Traffic, parking, landscaping on minds of Essex business ownersJean Flanagan The Avenue News 10/06/2004 Downtown Essex business owners met last Wednesday with Essex-Middle River Urban Design Assistance Team (UDAT) leader Steven Gaddis and UDAT organizer Dr. Peter Batchelor to discuss their concerns about the Essex business district. The group met during lunch at Uncle Eddie's Restaurant courtesy of owner John Pierazio. Gary Jennings, owner of Jim Jenning's Transmissions said his major concern was with traffic. "The speed patterns need to be changed," he said. "They need to be slowed down." Jennings suggested the median be widened. He pointed to the traffic-calming success of the streetscape to the east. Earlier this year a $5.8 million streetscape was completed between Selig Avenue and the Martin Boulevard overpass. Improvements included narrower travel lanes, new sidewalks and wider medians planted with trees and shrubs. The medians, curbs and gutters also serve to reduce runoff pollution going into Middle River. Terry Eyet, president of Vigilant Federal Savings Bank agreed the speed of traffic through downtown Essex is a problem. But, Eyet said, the trees that block businesses' signs were of greater concern. "Shrubbery is nice, but it needs to be trimmed," he said. Paul Zarachowicz, owner of 21st Century Computing, Inc. located at 427 Eastern Blvd. agreed that motorists can't see business signs because of the trees, "but customers need a place to park," he said. John Pierazio agreed. "The critical issue is parking," he said. "It is the essential element in modern retail. It must be convenient. Parking across the street [on the south side of Eastern Boulevard] is not convenient." Imelda Libertore, Pierazio's sister and former owner of Uncle Eddie's suggested a group of businesses buy property and create parking. "It is important to slow the traffic," she said. "But I want this project to show how we can bring an anchor to Essex — maybe a Walgreen's, maybe a big office building — something so that people will stop in to the businesses." "I agree, we need a draw to the area," Pierazio said. "But I'm skeptical of social engineering. We need something to stimulate retail." Zarachowicz described the renovation of the building his business currently occupies. "We rehabed one room at a time, and very slowly, it all came together," he said. "That's how Essex is. Essex is changing, but very slowly. "To purchase a building and level it for parking is going the wrong way," he said. "We need to expand the nucleus." Zarachowicz's suggestion was that a development corporation purchase residential property behind the business district, as it comes available, to use for parking. "We have a really good work force that goes to Towson and Hunt Valley everyday," said Bill Bissell, former owner of the 500-block of Eastern Boulevard. "The streets in Towson are cleaned. People in communities like Essex and Arbutus are treated like second-class citizens. In Towson, if a pedestrian steps off the curb to cross the street, the cars stop or they get a $500 fine." Batchelor agreed with the sentiment that the community must bring people to the business district. "The government won't do it, you have to do it," he said. "We can look to see if we can build structured parking or not. If you eliminate the parking meters, people will get out." He also offered some suggestions regarding traffic calming. "You can advocate for a speed limit as low as feasible," he said. "The streets are designed for public transportation and that's changing, but the streets are staying the same." Gaddis said the business community should start with urban design issues, then "dream about how this place can grow larger. We can lay out the procedure for how to get bigger." The UDAT will be working at the Essex Library beginning Thursday, Oct. 21 and continuing through Monday, Oct. 25. A community input meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21 at the new Essex Church of God (enter on Maryland Avenue) at 7:30 p.m. The community is encouraged to attend.
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