umbligado t1_je37r22 wrote on March 29, 2023 at 2:04 AM

Reply to comment by Interesting_Loan_425 in Demolition proposal sparks debate in Hampden by locker1313

The proposal is not to build more parking for Wine Source — it’s to build a replacement for the parking they are losing.

SaveFailsafe t1_je38mjp wrote on March 29, 2023 at 2:11 AM

The Wine Source should move somewhere with more parking (Rotunda?) if they want more parking, not subject one of the most walkable neighborhoods in the city to the hellish externalities of surface parking lots.

Are they really losing the RoFo parking or are they just not paying what RoFo wants to lease it?

umbligado t1_je4d5qr wrote on March 29, 2023 at 9:54 AM

That argument doesn’t make sense. You’re then still left with a retail property that doesn’t have enough parking to make the business viable. It’s worked fine for close to twenty years as it is.

Wine Source will likely end up having to pay somewhere close ro $1M to convert the lot in question into their own parking — I doubt the issue with the Royal Farms lot is simply one of cost.

SaveFailsafe t1_je4mt7b wrote on March 29, 2023 at 11:49 AM

Wine Source was viable long before RoFo let them use the parking lot. And every other business on the Ave with literally ZERO parking spots also makes it work. It's the pedestrians that make the Ave profitable.

The RoFo parking lot was off limits for years. Only recently did they allow weekend and evening parking for Wine Source customers. Wine Source has parking right out front, which is very rare for the Ave. Obviously they don't want to move because nothing can beat the foot traffic of the Ave.

And that's the thing. Its the foot traffic that makes that spot good. Everyone knows it. If we start surrounding the Ave in parking lots it's not going to be walkable anymore.

Wine Source's proposal isn't unreasonable, but people are afraid of what the next parking lot will be. And the next and the next. It would be better if Wine Source would lead by example, if they're really such an anchor of the Ave.

Interesting_Loan_425 t1_je38ixs wrote on March 29, 2023 at 2:10 AM

Oh I wasn’t aware. What is happening to their current lot?

umbligado t1_je4cs9y wrote on March 29, 2023 at 9:49 AM

Unclear. The large lot across the street is owned by Royal Farms, and Royal Farms informed Wine Source that they have other plans for the lot and will no longer allow parking there, hence Wine Source’s proposal.

From this earlier discussion, Royal Farms is apparently declining to renew a parking lease.