Promoting intelligence and reason in city government.
Our mission: to inform and involve ALL Birmingham citizens.
Our mission: to inform and involve ALL Birmingham citizens.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Drumbeat continues on Shain parking ramp
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 17:18:05 -0400To: mcdaniel_tom@hotmail.com, dcarney@unalink.com, rackyhoff@hotmail.com, DJMcKEON@aol.com, sdm984@sbcglobal.net,
jap1103@aol.com, stuart.sherman@sbcglobal.net
From: Robin Boyle
Subject: Shain Park Underground Car Park
CC: Jecker@ci.birmingham.mi.us, Tmarkus@ci.birmingham.mi.us, shelleyroberts@communityhouse.com
Commissioners:
I was unable to attend the meeting of the Planning Board (April 25, 2007) when the matter of the entrance to the proposed Shain Park Underground Car Park was on the agenda.
I wish to let it be known that I am opposed to the entrance to the underground parking facility being located on Bates Street. I firmly believe it is the long term interests of the City of Birmingham that the entrance be located on Henrietta Street.
My principle concern is that a Bates Street entrance will seriously impact the Community House, increasing traffic volumes and turning movements directly in front of their building.
Secondly, this location would, on my opinion, adversely affect pedestrian traffic on Bates, not least visitors to the Community House.
Third, the Bates street entrance will irreparably change the appearance, amenity and ambience of this street and of the frontage of the Community House.
In contrast, the Henrietta option places the entrance on a city thoroughfare that already operates, at that point, as a "service" street. At present there are entrances to the Shain Park/Community House Parking Lot and the entrance to the Townsend Hotel underground car park. Unlike, the situation on Bates Street, there are no key pedestrian attractions on this section of Henrietta.
I believe one of the arguments for not having the entrance on Henrietta is for the accommodation of on-street coach parking for the hotel. I am sure such occasional parking could be accommodated at a location agreeable to all parties. Put another way, I do not believe that critical and permanent, high-profile, site design issues should be compared to, and considered in the same vein, as occasional, temporary, flexible parking issues.
Last, I am led to believe there are no significant cost differences between the construction of the Bates and the Henrietta entrances. Moreover, the logistics of traffic circulation within the underground car park will not be affected by the location of the entrance. That being the case I would urge that you take this opportunity (in a cost-neutral environment) to make the right decision that is in the long-term interest of city's residents and clearly in the interests of the Community House.
It is my judgment that the entrance to the Shain Park Underground Car Park be located on Henrietta Street.
Respectfully,
Robin Boyle
Chair
City of Birmingham Planning Board
--
Robin Boyle (r.boyle@wayne.edu)
Professor of Urban Planning
Chair, Department of Geography and Urban Planning
3198 Faculty/Administration Building
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan 48202
Page 1 of 1 pages
