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Valet proposal turns to sharing expenses
(by Barbara Christian - October 15, 2008)
Valet proposal turns to sharing expenses
By BARBARA CHRISTIAN
The Chagrin Falls parking commission was taken out of mothballs Monday to hear a proposal for valet service at Blake's and Gamekeepers restaurants and the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.
The service would ease the parking crunch in the area of River and West streets, according to Joseph Saccone, owner of the temporarily closed Blake's Restaurant.
A previous agreement with the village allowed valet service for Blake's to park patrons' cars on the deck of the office building next door. Mr. Saccone paid for the valet service and the deck lease.
He said a new agreement would include three-way sharing of any costs.
Thomas Lutz, owner of Gamekeepers, and CVLT President Thomas Neff agreed to the shared valet parking, but said they would prefer a plan that doesn't cost them anything.
Mr. Saccone said there are valet services that charge the patrons and not the business owners.
In addition, Mr. Saccone and Mr. Neff said they will talk to parking lot owners Wesley Brewer, owner of Coach House Square, Steven Shields, owner of the Shields Building and the River Street Partners.
Other details, such as a central location for vehicle drop-off and pickup, would have to be worked out.
Mr. Lutz the real way to address issues in the area is to build a parking deck. But he added that his restaurant has operated for 32 years without dedicated parking.
Referring to plans to create a village arts district in the area, Mr. Saccone said it must offer parking, and a valet service could be the answer.
A survey of theater patrons found that they would like to have parking options, Mr. Neff said, but he doesn't think the theater has funds to spend on a valet service. The theater uses the Shields Building parking lot, he said.
Mr. Neff added that a problem for the theater is that its patrons leave at the same time, and they would want their cars quickly.
He also asked the commission to recommend the removal of parking meters in the River and West streets area and replace them with two-hour parking signs like the ones in the central shopping district.
Councilman Dwight Milko, council's representative to the parking commission, said that request would have to be addressed by council's streets and sidewalks committee. "Personally, I would like to get rid of every meter in town," he added.
Mr. Saccone, Mr. Lutz and Mr. Neff agreed to meet again within 30 days to go over new information regarding valet services and parking lots.
Members of the parking commission -- Richard Brown, Henry Piper, Susan Harris White and Mr. Milko -- are to refer any new valet proposal to the village's planning and zoning commission.
It's questionable whether Village Council would be involved with any valet-parking agreement, according to Mr. Milko, and a parking deck is out of the question.
The possible shared valet service would be separate from a parking pact that Mr. Saccone and property owner Paul Seegott have with the village. The Blake's parking situation is connected to agreements that provide required parking for the Starbucks building, which Mr. Seegott owns around the corner from the restaurant. That pact provides Starbucks parking on the Blake's property and a public pocket park east of the restaurant.
Mr. Saccone is seeking to turn the park into patio seating for Blake's guests. In place of the park, Mr. Seegott and Mr. Saccone have proposed a public boardwalk to the upper and lower falls observation decks.
Council has referred that request to the planning and zoning commission.
Mr. Saccone's restaurant at 7 River St. has been closed since early this year. He plans to change the name of the restaurant, its format and style of cuisine. But he has said it would be economically impossible for him to reopen a restaurant without additional patron seating.
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