Comments on: More public parking coming to downtown – Antique Mall to become paid parking lot http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/12910/ KIRKLAND NEWS | Daily news for the City of Kirkland, WA Thu, 17 May 2012 04:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jim Hitter http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/12910/#comment-61623 Jim Hitter Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:58:52 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=12910#comment-61623 Ms. Getz is right on in her assessment of the surface parking lot situation. We can hope that the newly constituted City Council will not stand as a roadblock to sensitive development. But, here is my dream idea for the half block taken up by the Antique Mall. Let it be purchased by the city as a park site and developed with some tasteful structures that would be used as the Farmers Market venue. I see the possibility of underground parking at the site. The surface treatment could be the kind of pierced pavers that allow grass to grow. The trick of course is finding funding for such an ambitious project. Might there be a corporation (or group) that could partner with the city in exchange for naming rights? (Google Park/Market?) Ms. Getz is right on in her assessment of the surface parking lot situation. We can hope that the newly constituted City Council will not stand as a roadblock to sensitive development.

But, here is my dream idea for the half block taken up by the Antique Mall. Let it be purchased by the city as a park site and developed with some tasteful structures that would be used as the Farmers Market venue. I see the possibility of underground parking at the site. The surface treatment could be the kind of pierced pavers that allow grass to grow. The trick of course is finding funding for such an ambitious project. Might there be a corporation (or group) that could partner with the city in exchange for naming rights? (Google Park/Market?)

]]> By: Jim Hitter http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/12910/#comment-66417 Jim Hitter Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:58:00 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=12910#comment-66417 Ms. Getz is right on in her assessment of the surface parking lot situation. We can hope that the newly constituted City Council will not stand as a roadblock to sensitive development. But, here is my dream idea for the half block taken up by the Antique Mall. Let it be purchased by the city as a park site and developed with some tasteful structures that would be used as the Farmers Market venue. I see the possibility of underground parking at the site. The surface treatment could be the kind of pierced pavers that allow grass to grow. The trick of course is finding funding for such an ambitious project. Might there be a corporation (or group) that could partner with the city in exchange for naming rights? (Google Park/Market?) Ms. Getz is right on in her assessment of the surface parking lot situation. We can hope that the newly constituted City Council will not stand as a roadblock to sensitive development.

But, here is my dream idea for the half block taken up by the Antique Mall. Let it be purchased by the city as a park site and developed with some tasteful structures that would be used as the Farmers Market venue. I see the possibility of underground parking at the site. The surface treatment could be the kind of pierced pavers that allow grass to grow. The trick of course is finding funding for such an ambitious project. Might there be a corporation (or group) that could partner with the city in exchange for naming rights? (Google Park/Market?)

]]> By: G.G. Getz http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/12910/#comment-61603 G.G. Getz Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:41:19 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=12910#comment-61603 I 'guess' more parking is good even though the library parking lot across the street is rarely-if ever!-full. I think surface parking lots are a true misuse of space i.e. Lake St and Central + are not aesthetically pleasing. It is too bad that it is not being used in an effective, energizing way. Marilyn Dillard, the owner, had come to the city council with the great news that she had-after many years of trying- just signed a contract with a fabulous developer, Opus, the very night that the City Council put a moratorium on building. Obviously Opus walked away. The exciting plans would have helped create much needed economic retail vitality in our beloved downtown core. Opus would have also created more parking tucked esthetically under the building. I ‘guess’ more parking is good even though the library parking lot across the street is rarely-if ever!-full. I think surface parking lots are a true misuse of space i.e. Lake St and Central + are not aesthetically pleasing. It is too bad that it is not being used in an effective, energizing way. Marilyn Dillard, the owner, had come to the city council with the great news that she had-after many years of trying- just signed a contract with a fabulous developer, Opus, the very night that the City Council put a moratorium on building. Obviously Opus walked away. The exciting plans would have helped create much needed economic retail vitality in our beloved downtown core. Opus would have also created more parking tucked esthetically under the building.

]]> By: G.G. Getz http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/12910/#comment-66416 G.G. Getz Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:41:00 +0000 http://www.kirklandviews.com/?p=12910#comment-66416 I 'guess' more parking is good even though the library parking lot across the street is rarely-if ever!-full. I think surface parking lots are a true misuse of space i.e. Lake St and Central + are not aesthetically pleasing. It is too bad that it is not being used in an effective, energizing way. Marilyn Dillard, the owner, had come to the city council with the great news that she had-after many years of trying- just signed a contract with a fabulous developer, Opus, the very night that the City Council put a moratorium on building. Obviously Opus walked away. The exciting plans would have helped create much needed economic retail vitality in our beloved downtown core. Opus would have also created more parking tucked esthetically under the building. I ‘guess’ more parking is good even though the library parking lot across the street is rarely-if ever!-full. I think surface parking lots are a true misuse of space i.e. Lake St and Central + are not aesthetically pleasing. It is too bad that it is not being used in an effective, energizing way. Marilyn Dillard, the owner, had come to the city council with the great news that she had-after many years of trying- just signed a contract with a fabulous developer, Opus, the very night that the City Council put a moratorium on building. Obviously Opus walked away. The exciting plans would have helped create much needed economic retail vitality in our beloved downtown core. Opus would have also created more parking tucked esthetically under the building.

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