Stanley Theatre Has Concerns About Downtown Parking Plan
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: December 7, 2012
Mayor Robert Palmieri's plan to reform downtown Utica has more business owners and residents speaking up.
Some say the most controversial part of the mayor's plan is changing Genesee Street from four lanes to two. Most business owners worry this will affect traffic flow, but one landmark business has other concerns. The Stanley Theatre brings in tractor trailers and bus-loads of students and residents regularly. And the board president says they need to use all four lanes to do so.
"Yesterday there was 20-30 buses that pull up in front of the Stanley and drop kids off and load kids up. When a show loads in, they load in from Genesee Street. And tractor trailers pull up and they pretty much need the whole width of street to pull around and back up. So that would be a problem with narrower lanes and only 2 lanes," says Stephen Zogby, Board President of Stanley Center for the Arts.
Although Mr. Zogby is worried, he says Mayor Palmieri and city officials told him they will make sure to address his concerns.
Some say the most controversial part of the mayor's plan is changing Genesee Street from four lanes to two. Most business owners worry this will affect traffic flow, but one landmark business has other concerns. The Stanley Theatre brings in tractor trailers and bus-loads of students and residents regularly. And the board president says they need to use all four lanes to do so.
"Yesterday there was 20-30 buses that pull up in front of the Stanley and drop kids off and load kids up. When a show loads in, they load in from Genesee Street. And tractor trailers pull up and they pretty much need the whole width of street to pull around and back up. So that would be a problem with narrower lanes and only 2 lanes," says Stephen Zogby, Board President of Stanley Center for the Arts.
Although Mr. Zogby is worried, he says Mayor Palmieri and city officials told him they will make sure to address his concerns.
