For years, a few Westporters suggested building a parking deck at the Baldwin lot.
For just as long, the idea was never considered seriously.
Between aesthetics and cost, plans for the land off Elm Street between the back of Brooks Corner and Christ & Holy Trinity Church have not gone anywhere.
Another reason: When people heard heard “deck,” they thought: “parking garage.”
A deck, however, is just that: one level, on top of the existing lot.
It is not a “parking garage,” with confusing entrances, exits and ramps.
Part of the Baldwin parking lot. It extends on the right side too.
Though the concept was included in Westport’s 2015 master plan, the Baldwin lot was eventually simply renovated. The project was completed in 2022, for $1.4 million.
Now though — as town officials, the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, merchants, restaurateurs, property owners, shoppers and residents wrangle over the reconstruction of Parker Harding Plaza, the reconfiguration of the Jesup Green area, and the future of the Imperial Avenue lot (along with environmental concerns, the role of commerce in Westport, and the political process undergirding all of the above) — more stakeholders are saying: You know, a parking deck at Baldwin isn’t such a bad idea after all.
Joe Vallone is one of those people.
Joe Vallone
A longtime Westporter, architect, real estate developer, and champion of urban renewal and historic preservation, he prepared a design at the request of Representative Town Meeting member Jennifer Johnson. It accommodates about 100 vehicles.
Elm Street sits about 21 feet above sea level, Vallone says. The proposed deck is 3 feet higher.
However, he says, “with a travel distance of over 100′ of length, the grade difference will be barely perceptible, meaning a relatively flat walkway from Elm Street to the deck.”
The lower deck ranges from an elevation of 10 to 11 feet. Vallone doubts any parking spaces there would be lost.
He envision an 8-foot wide walkway, and an 8-foot wide green space for large potted trees and planting areas. They would be well lit, and visible from Elm Street.
He also envisions a transparent pipe railing system, with built-in planting boxes.
Vallone was careful not to encroach on homes with backyards nearest to the existing lot.
Joe Vallone’s plan for the Baldwin parking lot.
Other developers might try to cram in 25 to 30 more spaces, Vallone says. However, that would feel “heavy-handed, cumbersome and surely raise the ire of neighbors.”
He believes his design solution is a “fairly simple build.” The only disruption to the existing lot might be the placement of new steel columns, which will need to be “carefully located in harmony with existing parking spaces.”
A storm water drainage connection from the new deck, and removal of several existing pole light fixtures, would also need to be addressed. These too are “not complicated issues.”
Vallone says the rule of thumb for elevated parking decks is about $25,000 to $30,000 per space. That works out to roughly $2.5 to $3.5 million for the entire structure. He doubts it would reach $4 million.
There is no need for much site excavation or an elevator. Opponents of a deck raised those issues earlier this year, when they cited a cost of $80 million to $100 million for a deck.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Weisman’s petition to place the downtown parking issue on the Representative Town Meeting agenda has gained nearly 200 signatures.
It notes: “A parking deck on the Baldwin lot will provide additional parking in an easily accessible location at affordable cost without the need to encroach upon the town green.”
After more than a decade of idle talk about a parking deck — something few Westporters took seriously — the idea no longer seems fanciful.
Now let’s see who drives it forward.
And who wants to apply the brakes.
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Foward ‼️
I recently contacted one of the residents whose home abuts the Baldwin Lot and asked her if she was aware of the latest urbanista fever dream. As a working single mom with young children, she had no idea. And was appalled. Suffice to say, the prospect of even less privacy and more light intrusion was not in her plus column. I let her know that one of her own RTM reps was pushing for it. There’s an old saying that you never want the Town of Westport as a neighbor. The litter, the lack of maintenance, the bad faith, the bullying. It all part of the package.
Forward!! A resounding YES!!
no thanks
I think many of the businesses on Main Street would prefer this idea over sending their employees to the Imperial lot crossing the Post Rd in the dark.
Well thankfully Amy, until the imperial lot is re-zoned, our employees will not be using it. As was reiterated by the chairman of P&Z who dismissed it out of hand.
He also put as a condition of the plan, parking stickers for staff so they do not get parking tickets. We are patiently waiting for the parking stickers and will be going back to the P&Z to say that condition appears to be getting duly ignored.
So until the town applies to change the zoning of the imperial lot, It is a town dirt lot that public works happened to drop some black top down with stripes but forgot to ask P&Z to rezone it.
It must be rezoned, have added security along with cameras, and a shuttle bus.
It also needs to figure out if it’s going to be a parking lot or an event space. It can not be both ! That simply does not work.
Because merchants and their staff need 7 day a week parking especially during the hours of 10-2pm.
Thursdays are no exception.
Where will the farmers market go ? And the remarkable theatre.
Has anybody thought of that ?
Surely that is top of everyone’s mind.
I asked DPIC. I got no answer.
In fact I was told that the 40 extra spots they want to destroy jesup green for were “nothing “to do with the merchants.
They were I was told for residents and visitors !
Oh and for the library and the levitt. Very important stakeholders. And the grand plans for imperial as depicted on their DPIC website,( to be paid for by the tax payers) were between DPIC and the farmers market.
So that brings us back to the imperial lot ! Will it be for parking or for events ?
It does not get to be both ! And personally I think it should remain an event space for things like the farmers market, and the remarkable theatre.
The meetings are recorded, if anybody wants to hear the way merchants are treated and talked down to like we are a nuisance. Ironic, when it is the merchants who have made the town what it is.
I’ve always thought this was a great idea. You would hardly notice the difference and I would think the Main St, Elm St and Church Lane merchants would be thrilled. How many people who want to pop into Rye Ridge for a coffee or grab a quick gift at Savvy and Grace will want to walk all the way from the library including crossing that dangerous intersection at The Post Rd?
I think its a great idea.
Are we to understand that adding 100 parking spaces will “resolve” the town’s parking deficiencies? How was that figure determined? What is the expected confidence level that it will do what is hoped for? Has the town factored in that adding more spaces will encourage more people to drive into town looking for spaces? What will the the town do when the newly added capacity is exceeded? Will it be, deja vu all over again?
I have now had direct conversations with two design build precast concrete construction firms here in New England. Hitech Parking and JP. Carera contracting who have constructed many precast concrete parking deck structures like this and they both based on specific aspects of Joe Vallone’s simple design and noted site specifics felt that a single deck structure is the most viable and asthetic solution for the Baldwin lot.
The grade differential at that area of the Baldwin lot means that as Mr Vallone notes means that no lage hulking structure is required and the final structure will not create a bulk and scale of a multi level a typical parking structure.
The key here is that the unique topography of this lot makes a simple deck type parking structure an ideal and very cost affecting method to place parking for 100 cars over the top of 100 or so existing spaces.
I will caution though that the method for moving forward to create a raised parking srea like this must be done on a engineered design build competitive bid basis. This will be the most efficient
, least time consuming and economical way of providing such a deck. No need for consultant’s here, inflated construction methods or costs with this proven method. The multi billion dollar Cuomo (Tappen Zee) bridge was just built using this design build methods and it saved New York State taxpayers over a billion dollars and completed that massive project in record saving time.
Why spend millions on 50 space asphalt parking lot while destroying the Jesup Green and its trees, green space and public use benefits when something efficient as a parking deck at Baldwin will provide twice the parking spaces, much closer and more convienent to downtown merchants and restaurants and so to speak “kill to birds with one stone”. My point here is why tear up the existing lot at Parker Harding and wipe out parking there while the lot is reconfigured and constructed and provide no immediate solution to where patrons or users can park over this possible lengthy period. Build the deck at Baldwin first and supply the added capacity to allow
Main street patrons another place to park while Parker Harding parking is redone. There is something here that only well timed and planned conversion CAN & MUST provide. Sustain and maintain required, convienent and available parking to solve the current and future parking disruptions and disasters that tearing the hell out of Parker Harding parking FIRST would create.
This is a real example of “WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER” really comes into play. Smarter means get more efficient cost effective
100 parking spaces, without the horrible disruption to Parker Harding and not HARDER by destroying a historical Town greenspace jewel!
This is a point in Westport’s history where smart foresighted Towns people and even Town government individuals “kicking and screaming” have their eyes opened to the better solutions!
This does not need to stay a “whose right, whose wrong” type of conflagration. It needs to be what’s the best for all Westport!
Good thinking Joe and Ray. Develop 30% design drawings, use them to get proper approvals and let design builders propose the best solution.
Shall we start a fund raiser?
Find a hundred Westporters, each willing to raise $20,000 apiece for a parking space on the Baldwin Deck, donated in his or her name?
Or is it better to pass the cost to taxpayers who are already looking at school construction costs of upwards of $100,000,000? Many of whom are living on fixed income and still glad to support our educational system despite the Selectperson board’s trashing to which we’ve been subjected?
I favor use of the existing Imperial Avenue parking to relieve the downtown parking issue. It is within easy walking distance of the commercial area, is currently underused-which is to say virtually empty, larger in area than the contemplated project and would entail little additional cost to prepare. Moreover, if would not funnel additional traffic into the very center of town.
Len,
The problem with the imperial lot is it is NOT a parking lot.
It is zoned residential. That has not been changed at least not yet.
It is also used for a plethora of other activities which take place during peak business hours. And peak parking hours.
If the administration wants to make a request to PZ commission to change the zoning of the imperial town dirt lot, and have it become a”parking “ lot, there is a process they would need to follow and permission would be up to our PZ commission.
At that point discussions of shuttle buses, and more security would be addressed.
But as of today, it is not a parking lot.
If it ever gets zoned to be a parking lot, then where will the farmers market, and the remarkable theatre move to ?
Because downtown merchants are open 7 days a week !
That means our parking requirement is 7 days a week.
None of this is new news.
We have asked all these questions umpteen times.
The imperial town lot is 17 minutes from the plaza where joes pizza is.
I hardly call that a hop, skip and a jump !
Nobody wants to get a phone call to say that their loved one was attacked on their walk in the dark back to that very very remote lot.
Many many teenagers of Westport work in the downtown.
Their safety and the safety of all staff should be of paramount importance.
It certainly is to me.
This sounds like a great idea. We need more parking and more green space. This solves both.
Ray, I live in one of the abutting properties to this project and i’ve lived in the downtown area of Westport since 1995.
This is a ridiculous proposition and why most Westporters, except for a few, have suggested it in the past but never got anywhere!
The “simple build” you are describing will be intrusive on a number of levels and to all neighbors on Myrtle Avenue, Holy Trinity Church and everyone else who cares about the look and feel of downtown Westport. As a “Champion of Urban Renewal”, Joe Valone should be the first person to identify and tell you that.
Quaint but modern towns like ours would normally wish to limit car traffic in town, not increase parking capacity right smack in the center off it which inherently brings more cars both into town and through it.
Westport may need more parking, which is hard to believe looking at a the town arial map, but if someone insist on parking in the center of town they should pay for that convenience. And with the extra budget Westport could look at a larger scale project and hopefully find a better long term solution.
Thank you, Olav. It’s nice to see a fellow downtown neighbor weigh in. Planning wise, downtown residents are like red headed step children. It’s almost as if we’re invisible. And, in this case, one of our very own RTM reps is tossing us down the stairs. How thoughtful.
The premise for this series of professional builders’ pleas seems unclear..
Who wants a parking garage who is willing to pay for it? Hands up?
Westport doesn’t have a revenue stream for parking. Other towns do. The revenue stream pays (I guess) for building, maintenance, policing, etc.) If we don’t have or want that, who is paying.
And please don’t volunteer me. I didn’t raise my hand.
There is a very simple solution here !
Leave Parker Harding alone ! To function perfectly after a general clean up. Restripe it exactly as is.
Add the Ada spots we need.
Then the jesup green gets to stay as is with its deeded green and trees untouched. and the parking deck question goes away.
Apply to zoning to make the imperial lot a parking lot with a shuttle bus.
It’s simple !
And saves millions of $$
I think some of the comments here need a fact or two which sometimes seems lacking with some comments. First neither Joe, Larry or myself have any “dogs in this hunt”. I am retired from business and Joe does not want any architectual business or desiging business in this deck concept and only donates his time and conceptual design workup to show the feasability of the concept. Larry is not involved in construction and similarly is just volunteering his effort to help give a different solution than the current Town plan strugges to provide.
Olav I understand your concerns but please don’t think this deck concept is a parking structure, it is not. Please remember it does not rise to anymore than 3 feet above your adjacent homesite and it is like a large landscaped patio deck that covers the same number of cars it parks in the depression area of the Baldwin lot.
Mr Liepolt I live on a fixed income and am retired and the way this Town is increasing its bonding debt and how it is ridiculously mortgaging the Town’s financial future and fiscal responsibility is on a bad track. Just consider the $630,000 cost it is asking for to just provide parking plans and permits for the proposed Jesup Green project about to be approved by RTM. This is a massive overspend for something as simple as a 50 space parking lot. As for the $100,000,000 for the school construction this to is to high and if the School Board and the Town would loose there over priced consultancies and step into modern construction methods that utilize design build bidding and contracting many millions could be shaved of that number.
Mr Boyd I am greatful and respectful of your local heritage and historical preservation expertise and accomplishments but I must say your methods and commentary here are incendiary and a bit to drama based without factual merit concerning the the actual look and compatibility that a well designed deck can place
next to adjacent properties. The cars parked on this deck will have their headlights easily shielded with a low wall structur on the adjacent residences and noight deck illumination can be glare and spill light shielded with high efficiency warm LED light sources.
Ms Webster as Town resident and wonderful downtown business owner I understand and agree with almost all your stake in a good working solution for the downtown parking needs and issues. What is confusing me here is that in your two detailed comments here you seem to do a full reversal on the salient points of using the Imperial property as a new downtown parking lot. In your first comment you are making the point that the Imperial parking plan would eliminate our wonderful farmers market and outdoor movie venue which are now beloved by Westporters. In you second comment you seem to support the Imperial parking lot plan as a good solution to the downtown parking needs? Hence I am scratching my head here trying to understand what you are speaking for?
This type of project solution sort thru should not be a “whose right, whose wrong,” type consideration or conversation. I as other Westport stakeholders just would like to see the conversations and varoius positions fairly presented, considered and studied for the best all around solution to a definite need. No politics, no power trips and just good solid Town and stakeholders best interests provided.
JMHO
RAY BROADY
Nooooo hello Ray,
I think that the imperial town lot, should either be a parking lot WITH a shuttle bus available for shoppers and merchants to utilize along with visitors etc all day, every day, 7 days a week from 8 am-6 pm…
Without a shuttle bus provided at the expense of the town, I do not see any parking taking place at the imperial town lot, not yet zoned for a parking lot.
What I was trying to say is that it cannot wear all these hats, so if the farmers market uses it from 8-2 on a Thursday then it cannot be a parking lot.
I think the farmers market is great.
Therefore I do not believe in that case trying to turn it into a parking lot makes sense, because where will they go ?
Especially considering the many, many other uses mentioned.
In other words, it’s either a safe, secure, parking lot with a shuttle bus,( and nobody expected to walk in the dark, or rain, or snow etc… or it continues to be where the farmers market and other such groups use it. After all it is being slated as a new “permanent home” for the farmers market.
It cannot function as both. .
I do not support the destruction of jesup green for any parking.
The reason this plan has been decades in the making is because nobody has solved the parking problem.
Nor have they tried.
In essence if the town wishes to use, in their list of all day parking spots the imperial lot, it must first get PZ ‘s blessing, then it needs to have a shuttle bus plan( for safety, primarily) and then it needs to find a home for the farmers market.
The town has clearly not thought this through.
I think you have to consider the impact on the neighborhood.
I’m curious if you applied that same argument in support of the neighbors at another large town project… And in the same vein, your thoughts on the safety of business owners and staff who need access to safe parking, but continues to be pushed to the outskirts of downtown.
I think you have to consider the impact on the gardeners, IF AS IT APPEARS, They are getting used like cannon fodder !