a new library,and supposedly build a new town hall.This so called investment seemsto be helping friends of the council or members themselves that have a vested interest in that part of town.

[GET A LIFE]

But who cares. It's all for one and everyone for themselves. Otherwise we would see more than just the senior citizens voting on issues of concern!!

[Concerned]

This particular property was bought for $130,000 four years ago. Now the town of Southington wants to purchase it for $387,500,what a great deal! So much for a depressed real estate market. The current owner is cs pub llc. I wonder who are the principals of that group?

[GET A LIFE]

Interesting observation. Perhaps the council should be made aware of the amost 300% increase in value of this property when most, if not all, other properties in town and around the State have dropped at much as 10-15% over the same 4 year period. Now that is a waste of public tax dollars and may even be considered criminal!!!!!!!!!! But wait.....we are dealing with the good ol boy network

Concerned wrote:

This particular property was bought for $130,000 four years ago. Now the town of Southington wants to purchase it for $387,500,what a great deal! So much for a depressed real estate market. The current owner is cs pub llc. I wonder who are the principals of that group?

[now your thinking]

Was that the whole motivation behind the supposed drug raid that they found nothing but a marijuana roache at in a bar FULL of people? If they raided Stop and Shop they would have probably found more drugs. Will every other downtown business with a parking lot be targeted as a drug haven? Maybe it'll be prostitution or even worse.Human slave trading perhaps? Hmmm..

[Joe]

I thought the price was very inflated as well. the town only has the property assessed at $139,000 of which the real value would be around $200,000. How did the price increase 100% in a declining economy for a building that needs a lot of work??

[Town out of control]

I am so beyond annoyed with the Town of Southington. I cannot believe that we have elected officials that are benefitting from this purchase and they never thought to say anything! What is happening in this town? Do we have any ethical people in town government or do they only care about how they can profit? It is time for the citizens of Southington to put a stop to these out of control politicians/councilmen. Stop using the tax payers to benefit yourselves.

[Barnabas]

Barbara wrote:

I don't know why my tax dollars are going to be used to provide parking for people going to parties in the downtown clubs. "Downtown clubs!" This isn't Los Angeles. Sheesh! Since the recent events, we all know what these parties in clubs mean. I'm very concerned about this. I live near downtown and I say, "no club partiers and no tax used for their parking." I also say, "no sidewalk cafes condoning outdoor drinking and drug use". I'm very concerned if these "partiers" are driving in the downtown area where they can easily kill honest, non-drug using, non partying Southington citizens.
If these people are so interested in "partying" then they should go to another town like Plainville or Cheshire. These are real party towns, not Southington. I don't want these people wandering into my yard and urinating on my plantings. I shouldn't have to worry about this nonsense.

Everybody who wants to go down town is not a hooligan and is going to urinate on your property.

Some are perfectly respectable senior citezens who enjoy walking down town or a concert on the park or a lunch at one of the restaurants.

I cannot say that I agree with paying for more parking. INVEST THE MONEY IN IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION.

However all people going downtown are not troublemakers.