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Business takes hit due to blocked road
YOUNGSTOWN
The owner of three parking lots next to the Covelli Centre said his business is taking a huge hit because the city has blocked off all but one lane of vehicular traffic on East Front Street when there are events at the facility.
“It’s been impacting business,” said Ray Jaminet, an architect who owns three surface lots with about 300 parking spots in total off East Front Street, the location of the center. “Instead of 200 to 250 cars [for major events], we’re getting 100 to 150. I want them to open the street. I just want them to stop interfering with our business. That’s the bottom line.”
East Front Street between Champion and Walnut streets is closed except for one eastbound lane of traffic when there are events at the city-owned center. Jaminet’s lots are off of Champion Street, south of East Front Street.
Having only one lane open is causing traffic to back up on Front, Jaminet said, making it difficult for motorists to get to his parking lots.
Eric Ryan, the center’s executive director, “totally agrees” with Jaminet that all of Front Street should be opened.
“I have no idea why police are blocking off Front Street,” Ryan said. “None of Front Street should be blocked off.”
Mayor Jay Williams said vehicle traffic is restricted by the center because of pedestrians walking to the facility for events.
“We’re open to accommodating parking vendors, but pedestrian safety comes first,” he said.
The center added 300 parking spaces last spring to the 400 it had at the facility’s parking lot.
“Parking is a major revenue stream to the center as it is for other arenas,” Ryan said.
“If they need parking money to keep the center open, they better get out of the arena business and get into the parking business,” Jaminet said.
Also Jaminet said center employees are in the street directing people away from his lots and to the arena’s parking spots. He also contends center employees have been verbally abusive to those who work in his parking lot.
Ryan countered that Jaminet workers are in the intersection.
Ryan said no one should be standing in the street directing motorists into parking lots.
“I don’t want to have a parking war with this guy,” Ryan said.
Until two years ago, police closed East Front Street entirely between Champion and Walnut streets. That changed after Ryan requested the street be opened so people could park in the center’s lot. But it’s only one eastbound lane.
Jaminet hasn’t spoken to center officials about this problem that he says has been happening for more than a year.
Instead he contacted Councilwoman Annie Gillam, D-1st. Gillam’s ward includes downtown.
That led to a rare meeting of city council’s off-street parking committee Friday. The committee probably last met three years ago, according to the recollection of Councilman John R. Swierz, D-7th, its chairman.
Swierz said he plans to meet with Police Chief Jimmy Hughes to discuss why East Front Street is reduced to one lane of traffic near the center during events.