For a while, Hamilton City Schools have made available parking at their Miami School, 140 Ross Ave., after it closes. There also are city parking lots in several areas along Main.
With the success of Hamilton’s business areas, motorists now have to adjust the way they look at parking in the Butler County seat, the same way they do when they visit downtown Cincinnati, or gigantic shopping centers with sprawling parking areas, Bates said.
“In a vibrant city, like Hamilton, you’re not going to be able to park at the front door,” he said. “But you don’t have to walk very far, because there’s plenty of on-street parking on the side streets.”
“They might have to drive around the block to find a parking spot,” Bates said.
“People go to Liberty Center and park in that front lot, and walk to a restaurant or something toward the back, and they’re walking the equivalent probably of at least two or three city blocks,” Bates said. “Nobody complains.”
“People go down to Cincinnati, and you’re lucky if you can even find a place to park in a parking garage or whatever,” he added. “And if you’re only walking three blocks, your thrilled. But they come to Hamilton, and they want to park at the front door. I just don’t get that.”
Some business owners have expressed concerns to Hamilton City Council that with more restaurants, bars and shops opening, particularly along Main Street, if motorists don’t see an open space nearby, they’ll keep on driving.
One owner, Jim Bright, owner of the Reptile Pit, urged the city to increase its parking enforcement to make sure people don’t stay in a parking space more than the two-hour limit, so motorists don’t continue driving when they see no spaces available in the immediate area.
Customers should also note there is a parking lot behind Reptile Pit and the businesses in that center.
Bates said there also are parking garages and parking lots in downtown Hamilton people can use, and those seldom are filled. Many of the shops also have parking in back, and one thing shop owners should do is make their customers aware of that option, he said.
Richards Pizza co-owner Karen Underwood Kramer and others expressed concerns this summer about parking that was required of Rossville Flats, with about 80 apartments and retail spaces planned for the 300 block of Main. Underwood Kramer in particular was concerned there wasn’t sufficient parking for the apartments’ residents, and urged the city to require the residents park in designated spaces, rather than taking up street parking in front of the apartments.
Underwood Kramer more recently told this media outlet she was glad she spoke to the council because the city took steps to at least partly address her concerns. Richards plans to expand, adding tacos and other Mexican foods the way it used to at its Main Street location.
“People aren’t going to come to Hamilton because they heard we have great parking,” said Mallory Greenham, a small-business development specialist and assistant to the city manager. “They’re going to come to Hamilton because they hear that we have new things happening, and businesses opening, so I hope everyone will bear with us while we work through this amazing period of growth for us.”
The city is considering increased parking-meter enforcement and use of parking-meter kiosks there, like the ones that recently were activated downtown.
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