Hovis Interiors has been a fixture in Downtown Meadville for over 66 years. For 66 years they have used the alley behind their building to load and unload furniture into their building through their loading bay.
The loading bay was designed into their building with the approval of the city with the clear understanding that Hovis would be using that alley for their vehicles, when Hovis needed to load and unload furniture.
Erie Bank has been in Meadville less than 4 years. They designed their parking lot with the 'only' entrance being on that same alley.
The other day, Hovis's truck was given a $50.00 parking ticket for using the alley. Hovis was then told they would have to park their truck on Chestnut Street to load and unload their 300 to 400 pound pieces of furniture.
Don't you think it is odd that the City of Meadville would choose to go against 66 years of permitted 'temporary' parking for Hovis Interiors because Erie Bank chose not to put an entrance to their parking lot on Park Avenue?
And don't you think it is a bad decision to cause a traffic nightmare on Chestnut for all the rest of the citizens of Meadville, over that of the customers of one business entity?
Wouldn't it be more prudent to make Erie Bank construct an entrance into their parking lot off Park Avenue?
Hovis Interiors has 2 buildings on Chestnut Street and has paid a ton of property taxes for those 2 buildings for 66 years.
It is clear to anyone who is looking at this from a distance that the business in the wrong is Erie Bank. Their poor design is NOT Hovis Interiors problem. Nor is it the problem of the citizens that drive up and down Chestnut Street.
I agree. What if 2 trucks show up at the same time for BOTH buildings? With so much construction in town, and the parking problems, this will drive (no pun intended) people OUTSIDE of town to shop. Is that what Meadville needs? More empty buildings and store fronts?
ReplyDeleteOne would think they were trying to get rid of the small businesses downtown.