New Valet Service?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Mayor Summers announced a new downtown valet service.

Last night during prime time, 7-9:30 they claim to have parked two cars.

In front of Ivory Keys, closed(?). Melt has parking right behind it. B2B has covered parking and indoor walk to it. Deagans' has parking right behind it. Souper Market and Forage both nearly empty a block away. Rozi's parking behind it with people. 16 Bit packed with lot behind it? Panera Bread empty. Smoothie place closed.

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[Meg Ostrowski]

Mayor Summers announced a new downtown valet service.

Last night during prime time, 7-9:30 they claim to have parked two cars.

In front of Ivory Keys, closed(?). Melt has parking right behind it. B2B has covered parking and indoor walk to it. Deagans' has parking right behind it. Souper Market and Forage both nearly empty a block away. Rozi's parking behind it with people. 16 Bit packed with lot behind it? Panera Bread empty. Smoothie place closed.

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Are you saying that Ivory Keys was closed for the night or that they have closed, as in "gone out of business?"

According to the city's website, the service is "courtesy of the Bailey Building" so I would interpret this to mean that the city is NOT paying for it. The announcement mentions "the new dueling piano bar" specifically and says "it just makes sense to offer this free service in the winter months." So perhaps it will only be offered seasonally?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Are you saying that Ivory Keys was closed for the night or that they have closed, as in "gone out of business?"

According to the city's website, the service is "courtesy of the Bailey Building" so I would interpret this to mean that the city is NOT paying for it. The announcement mentions "the new dueling piano bar" specifically and says "it just makes sense to offer this free service in the winter months." So perhaps it will only be offered seasonally?

No

I am merely indicating that it was not opened Friday, or Saturday night, and it appears the pianos have been moved out.

I have a call in with Tom. but I know he was dedicated. Middle of winter is a tough time to open in Northern Ohio.

Meg, most people do not know this but the Bailey Building has great parking behind it. Covered, with a covered walkway into Brown Sugar, Jimmy Johns, B2B, Ivory Keys, and even a walk over under cover to Panera Bread.

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[John Myers]

Are you saying that Ivory Keys was closed for the night or that they have closed, as in "gone out of business?"

No

I am merely indicating that it was not opened Friday, or Saturday night, and it appears the pianos have been moved out.

I have a call in with Tom. but I know he was dedicated. Middle of winter is a tough time to open in Northern Ohio.

Its Facebook page indicates it is closed indefinitely beginning January 18 for “bar maintenance.”

[Dan Alaimo]

But the pianos?

[Bridget Conant]

If the pianos are indeed gone, it looks bad.

They just opened in early January?

[Amy Martin]

I called it . . . .

[Valerie Molinski]

Mayor Summers announced a new downtown valet service.

Last night during prime time, 7-9:30 they claim to have parked two cars.

In front of Ivory Keys, closed(?). Melt has parking right behind it. B2B has covered parking and indoor walk to it. Deagans' has parking right behind it. Souper Market and Forage both nearly empty a block away. Rozi's parking behind it with people. 16 Bit packed with lot behind it? Panera Bread empty. Smoothie place closed.

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The valet service was created by and is offered by the owners/managers of the INA building. Not sure what the city has to do with it other than announcing that it is available. Since this valet is via the owners of the building, I am assuming the cars are being parked in their garage?

To your other point... I agree with you that we have plenty of parking. Regardless, I've heard so many people in so many places complain that the problem with Lakewood is that there is 'no close parking' and you have to walk. I've never agreed with that because I think a half a block from the city surface lots north of Detroit isnt that far to walk or even random street spots seem to be here and there. But not everyone is ambulatory like me so I think the service is nice to have for those needing dropped off.

[Bridget Conant]

Regardless, I've heard so many people in so many places complain that the problem with Lakewood is that there is 'no close parking' and you have to walk

This always perplexed me. Go to ANY popular big city and you’ll find the same thing. Try parking in Boston, San Fran, NYC, even University Circle in Cleve, and parking is at a premium. No one says, “I’m not going there because I have to walk 2 blocks.”

But we get dissed all the time for the lack of parking! And on top of that, we actually DO have a decent amount of street parking and nearby lots.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Regardless, I've heard so many people in so many places complain that the problem with Lakewood is that there is 'no close parking' and you have to walk

This always perplexed me. Go to ANY popular big city and you’ll find the same thing. Try parking in Boston, San Fran, NYC, even University Circle in Cleve, and parking is at a premium. No one says, “I’m not going there because I have to walk 2 blocks.”

But we get dissed all the time for the lack of parking! And on top of that, we actually DO have a decent amount of street parking and nearby lots.

Bridget

A red herring for sure. In Chicago, you were lucky to park within two blocks of where you wanted to go. We documented that most of the parking in Lakewood is much closer than 1/2 way across a typical WalMart lot.

Yet there are some areas that could use extra parking because of bars that have become successful, or new restaurants, and the city has offered no help. There are two places on Lakewood that could use lots of buildings recently raised, but while the city assisted Firestone in getting a lot, they remain silent on others.

Agostino's, Sushi Rock is drawing a much larger crowd than before, and with the close proximity to Barrio, parking problems will pop up.

Always best to keep drinkers off the side streets.

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[Valerie Molinski]

Always best to keep drinkers off the side streets.

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Maybe the drinkers could use Lyft or Uber instead. I use those services all of the time to go downtown... not because I want to drink, but because I don't want to deal with parking.

I've even taken Lyfts within Lakewood and it was something like $4. SO cheap and no hassle.

Yet there are some areas that could use extra parking because of bars that have become successful, or new restaurants, and the city has offered no help. There are two places on Lakewood that could use lots of buildings recently raised

Aren't these privately owned, not city owned? Also, I am against using razed lots on prime streets to turn into surface lots. Bad idea and not healthy long term for the city. That is part of the problem in downtown Cleveland. Lots of surface lots in downtown on prime real estate- cheaper for the private owners of the parcels to put down asphalt and charge $20 per spot instead of maintaining a building. They are total dead areas.

With that being said, there are plenty of underutilized PRIVATE parking lots for businesses that close at 5 or on weekends. I know that the city has tried to facilitate discussions between the owners of those lots with the nearby businesses that need the parking for nights and weekends- it has been successful in some instances. But the city cannot force them to make a deal or let others utilize these spaces.

[Bridget Conant]

Always best to keep drinkers off the side streets.

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Maybe the drinkers could use Lyft or Uber instead. I use those services all of the time to go downtown... not because I want to drink, but because I don't want to deal with parking.

I've even taken Lyfts within Lakewood and it was something like $4. SO cheap and no hassle.

Yes, that’s what adults do. In most every other place.

But in Lakewood, apparently the entitled masses think they can only go somewhere if they can pull up right in front of the place and park.

I don’t get the mentality, nor the catering to it.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Valerie

As long as we have your attention and you spoke about some of this.

Mayor George had a plan to buy and land bank property that borders the lots on the north side of Detroit behind the stores. I know this was later killed by the FitGerald/Summers Administration in favor of housing.

I have always thought that made sense, as it was homes already next to public parking, and seemed to be available for pennies on the dollars. FitzGerald/Summers tended to agree with the idea that stores are best served with parking in front of them or next to them.

Land Banking? Parking lots?

Anything that keeps drinkers from driving makes sense to me.

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[Marguerite Harkness]

Even better, keep drinkers from drinking!

It's the drinkers that WALK home from the bars on Detroit, that tore out the landscaping at 3 adjacent houses last year.

But hey, the mayor and cronies WANT lots of drinkers running around loose on weekend nights, and other nights. That's why he is so excited about new BARS opening.

[Matthew Lee]

I guess we might be one bar fewer if/when Ivory Keys closes. Dueling Pianos is a concept that works well in one of two places : tourist areas or convention cities. Preferably both. Orlando. Las Vegas. Chicago. Maybe, maybe the Flats. You need to have a constant flow of people who don't have to be home, staying in a hotel and looking for a good, friendly time out at night.

Lakewood was always going to be a challenging town to open a dueling pianos bar. And once it was announced they were going to have piano players only Thursday - Saturday, what makes them any different the rest of the week? Not enough to stay in business is my thought.

Hope I'm wrong as I don't want to see a business like theirs not succeed but I wonder if they will ever really open back up as a dueling piano bar. Maybe something completely different and original. Like a sports bar that serves burgers and wings.