11-28-16 Public Works and Property Vacation

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Mr. Feeney responded, Well, Ms. Broden, first of all, there are at this point two (2) viable businesses: the dry cleaners at the very south end and the taverns to the north of them. COUNCILMEMBER OLIVER DAVIS JOINED THE MEETING AT 3:34 p.m. Mr. Feeney continued, stating, Both are owned by the same party who purchased it from Joe Serge. These owners have access off of Portage into another large parking lot between the bar and the dry cleaners. The hours of operation between the two (2) are so dissimilar that the same parking lot has historically provided for both operations, along with parking along Portage Avenue that provides additional parking for tomorrow and overflowing nights — Monday night football, weekend Notre Dame football games, those types of things. COMMITTEEMEMBER RAND Y KELL Y JOINED THE MEETING AT 3:35 p.m. THE Q UOR UM WAS THUS SET AT THREE (3). Councilmember Tim Scott stated, Realistically, it is a universal kind of parking lot for all those businesses there. The alley, really, is insignificant to any of the action that goes on there. Mr. Feeney responded, And, point of order, Mr. Scott seems to be most familiar with that area. I'm extremely familiar. It's near my neighborhood- Committeemember Broden added, It's my neighborhood, too. Mr. Feeney continued, stating, But the fact is, at the west side of the parking lot —where this parking lot would interface with the alley —are concrete - filled bollards that prevent access from the parking lot into the alley. The people that have the primary reason to object to the closure of this alley have prevented access to the very alley that would benefit them, through that parking lot that they own. Committeemember Broden asked, Any loaning issues for those businesses? Because the property has been sold, as of not too long ago. Mr. Feeney responded, That is correct, and as you are I'm sure aware —and Mr. Scott, and Mr. Voorde, and Ms. White —the business atmosphere in that block has been on the downturn. It has been a while since any business has located there. There had been the restaurant on the corner and, through three (3) different owners, that has continued to fail. Committeemember Broden stated, That would be my concern —not to hamper any potential business development there, because you are cutting off either opportunities for deliveries or for loading in an alleyway versus a very busy Portage Avenue. Mr. Feeney responded, And Ms. Broden, any property owner that backs onto that alley that needs that alley for access —will be there tonight. If I were a property owner and I needed that alley for access, I would certainly be there.