Milford chronicle., 1954-09-17
lie Down Trude With
Free Parkins Lots

"HN H|HH N|a.A Na. .I. .NWHI.IU.
values. 80 per cent increase rs
overall business volume and q halt
Of g shopping trend to the suburbs
are among the more spectacular
benefits enjoyed by the Minnesota
Avenue" merchants of Kansas CITY,
Kansas. During the postwar years
they have backed municipal plan
which has established nine free
parking lots in their area, &c was
found by the Hudson Dealers Ma
tional Parking Study Council.
Space for 1865 cars is provided
By these lots to encourage shoppers
70 patrOnize the establishments IN
the Minnesota Avenue section, most
important Of che six shopping CEN
ters in this grain and meat-paclzing
metropolis Each of the lots is
handsomely landscaped. hard-sur-
faced, lighted and surrounded BY
neat stone walls With one excep-
ton, parking Is free and strictly
limited 70 two hours but drivers
are encouraged to seek another spot
IN a different lot when their time
has expired
Kansas City Kansas, has a pOpu-
lation Of 10000, but serves a met
Fop0litan area Of 100000 In addi-
ton to two counties in neighbOring
Missouri. Much of its trade depends
upon the automobile-bOrne custom
er.
Back in 1885. Minnesota Avenue
businessmen became alarmed when
they noticed chat customers and
new establishments were drifting
away from what until then had
been the prime business area Of
their city. A quick check proved
that this downward trend could be
laid directly to the lack Of parking
facilities. Rather than Join this
move back to the farm, they ioin-
ed forces to keep trade-and their
businesses where they had always
been. Parking lots were the ans
Wer.
This enlightened decision was not
easy TO bring into being. The mer-
chants decided to have one lot in
each block In the Minnesota Avenue
section, but met opposition from
rural interests in the state legisla- /
ture where concern was expressed /
over financing Of the project. They I
realized the problem required mu-
nicipal aid and guidance, which /
they secured in full measure, but a /
legal battle promptly ensued. Their
hard-Won enabiging legislation, in
brief permitted the following pro-
gram:
4. a parking lot may be estab-
hshed In a block il 81 per cent
Of the property owners, on
front f0Otage basis, request it.
z. OF the total cost, the city could
pay between 10 and 25 per
cent; Kansas City chose as it's
municipal share, 90 per cent.
3. The remaining so per cent is
paid for by the merchants af-
fected over a 10-year period BY
Benefit District assessments
IN addition 70 their regular
taxes.
4 Assessment is based on loea-
ton in relation to the parking
facility and on fOOt-frOntage
owned Ia the benefited area.
3. Land for the parking facilities
IS acquired by the city through
condemnation proceedings un-
der the law of eminent domain.
In its study of how various com
munities throughout the nation are
solving the serious problem Of Ov-
grooming parking strangulatiOn,
the Hudson Dealers National Park
ing Study Council, conducted as the I
auto industrys contribution to the
problem, has found that Kansas
City, Kansas, merchants were far
sighted indeed At the outbreak Of
World War ~, land acquired for S
the parking facilities cost as little 2
as $50 a foot. Immediately after {
the war, the same land could com i
mand $3.50; now It Is worth $3.50 or
more per foot. One group Of mer-
chants IN q block which turned s
down the original proposal, bitter
ly regrets its decision.
Each Of the nine lots can be ex- :
banded upward and downward. The
one at which a small charge is I
made has gone underground The I
charge is .levied because IL pro-
yides direct access to an adjacent
municipally-OWned hotel and was 4
specifically provided for the acz 7
commodation Of guests. IL is hop Q
ed that the lots can be kent for
ever tree but should charges be Z
necessary it is intended that they
never exceed the rate Of regular II
parking meters. &
"
The Hudson Dealers National
Parking Study Council found. a. an
interesting sidelight to its study. S
that the strict police enforcement
Of the two-hOu" limit IN the lots is y
typical Of their traffic handlinp. %
There's no such thing as e .axg On 3
tickets ~ Kansas City and all laws s
are strictly enforced. In 1853 KAN o
sas City, Kansas, had only three 2
Lraitc fatalities and more cOnyic- 3
tons for drunken driving than ST h
Louis with a population FIVE times y
greater From the parking point s
9t view, this means one thine-the
lots are not hogged By all-aay u.s. y
srs but kept available for the shop- +,
pers for whom they were intend G
ca. b
Real estate values have scared: y
records steady rise and 81
.ranlc congestion has been elimi- y
mated ia the Minnesota Avenue sec =
Ion since the Benefit District 81
parking lots have been established Z
stores have improved their rear en- y
RANGES and one department store 5.
las added $4,000 customers from z
Missouri to its charge account list "
IS g direct resultOf the lots. These Il
leW customers prefer to trade in ia