Guest Editorial by John R. Davis
Although I am not a proponent of a parking “structure” in Aiken, I would like to offer the following.
During a previous Design review Board meeting it was reported that the Chairman stated that he thinks a parking garage should look like a parking garage. A surprising statement from someone with Mr. Law’s background. City leaders may want to look at what some other municipalities with historic districts have done to respect the history, culture and look & feel of their towns. Aiken city leadership does not have a monopoly on good ideas.
Staunton Virginia is a town with its own historic district and rich history. It is slightly smaller than Aiken (pop: 26,000). The information below is an example of what can be done if a city respects what they already have and listens to their constituents. I just hope that the next iteration from the proposed parking structure architect does not incorporate the DRB Chairman’s outdated belief.
From the architect’s website:
“Frazier Associates designed this three story, 277-space parking garage on the site of a former surface lot at the gateway to Staunton’s downtown historic district. The design intent was to create a dramatic and monumental three-arched facade to provide a sense of arrival to the community. In contrast, the west elevation is divided into seven separate smaller facades, with varied heights, recesses and openings, to relate to the scale and character of the surrounding historic commercial buildings.
“Retail space located at street level houses the Staunton Visitor Center. Frazier Associates collaborated with Pye Interiors of Charlottesville on the interior design. The garage design received five national and state awards including the Palladio Award from Traditional Building News. “
The above photos and text are used with the express permission of Frazier Associates, the architects of the Staunton, Virginia parking garage.
Some Questions:
- Does Aiken really need a parking “structure?”
- Should the city put a hold on any decisions that may include a parking garage or a SRNL Workforce Development Center before the future of the Hotel Aiken and other existing buildings are decided?
- What if a potential bidder for the hotel will only consider restoring the hotel if they have adjacent guest parking spaces or even a parking “structure?” Will some private investors be discouraged from bidding if restrictions are placed on city owned properties that are earmarked for other future projects?
- If the city goes forward with some of their “new ideas,” what projects will receive a priority? Doing multiple projects at the same time is not an option. Will the hotel wait or will it be given priority status? Is it really a priority today?
- Is there a Plan? Or will the city officials once again make it up as they go?
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Doesn’t appear to be a plan…still feel details are being concealed in an effort to confuse the public. We cannot make a mistake as large as this may be. TRANSPARENCY please!
McDonald Law is a part of the “problem,” and certainly not a part of the “solution.” He has stayed much too long as chairman of the DRB. To say that a “naked” parking garage, that overwhelms the adjacent (and attractive) city municipal building is the preferred “solution” is nuts. Law’s fellow DRB members are complicit since they re-elected him. And, ultimately, City Council members, who appointed the DRB members, are to blame. Aiken city officials could learn a lot from the success stories of Staunton (pronounced “Stanton”), VA. Of course, those Aiken officials “know it all,” and see no need listen to voices of reason, knowledge and experience.
You shouldn’t be surprised at the DRB, recall they voted to demolish a historic structure with only minutes of discussion at the request of City Attorney’s law partner while they routinely make residents apply and present several times at meetings to fix even a small brick wall. I have also observed them absolutely struggle over shades of historic paint colors. At a recent workshop I watched a builder storm out telling them to pull his item off the agenda for the regular meeting that night as we was clearly fed up. I believe he said it was his third appearance before the group.
I was at that presentation of the “structured parking solution” and if Miami had a baby with Charleston but designed by Disney was the look they were going for – they nailed it. In a dog ate my homework moment the presenter relayed the original person scheduled to be there was stuck in another city so he was kindly filling in. Is this what our 250K to the Aiken Corp is getting us? A part of downtown Aiken’s charm is that there is no parking garage.
Some good points. IMO redevelopment/restoration of the hotel will be very difficult to accomplish without on-site parking.
Last year the City was desperate for downtown housing, a parking garage AND a huge conference center with a ballroom for 300 people. Somehow, we made it through without any of those things. Now, we’re told we must have a 40,000-50,000 sq ft office building so Nuclear Scientist can eat lunch more conveniently.
No more downtown housing or ballrooms are needed, now it’s all of those fun loving youngsters that work at the National Lab that we must have.
Plan? I don’t think so.
Planning is not a characteristic of Aiken leadership. One would have thought that the abject failure of Pascalis would have caused City boards to rethink public involvement, integrated planning, historical architectural blending and open communications. Instead, they choose to operate in executive sessions , rehire Tim O’Briant ( who had been so very successful in creating disasters) and ignore the pleas from taxpayers to do development openly and jointly.
It is discouraging to watch an autocratic City Council force it’s vision of our town down our collective throats.
Someone should also take a look at Franklin, TN
Why? What is the correlation with Aiken, SC?