Lets get the market house completed and successfully up and running first ....

I have trouble walking long distance and if there were no parking spaces (handicapped too) I would not be able to go to the businesses along that strip nor go to the Navy band concerts or watch the Wednesday night races. Buses drop off senior citizen tours - people with walkers cannot walk from the proposed new parking lot. Sounds "pretty" but the lack of parking now is a problem. Think of the elderly and anyone with mobility challenges who still want to get down to the water and get an ice cream at Storms or visit the new Sailing Hall of Fame when it opens.

Let's have business coming to Annapolis first. The City is NOT attracting business for long time and during my 11 years of residency (can't wait to live) I saw more business shutting down than opening...
Sadly this City is poorly run starting with the disaster of the Market House... Instead of spending money on new projects ...Fix and re-open the Market House and don't insult our intelligence by having a BIG ceremony for 6 months operation as it's been done in the past. Fix the streets...NOT ONLY Hanover Street which benefits only and handfull of residents... The current Mayor along with the past one are making this beautiful City an example of how bad and damaging a poor management can ruin a city.

Downtown needs fewer cars so that people can enjoy our city. Our greatest asset is the history and the waterfront. It's a shame that the nicest parts of our city are used for parking. I've lived here for years and it continually baffles me.

I think we should just pave over every piece of open space downtown and make it into parking. That will definitely solve all the problems.

Many towns have created pedestrian only downtown streets and seen an INCREASE in business (Burlington, Times Square, Lincoln Road in Miami, Faneuil Hall area in Boston, Boulder, Charlottesville, etc). The problem with the downtown businesses as a 25 year resident is that many of them have been bad businesses. Build good businesses and they will come... Build pedestrian-friendly, beautiful spaces and more customers will come with an increase in foot traffic.

Better labeling of existing garages would really help. I NEVER have trouble finding parking, now that I'm a local & know where the lots all are. When I was a visitor from the county, I did view parking as an impediment. Now I know why - I simply didn't know where the lots were. Some people get so frustrated they turn around & leave, or find themselves over the bridge parking in Eastport--which they don't really want to have to do--all the while not realizing they are just paces away from a huge, cheap, open, well maintained garage!

So yes, let's label our existing lots better, then remove some spots at water's edge. I do wish another garage was built though - building into air rather than taking up prime waterfront just seems like a great idea; you can never have enough access to local businesses. We need to help these guys. Also, garages can be very pretty like the one on Rowe.

The tiny little energetic spot of Kinte park is fun to watch on a Sat night - but PACKED. Yes, we have space at the very end of docks, but the two hangouts are separated by a parking lot - it all feels very disjointed.

I'm also looking forward to Market House. Last summer, vendors were fabulous, relatively healthy, local, & people/boat watching was great too! It drew me out of Eastport more often & did indeed cause me to visit other businesses nearby more frequently. It gave me a lazy hangout destination with friends & neighbors.

Annapolis could be like old town alexandria. However the people in charge of making this happenn want to do things like make a park in downtown. This is crazy.
Small businness owner of annapolis

It truly is a difficult situation because while I agree with the mayor and think that we need more open space (the current parking lot would be a great park as long as it allows for the frequent flooding) BUT I don't think that should be done until more parking is provided elsewhere. One of the other above commentators said that people like to park close to where they shop, and that is true but there are pedestrian friendly cities that have become successful with less cars in their downtown. Part of that success is having more appealing things for people to do and see downtown. Having more t-shirt shops or expensive boutiques is not the answer. Having more open space AND attracting businesses that get people to come year round like a children's center or a Dean & Deluca type market, etc. would do more to get people to come and shop downtown in my opinion.

I agree that a park area would be much more inviting than a parking lot. However, those 200 parking spaces can't just disappear -- in fact, I've always thought that the area needs MORE parking, preferably in the form of another garage. It's so frustrating to walk and have horns honk, congested parking lot traffic, and cars racing through cross walks
As a downtown Annapolis resident (Duke of Gloucester), I would love more space to relax and enjoy the water, air, and scenery - there is no where to relax with the ice cream cone or cup of coffee you just bought besides the brick harbor (which is usually dirty, and too crowded with just a handful of benches)
I also agree that better businesses will be more appealing to tourists AND residents than outrageously priced boutiques and cheesy knick-knack shops. How about a library? A children's play center? A dog park? An art shop that auctions off rain barrels/projects? A nursery garden? I think the best business are the places like Sofie's, Capital Comics, Pip's, Hard Bean, the Marine Art Gallery, Clay Bakers, the Cigar Shop, Capital Teas, and other local artisan shops -- they are local, charming, cater to interests, and overall interactive. Also, CVS make the list too, for being a lifesaver at times.

While I love parks and open spaces, this concept is not suited for downtown. I work in Eastport and have experienced first hand the floods that happen in this area. The proposed site floods several times a year. What happens when the first big rain comes through? If it is grass, the entire area will have to be shut down for at least 1-2 weeks before the "pedestrian" traffic can again walk on it. As it stands now, the water backs up and people find another place to park temporarily, but there isn't a need to rope off the area. Common sense and two eyes tell people not to go there. But, if it is wet and soggy grass, then it will be mud before long. And, once it is mud it will never go back. If big sections are roped off, then how will that affect business?

Additionally, it is fallacy that Downtown Annapolis is in any way comparable to Times Square or another major metropolitan area that has pedestrian only zones. A concept like this works only when there is alternative transportation. You can walk 100 feet in every direction in Times Square and there is a subway entrance that will take you ANYWHERE else in the city. This portability factor is the reason that Times Square works. Take that away and the swelling crowds will dissipate significantly.

How will this affect the bikers, runners and other morning frequenters to the downtown coffee shops? All of the City Dock parking is free prior to 10am each morning. If the majority of the parking disappears, then I certainly won't be parking on King Georges street or a parking garage to grab my morning joe. If a close parking spot is not visible, then I enjoy my Keurig coffee in my office. That is human behavior- like it or not. If you make things inconvenient for shoppers, then they will look elsewhere and change habits. And remember kids, habits are hard to break.

Here is a link to the patch and the proposed parking gargae at newman st http://annapolis.patch.com/articles/proposed-annapolis-parking-garage-prompts-petition
So lets take away parking and build a park and lets take away a park and build parking with in 200 yards of each other MAKES SENSE

I do like the idea of a open area at the dock.

No longer a resident, but was for 18 years, currently visit city dock several times a year, march in the memorial day parade, am partly disabled, doing away with cd parking would make it less attractive. Many people would not visit the cd if it was a longer walk, ie, from the proposed new garage location. Capt. Bill

What if they decide to do half and half? Don't do away with ALL the parking -- leave 20-50 spaces for handicap, expecting mothers, etc., and every other able bodied person can walk from a nearby parking garage.
And if you are the type of person who complains about having to walk... perhaps walking is exactly what you need to be doing!
I think people come to Annapolis to walk around, sight see, and have something TO DO. Parking does not fit into any of those categories. Besides, the free circuit trolley can run people from the garage to further downtown if need be.

Sounds like a workable plan if it's enforced properly. Capt. Bill

Anna, to answer your question, I think we should convince the new franchise owner of Jimmy John's to allow a tasteful artist to come in and do a "parking this way" mural advertisement on the side of that building leading into the ally. It could look like the fake "Boston Shoes" ad on the side of the Hats in the Belfrey building - sort of old timey looking like that other one and with an arrow pointing to the parking garage down the alley. Honestly, I think little things like this could really help!