Parking complaints are mounting on Gaines Street: specifically, the College Town development. The area’s parking is privately managed.Will Butler is the President of REI, Real Estate InSync, management and development company. Butler was recruited by the Seminole Boosters to help develop a long range plan for their landholding, in and around the stadium. The first stage? Collegetown.
"A place for students, as well as young professionals, and the Downtown business community," Butler said. "And hopefully at some point, the broader community, to gather and recreate and dine. We’re very pleased with the results to date, as to how far we’ve come and how quickly we’ve come."
But college age employees of the area’s local shops have their concerns about parking. Amanda Cachon works at Reef Boutique. She says meter and garage parking have affected both clientele and employees of the shop.
"We only get three parking passes, and there’s obviously more than three workers here," Cachon said. "So, it’s kind of ridiculous, that we have to park out front, and we have to pay to work. We make minimum wage here. So basically, my shift would cover the 28 dollar ticket. I’m literally working here to pay my ticket out front. And to work here, I have to pay my ticket."
28 dollars for a ticket is steep, when considering an average ticket in Tallahassee is approximately 10 dollars. Will Butler says that these prices, along with 2 dollars an hour to park in the new Collegetown garage, are methodical.
"Well, the fees are fluid," Butler said. "We’ve been adjusting fees as we get feedback from the market, and from the city, and other stakeholders. So, we’ve been moving those around, trying to find what the right mix is: the right time, things of that nature."
And he says that the businesses encouraged their practices.
"It’s funny because, a lot of the retailers that I communicate with, wanted to see us take control and charge for the parking," Butler said. "So that students wouldn’t park there for four days at a time, and take up space that other people, other patrons or potential patrons, would want to use to come in and buy clothing and/or lunch."
Butler says the money from the ticket fees goes back to the City of Tallahassee.