We read an article recently (a couple of articles actually) about a local government that has a 1.5-acre lot near the beach that it purchased for $2 million in the last couple of years. Apparently (all we know is what we read in the paper) the Town’s intended use for that extremely valuable resource is . . . . . surface parking.
We know nothing about the property or any of the local circumstances, but it certainly got us thinking: isn’t there anything better that could be done? Maybe build a small parking structure on a portion and sell the rest for a tax-paying venture? Couldn’t you make a few dollars, add an on-going income stream (through the property taxes) and create additional local vitality?
Again, we know nothing about the specifics and for all we actually know, surface parking is the best idea. Or maybe this is just a way to hold the property until something better comes along. But we hope other people with more local knowledge at least thought bigger. We can’t think of much more deadening to a downtown than a big flat parking lot dropped in the middle.