THE REASON WEST DEARBORN IS STRUGGLING IS THE CITY IS NICKLE AND
DIMEING CUSTOMERS WITH ALL OF THIER REVENUE SEEKING PAID PARKING.
AND GOD FORBID IF YOUR METER EXPIRES INSTANTLY SOMEONE IS THERE TO TICKET YOUR CAR. PARKING STRUCTURES AND METERS WERE NEVER THE ANSWER TO BRING BUSINESS TO WEST DEARBORN. PARKING REVENUES WILL NEVER PAY OFF THE COST OF METERS AND STRUCTURES. IT WAS JUST A WASTE OF TAX DOLLARS. PAT& BOB

I Have changed my ways because of paid parking. I rarely go to Dearborn restaurants, or shop in Dearborn because of the worry of getting a ticket. I go to Livonia and spend my money. I can't even go to the Bryant Library without having to pay! What a bummer! Admit it, Dearborn,paid parking is a mistake

WHY SHOP IN DEARBORN FOR A FEE, WHEN YOU CAN SHOP IN ALLEN PARK FOR FREE !!!!!!!!

Having to pay for parking to do something like take the kids to the library or go to the Farmer's Market is a problem. With the high rents Michigan Ave. is becoming a ghost town. I would love to see a toy store or a children's shoe store on Michigan Ave. The problem is just one store is hardly enough to draw people you need a whole collection of shops for a healthy downtown. If you have several errands to run you're less likely to care about the paid parking.

Paid parking, even though it is miniscule compared to the tab paid in the eatery, such as Buddy's, is a hassle. Buddy's is a good measuring stick as it has both paid and unpaid parking. Folks wait for 15 to 30 minutes for a 'free' parking space. Perhaps it is because they have no change in their pockets, and the credit card that is good for $50 in Buddy's for the family is not usable in the parking meter, such as Ann Arbor etc. End result? You wait for a free space. Or....... Drive 5 minutes to Melvindale and park free and no 'pocket change' hassles. They also have a book store, still miss Little Professor's, appears he was 'far ahead' on this parking issue after all as he simply threw up his hands and said, "I'm otta here" rather than endure paid parking.

" Abraham pointed out that paid parking was supported by business owners and approved by voters some six years ago." Sure it was. That is total bull. We weren't asked to vote on it until well after it was set in place. Then with a threat to raise taxes unless it was approved and the entire city included in the process, of course it passed. The East End doesn't care if there is paid parking in the West End. The city councilcan give all the excuses and national percentages it likes,... the reason I don't shop or eat in West Dearborn is the parking. The same with almost all my neighbors. I notice that Ann Arbor and Royal Oak were mentioned. They were also brought up as a positive referance six years ago to promote paid parking. Change your mind?

Imsosure.....we are on the same page with parking, but Ann Arbor was mentioned as it makes it easy to pay for parking, computerized scanners that accept a credit card, and run by private enterprise so the city only takes a cut, and not the expenses. What I hate about paid parking is the 'hassle' of remembering to have the change to pay for it.

Here is a link to Ann Arbors meters ...
http://www.residentialsolar101.org/parking_meters_run_on_solar

I agree that paid parking is an issue, but when driving down Michigan Avenue there is no way I can even see what business are open because I am driving and unable to looks at the windows. Advertising for West Dearborn businesses is not good at all.

IMSOSURE basically said it all for me this time. Being in the district when PP'g was being jammed down our throats, I also remember when the City's 'professional' (?) consultant did a (high-paid I'm sure) investigation into several other Metro Detroit downtowns as examples of how we would greatly benefit from PP'g. PROBLEM IS THAT NONE OF THOSE DOWNTOWNS WERE SHAPED LIKE OURS! Apparently he's never been in Grosse Pointe, Wyandotte, etc where they have very long, skinny districts like ours. WHAT SORT OF COMPARISON WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE?

The common thread I have heard and read in this article and others is "If their are multiple stores/venues to go to no one would really mind about paying for parking" for which I totally agree. Now let me be clear I have said on many blogs that I am not in favor of paid parking AT THIS TIME, because it puts the cart way ahead of the horse. That being said I have always from the start of paid parking let the public know that if you shop in my store I will validate your parking for you. It is a service I can provide and others can also if they choose to. It is the right thing to do. Now the time table for payment is another sore spot on this issue. It bothers me to hear that people have given up on Dearborn to do some of their purchasing. Be loyal, shop local, work with the remaining retailers whom most likely will validate for you to keep you as a Dearborn shopper for whatever your needs may be. Steven Bernard

Just my simple opinion but a city should have only one "downtown". That "downtown" should be where the "city hall" is at. Our "downtown", is located at Michigan and Schaefer, where our "city hall" is at. Could the reason why our illustrious "mayor", wants a new "city hall" closer to where the HFCL is at, could be some kind of "support" action action to move economic dynamics closer to the "west end" ? Why the favoritism? The "west end" is a far flung, isolated branch of the City Of Dbn, whose only good attribute is that of a "bedroom community". Just cruise up/down Warren Ave. in the "east end", and witness the vibrancy.

Marooned....your definition of 'vibrancy' is obviously different from other conceptions of the term by others. Vibrancy is driving down Oakland Ave, and viewing The Henry Ford, research facilities, Dbn Inn, and all the neat little shops. Dearborn has something for everyone, it would be great to slow traffic down on Michigan Ave so folk could see the shops.

Make Michigan Ave a two lane road again, with angle parking on both sides. That will certainly slow it down. Folk can always take alternate routes such as Ford Rd or I-94 to get to Detroit. Oh..... and make the parking 'free'.

Lee, I wasn't aware of an Oakland Ave. Did you mean Oakwood? Thats where the Henry Ford Museum is at. With the exception of the museum, the Ford Motor Co. research facitities are of 0 intrest to the everyday folk. Drive down Oakwood Ave. at night, and its empty and dark. As for Dbn Inn, great...if you want an expensive room for the night, after hobnobbin' in your tux at events such as the "hobnobble gobble", at Thanksgiving, for that parade, or the "charity preview", at the auto show in Detroit,ect. My definition of economic vibrancy means people of all persuasions, walking, driving,ect, to an area of a city and walking into stores, eat-in-establishments, ect and actually spending money night and day. eg...Warren Ave. This does not exist on Oakwood Ave, unless you need to patronise Oakwood Hospital.

Marooned, of course I meant Oakwood, and my idea of browsing is driving around , not walking around, which is why the Museums are of interest. As a car buff, all the Ford buildings are of interest. Monroe, and other nearby streets have some interesting stores. Walking around Warren ave does not interest me. However, all folk are different and have different interests. When out-of-towners visit, I take them to Buddy's, the museums, the Ford HQ, and they are excited. Of course, these are car fanatics. What sort of folk enjoy walking along Warren Ave? Any eateries with Fish and Chips, BBQ , etc? What do the majority of Dearborn folk enjoy? Where would you take an out of town guest, visiting for a couple of days?

The comparison of Dearborn to Royal Oak and Ann Arbor is interesting, but inaccurate. We are NOT Royal Oak and we are NOT Ann Arbor. You threw paid parking on a very small stretch of Michigan Avenue that didn't have the business base to handle it. As Steven Adelson said, "You put the cart before the horse." You wanted to make it look like a thriving downtown but it isn't. Compare the amount of different shops in RO or AA to that stretch of shops in West Dearborn. People will drive to RO or AA because they can hit a lot of different places at once and it's huge. How many people from THERE do you think wake up in the morning and say "Hey, I'm going to spend my Saturday afternoon walking around a three-block stretch in Dearborn!" If you want shops, they are on the East End. However, there's no paid parking there, is there? Go ahead and try and see what flack you'll come up against ... I dare you ... The West side is always getting shafted. You force paid parking on us, you let planes go RIGHT over my house 18 hours a day/12 months a year, you take away my library (in the perfect location for everybody on the West side) and you don't provide a bus to the high school that is 2.5 miles away (3.5 on the ride home because you have to turn right out of the school) and is across two major roads.

I'd be interested to know if the people who make the parking decisions actually have to pay for parking or are we providing them with free monthly passes as part of their "job"

Sandra...some good points raised, but until West Dearborn becomes an Ann Arbor, folk will end up driving and making short stops.
That means angled parking and one lane each way traffic, with the intent of making the front doors of those shops viable once more, and slowing down the amount of traffic going through Dearborn, and increasing the amount of traffic stopping in Dearborn. Sure, some folk won't like the slow pace, let them take other avenues to their remote destinations, and make Michigan ave a road for business once more.

Some random thoughts to add to this discussion: I despise paid parking anywhere and do my best to avoid it. I dearly miss Michael's, Pier One and Little Professor - pleasant, interesting places to spend time and money WITHOUT having to pay for the privilege. Not everyone wants a "walkable downtown". Many people have difficulty walking and want to move their car with them as they do their errands. The paid parking lots force their users to walk farther to get from vehicle to store or other business than the free lots did in the past. I remember when, not too many years ago, many of the businesses that used their rear entrances displayed pots and other containers of flowers in the spring and summer and seasonal decorations in the fall and winter. It made a much more welcoming entrance and was very attractive when driving Garrison or Newman. I believe angle parking on Michigan Avenue would be as much of a disaster as paid parking. Vehicles backing out would stop oncoming traffic until they could get out of their parking space and go forward. How many accidents (with further traffic tie-ups) would that cause? I think the result would be to have even more people avoid West Downtown Dearborn. And, please, don't anyone invest in "branding" or a "logo" for the area. Does Detroit's "Livin' in the D" encourage any of us to go into the city because of it's great slogan??

Hi Sherry...... it is a good thing to have some traffic congestion, most of it will be customers shopping in Dearborn. Perhaps a better and safer idea would be parallel parking instead. Make it all 'handicapped' or 30 minute parallel parking and the 'seniors' could have front door curb service. The idea of slowing Michigan Ave traffic down is to have the non-shoppers use another route to get to where they want to go. Minor traffic tie-ups and waits for essentially shoppers is a good thing for business, it shows customers are 'interested'. Again, look at that area where Mongolians is at, it is always busy (free parking) and folk are willing to wait for a spot despite the parking structure, right next to it, is practically vacant. Many folk like to dart in and out of stores for one item, and the hassle of paid parking makes that too much trouble.

I agree, a brand or 'logo' for Dearborn is not viable, but a theme might be. How so?
Something like Plymouth, or Northville, old town motifs, perhaps a take-off on Greenfield Village, a world class attraction that we seem to ignore instead of bouncing off its reputation. Old fashioned steet lights, gingerbread facades, where is the trolley car???

Recently relocated to Dearborn. Apparently, received a parking ticket while visiting Salon West. Didn't realize I got the ticket (never saw a ticket or noticed an expired meter....I was however very happy with my experience at Salon West), notices sent to old address....traffic ticket and fees stacked up (I mean STACKED UP) without me realizing...until a forwarded postcard (demand for payment/restrict my license) arrived at new address. Let's just say, my first trip into downtown Dearborn has been my LAST, except driving thru it. Unbelievable experience...left a bad taste in my mouth...and I had really wanted to check out the downtown stores. That desire is gone, like the money I paid for parking and related late fees.