Stop ANY Multi Story Large Scale Downtown Parking Garage in Newburyport MA

Choosing downtown Newburyport as the location for a large multilevel parking garage is a mistake. It is inappropriate, incorrectly researched and will benefit the few and not the many citizens of Newburyport.

1: Inappropriate:

Trying to force fit a big box downtown that is dangerously out of scale with its surroundings will irreversibly damage the unique charming historic essence of our city. In the 1970s, when shortsighted commercial interests wanted to bulldoze our beautiful downtown brick row houses, visionary leaders rallied the residents of the city to save what is now the center of our historic seacoast community. Over the years, we have nurtured and protected the fragile charm of our wonderful city. Today, we are thankful that our city was not destroyed by ill-considered development, and we mustn't let that happen again now.

By inserting a large oversized structure into our elegant fragile city, we will be driving more traffic and more cars and buses into our downtown area. Do we really want this to happen? Does anyone know of any residents who do? Have we looked at the impact that such a facility will have on crime, vagrants, pollution and many of the other well documented negative results of similar facilities? Most importantly, installing the proposed out of scale facility, will be irreversible. The historic essence, harmony and beauty of our downtown will be changed forever. There will be no going back from such an unnecessary project.

2: Incorrectly researched:

Unfortunately, even though at least five parking garage studies have been undertaken over the past many years, none of those now-dated studies have presented comprehensive empirical evidence, gathered through best practice research methodologies, that there is actually a real need for a parking garage. Nor has there been a sufficient professional scientific effort to ascertain what the real impact such a huge structure would have on the quality of life for residents and the ongoing historical value of our city.

Isn’t it common sense that before we ask ourselves where we would like to situate a huge downtown parking structure, we should properly determine actual need and impact? We need to scientifically quantify and understand the real parking needs based on a clear, comprehensive and transparent plan for the overall protection and enhancement of our waterfront and our historical downtown area. Without the proper empirical evidence to support the need for a garage and illuminate its impact, the current study of where to insert a huge parking garage is premature and ill-considered. It is basically a solution in search of a problem.

More often than not, downtown parking garages on this scale are unnecessary, don’t justify their cost, hinder rather than enhance the community, are out of scale, historically inappropriate, harmful to our way of life, and a total misuse of time and money.

3. Benefits the few, not the many:

Isn’t the vision of Newburyport that it is a beautiful, charming, mixed-use, historical sea port? It’s the way we have defined our city over the years. We have to take great care that investors don’t change the heart of our city and recreate it to a vision that will drive their own financial success. That vision may not include improving and protecting the charming lifestyle of Newburyport residents.

A downtown parking garage will do nothing to improve the quality of life to the residents of Newburyport. In fact, by crowding the downtown area with more buildings and cars, our little city will become unrecognizable as the place residents chose to live because of the charm and lifestyle. We have to ask ourselves whether jamming the downtown area with cars and more people is what we really want. I think the answer is obvious. No resident has ever been unable to park within walking distance of downtown to enjoy the things they love or need to do. Places like Rockport, MA and Annapolis, MD are proof that we can keep the downtown as it is and keep our visitors coming for all the same reasons they visit us now.

Intermodal is a five dollar word for a busy bus terminal. Do we really want that downtown? We don't know anyone who does. The only reason the current study is being undertaken is because it is being funded by the Merrimack Valley Regional Transportation Authority (MVRTA). Let’s face it, is that bus terminal in the middle of our historic downtown because residents have been shouting that we need it or is it because it smoothes the bumps for the MVRTA and serves their interests?

We already have an underutilized intermodal facility at the train station with 814 parking spaces. We also just completed a lovely rail trail that connects the downtown with the rail station. That's one problem that has already been solved. We don't need to solve it again at the expense of the essence of our beautiful city.

If we look beyond just the cars and garages and instead finish connecting the dots that have already started to be drawn, the train station is a very compelling alternative. The current study needs to look at the true long term needs of the city, its residents and businesses.

Among the benefits of utilizing the rail station alternative that have not been discussed include: accommodating a greater total number of people that can be brought to town without further stress on downtown roads and traffic, offering a more environmentally friendly solution, access from all directions, utilization of an beautiful VACANT building at the train station, the opportunity for more visitors without cars to conveniently enjoy our city, and last but perhaps most important: no change in the historic character and open space that we now all enjoy.

There is a growing public sentiment against the idea of these downtown garages. We urge you to ask the mayor and the council to consider the right choice, of “No Garage in Downtown Newburyport.”

As a citizen, business owner, interested party I agree with the stated information. I am against a large scale downtown garage.