More Detail on Valet Parking Proposal in Dearborn
Cambridge Real Estate and Fakhoury Ventures continue to push for valet parking in downtown West Dearborn but whether it will ever get approval from City Council is another matter.
In a second letter to business owners in West Dearborn, Yasir Kaskorkis, who is leading the effort, says he has received “overwhelming responses from many of you regarding the complimentary valet parking for the Downtown District.”
Kaskorkis explained the valet parking program to merchants in this note below:
“To briefly explain the program, our proposal is to have complimentary valet parking from 5 p.m. – 2 a.m. Thursday – Saturday.
There will be 4 drop off sites located at each end of the district near parking structures/lots that are able to accommodate between 20-40 spaces per site. We are determining the number of parking spaces needed for each drop-off site and hopefully with the approval of City Council, assign a flat rate fee per parking space for a 90 day period.
Currently, it is unclear whether the DDA will assist in the funding of this program. There are many businesses in the district who have formally expressed interest. The businesses are:
Bistro 222; Crave Lounge; Ciao’s Restaurant; Double Olive; La Cigar; Pizza Papalis; The Post.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please feel free to contact me via email or cell. I will contact Republic and inform them to install the validation system at your site. Again, our goal is to enhance downtown West Dearborn to make it a viable retail destination. We look forward to a constructive working relationship with all of the parties involved.”
Kaskorkis also provided a four page document to each business owner in downtown West Dearborn about how the valet parking would work. Below are some of those details from the document:
Downtown District Valet Parking Program
The West Dearborn Businesses have plans to introduce a 90 day pilot program for Complimentary Valet Parking in the Downtown District. The complimentary valet will be scheduled three days per week with the hopes of having the program working 7 days per week. The days of the week will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, between the hours of 5 p.m.to 2 a.m. There will be 4 drop off sites in the district, all located at each end of the district near parking structures/lots that are able to accommodate the volume and traffic for the program. Our goal is to enhance downtown West Dearborn to make it a viable retail destination.
Cost of the Valet Parking
The cost of the valet will be absorbed by the valet parking company for the first 90 days. The cost for the parking spots will be allocated to all businesses involved. The rate provided for each spot will be multiplied by the number of spaces devoted for valet and divided by the number of participating business owners. The owners will be responsible for paying the fees to republic at the end of the every month. **The businesses are requesting, for the 90 day trial, a cost of $1.00 per day per space designated for complimentary valet parking. The $1.00 rate for the designated spots must be paid regardless, thus guaranteeing income for those specific days over 90 days. It is our hope the DDA could donate funding to mitigate the cost of the business owners.
Traffic Flow
There will be 4 Drop-off sites in the District. At each drop-off site, there will be three signs placed at different parts of the property to reduce the congestion along Michigan Avenue. Placed on the North and South side of Michigan Avenue (2 between Oakwood & Monroe, 2 between Tenny and Military) will be signs directing traffic towards the valet drop-off sites.
December 8th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
I think the idea is good. Convenience for the customers not having to run in and get quarters and run out to put more in if they want to stay longer than planned. Working in the district i see that the business decline is at lunch time. Valet at night is not going to help bring in the lunch patrons we desperately need back. Thursday Friday and Saturday nights are not the issue either, it’s the early part of the week that needs the boost. Valet could work but should be all or nothing.
December 8th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
I just saw an ad on TV where Birmingham is offering first 2 hours of parking free if you use the parking deck. What a way to attract people to the city
December 8th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
If Bluto and Fakoury favor this program, we better hold onto our shorts, because we are going to be in for a royal screwing — trust me.
December 8th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
If these idiots had half a brain between them, they would hire people to wander the parking lots, feeding expired meters one at a time and leaving a card on the windshields that said: “Your expired parking meter was fed by Joe Smith….Vote for me on Tuesday, November 6th….”
December 9th, 2011 at 11:23 am
Why not take the money for the spots, the money for the valet company, the money someone will take as overhead, the money to install signs and deals with complaints and instead just subsidize parking to give a free hour of parking to people. If I need to go to Merchant’s or somethign quick, I’m not going to get in line for valet, hope the guy finds my car, hope he can drive a manual trans, and get my car back in time when parking spots are 20 feet away from the store. Refocus this effort to something viable…
December 9th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
What an innovative way to utilize a parking structure, but then again thats too much to expect from the Big Fella and his band of yes men.
December 10th, 2011 at 8:18 am
So basically the employees will get to park for free. Isn’t that how the whole Parking fiasco started, because when it was free the employees where parking in the front spots ???
December 10th, 2011 at 9:37 am
I’m a young person with disposable income and I don’t want someone I don’t know to have access to my car, my car keys, my GPS unit, the contents of my car and I don’t want them DRIVING my car. I also don’t want to be obligated to tip this person who I don’t want in my car in the first place. If the business owners are so convinced that their brick-a-brack stores and trendy, over-priced bars and restaurants are going out of business because of paid paid parking, let THEM pay for the parking decks and lots or let them pay for parking meters that accept debit or credit cards.
I don’t know where the newer business owners in town ever came up with the idea that if they sink a bunch of money into a bad idea, the city or the local population owes them success. I don’t want to pay $5.00 for a mixed well drink or $4.00 for domestic beer. That’s why I go to Howells. I don’t want to pay for someone’s crazy overhead for a cheap suit, which is why I don’t go to some of the rag merchants on Michigan Ave. I don’t need to go to Hallmark’s for a $4.00 greeting card when the dollar store carries greeting cards, and I’m not in the market for any made in Pakistan figurine crap for my mantle. I don’t need overpriced ice cream from Cold Stone and the local food warehouse takes care of my chocolate needs. Also, there are only so many ways to serve falaffel or fatoush or to clip and paint finger and toenails, I buy about 1 cell phone every few years, so I don’t need a Verizon store on every corner, and the few pieces of jewelry I buy come from places with higher volume and lower markup.
Finally, if I want to go somewhere with diverse entertainment choices in a higher-class environment that isn’t sandwiched between Inkster and Detroit, I go to ROYAL OAK! And I don’t bitch about parking. In fact, last time I went there, I paid $5.00 to park in a private lot when the nearby parking structure would have been cheaper. I know that must make me a racist even though I also patronize such diverse areas as Ann Arbor, but if Dearborn merchants want my money, they need to figure out what I want and how much I’m willing to pay for it. They must also know what I’m willing to put up with to get it. So far their arrogant attitude seems to be “I invested, therefore I’m entitled.” That’s a good way to be out of business within 5 years or less.
Why is the east end flourishing and how can their customer base support a bakery and fruit market and restaurant on every block (sometimes even MORE than one)? It’s not because there is no paid parking there or because Allen Park is too far away. The east end merchant knows their customer base and gives them what they want. The west end merchant, with a few exceptions, drives (no pun intended) their potential customers to other areas.
December 10th, 2011 at 4:08 pm
You are not being forced to valet. They are only purchasing some spots for the people who would rather valet than put quarters in a meter. The stores who have people sitting in booths have the opportunity to validate currently. The stores with meters do not. This is a way to help those businesses.
December 10th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
You are not being forced to valet you can still park in the lots with booths or pay a meter if you like. If you owned a business in West Dearborn you would feel differently, especially if you owned one before paid parking was put in place. If you owned a business and had to listen to all of your patrons whine and moan about having to pay for parking you might have a different tone.
December 11th, 2011 at 10:26 am
Bluto and Hakim what a dynamic duo. We are supposed to look at them for advice? All I can say is get the KY out,because that’s all they do to the residents, when they agree on something.
December 11th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
What’s next from Hakim? Complimentary designated drivers?
http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=Community&article=5039
“HIGHLAND PARK— Rima Fakih, the former 2010 Miss USA, is expected to have a court hearing at the Highland Park 30th District Court House on Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. according to the Detroit Free Press. Fakih was charged with a misdemeanor for drunk driving on Dec. 3 in Highland Park. Reports show the pageant winner blew a 0.20 which is over the legal limit of 0.08. Fakih is facing up to 93 days in jail. Her attorney, Doraid Elder, said Fakih was driving on behalf of a friend who was too intoxicated to operate the vehicle. A report from the Associated Press shows after being pulled over Fakih immediately identified herself as Miss USA. Police say a half full wine bottle was found behind the driver’s seat. The vehicle, a Jaguar, wasn’t owned by Fakih. Local ABC affiliate WXYZ reports that the vehicle owner, April Fakhouri, wasn’t in the car at the time of the incident, and said she was upset about its condition when she got it back. Fakhouri said the windows were left open and the interior was wet from the rain.”
December 13th, 2011 at 12:16 am
And where are the people w2ho do not use valet parki once most of the spaces are disignated for the valet parking?
December 13th, 2011 at 7:29 am
Approved by the council last nite.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:07 am
I’m glad to see they’re trying to do something, but “free” valet parking is not the answer. The best thing this city can do is rid itself of paid parking as soon as possible. It’s not working here and I don’t think valet parking is going to make it any better.
If city officials decide to go forward with this anyway, I hope it works; I hope it brings customers to Dearborn. But it seems highly unlikely that it will.
December 13th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Rima represents our City in fine fashion. That picture of her on stage with a stripper pole should of let us know what kind of representative she would be. Simply trash.
December 13th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
“The best thing this city can do is rid itself of paid parking as soon as possible.”
Do you have any realistic ideas for how we should pay off the debt for the parking structures and parking lot upgrades and maintenance and future maintenance once we get rid of paid parking?
December 13th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
They should not have spent all the money building all of that without having an established downtown with customers that will pay to park. I guess whoever’s dumb idea it was to build all of that should figure out how to pay for it not us. Those lots have been there for years and have always managed to get paid for. The thing that’s costing money is the bill for the meters, structure and parking attendants and parking enforcement worker. So, let’s just shell out more money keeping all of this up and hope it works right?
December 15th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Something smell fishy here? Azeem Elder? Doraid Elder? Fakhouir? Miss USA? Mullins? Ficano? I think we are just seeing a little glimpse of the corruption and nepatism that exists in this area. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours…