Evening star., 1955-04-12
First HourFre
Parking Plan
Revealed Here
Over 300 Firms
Expected to Join
In Aid to Shoppers

In an unprecedented move to
attract more business to the
downtown area, Washington
businessmen today announced
formation of a new organization
to give shoppers one hours free
downtown parking.
Between 800 and 400 business
places are expected to be part
of the organization when it
launches the free-parking pro-
gram in mid-May.
The new group, known as the
Downtown Merchants Parking
Association, will cover the area
from Fifth to Nineteenth street
NV, Pennsylvania avenue. Mas
sachusetts avenue to Thomas
Circle and M street to nineteenth
street NV.
In Effect All Hours
The free-parking plan will be
available for all types of busi-
nesses, day or night. where they
are open, If the firms are men,
bers of the new association.
Under the program, the busi-
nessmen will pick up the parking
tab for the first hour-admlt-
edly the most expensive part of
parking because 1t includes labor
costs of moving the car, officials
explained.
Several hundred stores already
have signifled their intention of
joining the new group. All busi-
nessmen who want to join may
do so.
Under the plan, customers will
have to have stamp affixed to
their parking ticket at the time
of a purchase from a member Of
the association, and that will
validate it for the free hours
parking.
Founder Describes Plan
Founder ana organizer of the
plan and chairman pro tempore
of the new Downtown Merchants
Parking Association is Oscar /.
Dodek executice vice president
and general manager of the D.
J. Kaufman stores.
Mr.. Dodek described the plan
today at a meeting in the Office
Of the Merchants and Manu-
factures Association in rne Star
Building. He said downtown
business will be better, the tax
assessment base win be preserved
and public convenience In shop
ping of all types-banks, thea
ters, stores, etc.-enhanced.
Adequate parking will bring
crowds into downtown Washing
ton, where all business facilities
are available" Mr.. Dodek de-
clared.
.Although some stores and in
stitutions have provided limited
free parking facilities in the
past. this is the first time that
the facilities of more han 100
downtown parking areas with
25,600 parking spaces have been
thrown wide open to the public
for free parking, with a choice
of several hundred businesses.
institutions and places of amuse-
ments participating, regardless
of where the car is parked" Mr..
Dodek declared.
1.-THE basic purpose of this new
Downtown Parking Association
is to bring about the resurgence
of downtown Washington.
"While downtown continues to
attract several hundred million
dollars worth of business an
nually, it is no secret that busi-
ness volume in this area has not
kept pace with the rapid growth
of Metropolitan Washington as a
whole. BY attracting more peo-
pie to downtown, by making 1t
easier and more economical to
park, sponsors of the plan point
out that it will aid in the main
tenance of property values
which will be of direct benefit to
all District of Columbia tax
payers as well as the District
Government"
Never Tried on Big Scale
Herbert Rich, president of the
Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, and Tony Pritchard,
executive vice president, as well
as Mr.. Doggett and other busi-
ness leaders, participated In the
conference at which the plan was
unfolded. Robert e. Lee. senior
vice president Of the Lincoln
National Bank, will be treasurer
of the new association.
Mr.. Dodek declared such a
plan has never been tried in the
country on such scale.
l.. B. Doggett. jr., president Of
the Washington Parking Asso-
citation, which represents "a per
cent of the car parking spaces,
declared there are ade0Ilete
facilities now available under the
program.
Under the program, both the
parking lots and garages and the
business houses participating will
display special emblems so the
public will recognize members In
the new program.
Star Want Ad Sells