Upper Union Street parking dispute happily resolved in Schenectady

PHOTOGRAPHER: Kathleen Moore

The fight over parking near the bridal shop on Union Street has been resolved with a design nearly identical to the original plan that caused such a flap.

Metroplex Development Authority will still build a “bump-out” parking lot, similar to the ones near Proctors on State Street, in front of Ferri Formals and Bridals and its two neighboring businesses.

The only real difference: the business owners will own the parking lot once it’s built. They have signed off on the new plan.

The parking lot has also been changed slightly so that there are more spaces directly in front of the bridal shop. The previous plan had just one space there.

“We’re grateful we will have parking in front of our store instead of a large sidewalk,” said bridal shop owner Marylu Aragosa.

The new plan will cost less because Metroplex won’t have to buy the land before beginning the final phase of the upper Union Street streetscape. The phase is estimated to cost $700,000, with the city and Metroplex splitting the expense.

Last month, Aragosa marshalled her customers and business owners from elsewhere in the city to fight the loss of her land. One owner told the City Council that she found it frightening to think her parking spaces could be seized by the city. Customers said they are more likely to stop at a store if there is adjacent parking.

Council members responded by saying they didn’t want to use eminent domain to force Aragosa to sell her parking area at market value. They asked Metroplex and city workers to find a compromise.

At first, both sides seemed unable to agree, despite offering several plans with different parking configurations. The sticking point was that Aragosa didn’t want to give up ownership of her land, no matter how well the parking was organized.

Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said the breakthrough came when officials realized Metroplex has the authority to improve private land. They could build the parking lot without ever taking it out of Aragosa’s hands.

“The city cannot spend dollars on private property. We can,” he said.

Aragosa quickly accepted.

“I’m grateful that the City Council heard our concerns at the hearing and that they encouraged us as business owners to work this out. I’m glad they gave us time,” she said.

The plan will also cost the city less, because it won’t have to maintain the parking lot.

“They’ll plow it. They’ll maintain it,” Gillen said. “They own their spots in front of their building.”