Roosevelt Island Parking Dialogue With Resident & RIOC President - Southtown Underground Parking Discussion Welcomed & New Motorgate Rate Structure?

Motorgate Parking Garage Image From Roosevelt Island 10044

Interesting exchange between Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC) President Steve Shane and Mogens, a Roosevelt Island resident, regarding automobile traffic, parking at Motorgate Garage and possibility of underground parking at any future Roosevelt Island residential development in Southtown that they both kindly permitted to be shared with the community. It began with Mogens message to Mr. Shane:

Forward planning goes a long way

.......But where is everybody going to park? In new underground or multistory garages.

At Station Square in Clearwater, Fla., 126 condos sit on a former 78-spot parking lot. Amenities include a rooftop pool, a fitness center and ground-floor retail space — plus a five-story garage in the building that has 326 parking spots, 100 of them public. "There's more parking now than there was before," says the property's manager, David Traynor.
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Mr. Shane replied:

I don't get your point.
Roosevelt Island was and is planned to be an automobile free environment with a central parking facility. The capacity of Motorgate is not yet reached and if approached, there is another quadrant to be built, and vertical expansion also possible.
Do you see the need for more parking, to encourage more cars in an urban environment with lots of mass transportation options?

Mogens replied:

I apologize for not making myself clear. I am in favor of the original concept , which I recall as:

• No parking by anybody on Main Street except for loading/unloading and bonafide handicapped with a 6 hours limitation and only on the East Side of the street.
• Red buses running punctually and predictably.
  

I think we need

• Reduced monthly parking fees at Motorgate for employees of the local merchants and RIOC/PSD to free up Main Street

• Reduced short term parking for patrons of the tennis club, who can take the Red bus from Motorgate
• Built in parking space underground or on lower floors for any new construction.
  

My objective is to get cars off the street (again) not to encourage more traffic.

The developments on Roosevelt Island are now located far apart. The population growth will attract potential candidates for the shops on Main Street; but they will be discouraged by the virtually non-existing parking availability in front of the stores.

The above is Utopia and much progress can be made just by enforcing the existing laws.

Thank you for your attention

Finally Mr. Shane:

The employees of the merchants already do get a discounted rate at Motorgate.

We are actively considering revamping the rate structure at Motorgate to encourage short term use thereof to get the cars off Main Street.

Underground parking in the remaining contemplated development (Buildings 7, 8 & 9 of Southtown) would be a policy shift and require a reprogramming of the Master Plan. A worthwhile public discussion, but not now on the table. There are clearly pros and cons.

Thank you for your interest. I trust you will continue to participate in the public discussion of the many issues as the Island matures and social patterns evolve.

Wikipedia maintains a list of car free places around the world, including our own Roosevelt Island, and the NY Times hosts a debate on Car Free in America.