I know I'm not in the Village that much...

[WhitNerd]

As I recall, Ace Hardware only opened the lot to parking for other businesses when Ace was closed and I don't recall anybody protesting. If the gym is open 24/7, it is essentially continuing the Ace policy.

I don't think you're correct. Village Hardware did things like hosting the Farmer's Market and shutting down their entire parking lot for it during business hours. I don't recall them ever towing cars out of their lot, chasing people out of there, etc.

I don't know of anyone being towed, but I remember signs that said parking for Ace customers only until after 7 p.m., because I remember needing to park for meetings at Branan right around then.

I remember this as well.

[Cap'n Ken]

As I recall, Ace Hardware only opened the lot to parking for other businesses when Ace was closed and I don't recall anybody protesting. If the gym is open 24/7, it is essentially continuing the Ace policy.

I don't think you're correct. Village Hardware did things like hosting the Farmer's Market and shutting down their entire parking lot for it during business hours. I don't recall them ever towing cars out of their lot, chasing people out of there, etc.

I don't know of anyone being towed, but I remember signs that said parking for Ace customers only until after 7 p.m., because I remember needing to park for meetings at Branan right around then.

I remember this as well.

If we stipulate that this was the policy in place, it's still not the same as towing cars not belonging to customers. The fitness place's apparently blanket policy of "we will tow you if you park here without our sticker" is a very, very far cry from Village Hardware's position on use of their lot.

[mellamur]

I'm thinking a gym that is open 24/7 should be able to use their parking lot. There are what, 3 spaces in front of the building and maybe another 15 - 25 on the side? At 6pm on a Thursday night I would expect a gym to be full of people stopping to work out on their way home from work. If they're open all day and paying to provide security for their guests why would you expect them to let other village patrons park there when most other village establishments don't provide security?

[Cap'n Ken]

I'm thinking a gym that is open 24/7 should be able to use their parking lot. There are what, 3 spaces in front of the building and maybe another 15 - 25 on the side? At 6pm on a Thursday night I would expect a gym to be full of people stopping to work out on their way home from work. If they're open all day and paying to provide security for their guests why would you expect them to let other village patrons park there when most other village establishments don't provide security?

Looks like about 30-35 on the side and five plus two handicapped up front. The question isn't whether the gym should make a primary claim on all of their spaces when they will need all of their spaces; it's whether the gym should block use of spaces (especially if the become a gotcha tow lot) they don't need when they don't need them but other Village businesses do. Graveyard doesn't need those spots at 6 p.m. I'd guess they need them sometime after 10. And I'd guess the gym won't have 35-40 people there after 10.

From what Steve has said, the gym owners are unconcerned about any of that. Have a sticker or we're going to tow you is what he says the policy is. Maybe if and when somebody from EACA or whatever raises the issue of nighttime parking in the Village they'll agree that a policy that provides their members with the access they need but also recognizes the needs of the Village as a whole is best for everybody. But as of now they seem to be no different than the check cashing place / boot lot.

However, what the gym is apparently doing is a lot less shitty than what that restaurant on Gresham has done. 

[mellamur]

I'm thinking a gym that is open 24/7 should be able to use their parking lot. There are what, 3 spaces in front of the building and maybe another 15 - 25 on the side? At 6pm on a Thursday night I would expect a gym to be full of people stopping to work out on their way home from work. If they're open all day and paying to provide security for their guests why would you expect them to let other village patrons park there when most other village establishments don't provide security?

Looks like about 30-35 on the side and five plus two handicapped up front. The question isn't whether the gym should make a primary claim on all of their spaces when they will need all of their spaces; it's whether the gym should block use of spaces (especially if the become a gotcha tow lot) they don't need when they don't need them but other Village businesses do. Graveyard doesn't need those spots at 6 p.m. I'd guess they need them sometime after 10. And I'd guess the gym won't have 35-40 people there after 10.

From what Steve has said, the gym owners are unconcerned about any of that. Have a sticker or we're going to tow you is what he says the policy is. Maybe if and when somebody from EACA or whatever raises the issue of nighttime parking in the Village they'll agree that a policy that provides their members with the access they need but also recognizes the needs of the Village as a whole is best for everybody. But as of now they seem to be no different than the check cashing place / boot lot.

However, what the gym is apparently doing is a lot less shitty than what that restaurant on Gresham has done.

I didn't ask about parking when I was in there because I'll walk to use it. If they're providing security 24/7 I'm not sure why it would be in their interest to pay for security for bar patrons. I hardly think everyone parking in their lot is going to the Graveyard but that's probably not important at all. I doubt they're planning to make money from towing. The people running it seem very genuine. In my experience gyms don't exactly make a ton of money, period. If they're paying for security (and I don't know that they are) that's a pretty significant expense on top of their everyday costs.

[coffee achiever]

If the business is open 24 hours and they are paying security to monitor their parking lot for their patrons, I have no expectation that they'll open use of that lot beyond their patrons. We'll see how they choose to implement the policy.

[SteveD]

I'm thinking a gym that is open 24/7 should be able to use their parking lot. There are what, 3 spaces in front of the building and maybe another 15 - 25 on the side? At 6pm on a Thursday night I would expect a gym to be full of people stopping to work out on their way home from work. If they're open all day and paying to provide security for their guests why would you expect them to let other village patrons park there when most other village establishments don't provide security?

Looks like about 30-35 on the side and five plus two handicapped up front. The question isn't whether the gym should make a primary claim on all of their spaces when they will need all of their spaces; it's whether the gym should block use of spaces (especially if the become a gotcha tow lot) they don't need when they don't need them but other Village businesses do. Graveyard doesn't need those spots at 6 p.m. I'd guess they need them sometime after 10. And I'd guess the gym won't have 35-40 people there after 10.

From what Steve has said, the gym owners are unconcerned about any of that. Have a sticker or we're going to tow you is what he says the policy is. Maybe if and when somebody from EACA or whatever raises the issue of nighttime parking in the Village they'll agree that a policy that provides their members with the access they need but also recognizes the needs of the Village as a whole is best for everybody. But as of now they seem to be no different than the check cashing place / boot lot.

However, what the gym is apparently doing is a lot less shitty than what that restaurant on Gresham has done.

I should clarify that I'm not a spokesman for the place and I have no idea what the implementation of their parking policy will be.  I just know that he told me there would be car stickers, and that cars without them would be towed.  I speculate that they wouldn't be towing 24/7. 

I was told they will be paying for security, at peak times. 

[Hollywood, Esq.]

Unless you own a towing company -- or you get kick-backs from a towing company (which I would guess is illegal?), how is towing a for-profit aspect of any business model??

[hfranks]

Unless you own a towing company -- or you get kick-backs from a towing company (which I would guess is illegal?), how is towing a for-profit aspect of any business model??

We could probably ask my neighbor on Shadowridge.  He's a convicted car thief and now owns a tow truck.

[J. Grouchy]

Right now I don't know what there intent is or why they posted what they have. Perhaps they have some sort of insurance on the lot? I have no idea but if they have the right to make it private, and the lot is not designated to be providing spaces for everyone else, then I guess they have the right to do as they may. Anyone can choose to patronize as they prefer.

Village Hardware never had to let Graveyard and other EAV businesses use their lot. But they did - that was a very community-focused business.

That's about to change.  Village Fitness will be issuing car stickers to its patrons.  Anyone parking in that lot without a Village Fitness sticker will be towed.  I'll support that because it's going to be a 24-hour facility and if I'm paying to be a member I'm going to want to be able to park close-by in a well-lit lot.

Secondary Business Model.

That could have a pretty big impact on parking in the Village at night. I get the importance of reserving space for customers - especially those paying a membership fee, but there's no way usage of the gym at 10 p.m. on a Saturday night will require all those spaces. They could set aside a bunch of members-only spaces without having to restrict the whole lot (but they wouldn't make all that towing money, I guess).

Pretty shitty if you ask me, and also not a business I'll support.

It just seems to me that things like memberships and residency should get first dibs on spots at that location.  While I don't like the "you can't park in this lot if you aren't a member" mentality, I also wouldn't expect them to tell members "first come first serve even though those who came first are over at Graveyard" and still keep those members.  Seems like they could reserve a select number of spots for members only - obviously those most convenient to the entrance.  Even if they just leave 5 to ten spots for "visitors" or neighboring businesses, it seems like that would help.

Also, I'm not clear on what "security" means in this context.  Is it some sort of lot attendant?  CCTV and lighting?  Regular private security patrolling on foot?  And how does it play into security of the immediate surroundings (i.e., the on-street parking and lots across the street)?   

[Cap'n Ken]

Unless you own a towing company -- or you get kick-backs from a towing company (which I would guess is illegal?), how is towing a for-profit aspect of any business model??

You get a piece of what the towing / booting company collects from your lot. It's a pretty common thing. I doubt it's illegal because you're essentially hiring an agent to enforce your policies on your property.

[MRice]

Back to the Ilan Breeze lot. We were told in a previous thread that multiple Village businesses were offered the opportunity to rent that parking lot, either alone or as a group. Apparently, they declined.
We know from participation in organizations like East Atlanta Security Patrol and East Atlanta Business Association, and events like the Strut, that a number of Village businesses prefer not to participate but still enjoy the benefits of those organizations and events.
I can understand why the owners of Ilan Breeze don't want to carry the freeloaders, although obviously Ilan's actions offend some of the customers of those other businesses, so it may not be a good PR move.

[hfranks]

Back to the Ilan Breeze lot. We were told in a previous thread that multiple Village businesses were offered the opportunity to rent that parking lot, either alone or as a group. Apparently, they declined.
We know from participation in organizations like East Atlanta Security Patrol and East Atlanta Business Association, and events like the Strut, that a number of Village businesses prefer not to participate but still enjoy the benefits of those organizations and events.
I can understand why the owners of Ilan Breeze don't want to carry the freeloaders, although obviously Ilan's actions offend some of the customers of those other businesses, so it may not be a good PR move.

I heard this differently.  I thought that the owner of the lot didn't follow through with meeting all the owners, or claimed to have met them and actually didn't.

[ManBearPig]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the Graveyard has parking behind it meant for its patrons.  I think a lot of folks park at ACE, myself included, because it is just closer.

Is it a cry for help if I join the gym to get a sticker so I have better parking for when I go drinking?

[enduser]

Is it a cry for help if I join the gym to get a sticker so I have better parking for when I go drinking?

With most gyms, you sign up and never go and just throw your money away. At least with this one, you're getting a $20/month village parking spot rental if nothing else.