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A proposal for Lake Placid parking

To the editor:

Re: Lake Placid Main Street Parking

It’s great to hear that the village of Lake Placid is considering the parking issue on/around Main Street. However, to build a garage on the existing municipal lot and the adjacent lot, would it really add significant amount of spaces, and how would that garage impact the view of Main Street, etc.? Even if it would add sufficient spaces, it would generate more traffic on an already overcrowded Main Street.

Why ruin the quaintness of the village and Main Street? Rather, improve it and make it more pedestrian and business friendly!

The idea of making Main Street a pedestrian zone has been discussed in the past, and a good compromise would be to make it a one-way street during weekdays and a pedestrian zone only during weekends and holidays. This would invite a lot more pedestrians, and hopefully people strolling up and down and feeling enticed to pop in and out of stores, generating more revenue for business owners. Right now, it seems a lot of people drive in with a particular purpose and then leave relatively quickly. Make them want to spend time on Main Street, mingle, explore stores and eateries!

The lower level of the municipal lot on Main Street and parts of the adjacent lot could be made into a small “town square,” perhaps with a small stage (and big screen TV) for entertainment, etc.

For business owners and employees of businesses on Main Street, the upper level could serve as their designated parking.

To solve the bigger parking problem for visitors to Main Street, why not talk to the owners of Crowne Plaza and the High Peaks Resort? If it could generate revenue for them, I am sure they would at least be interested in a proposal. Utilizing their existing lots, the village could fund a garage, building on the existing lot at Crowne Plaza and on the small garage behind High Peaks, then lease it back and operate the garages. From Crowne Plaza, a covered escalator could be built for people to walk down to Main Street.

This would generate ample parking spots on each end of Main Street while preserving and improving the quaintness of the village, and increasing pedestrian traffic and business on Main Street. Think big; think future!

Knut Sauer

Jay

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