Cooper-Young Business Owners Discuss New Parking Garage
By Greg Williams: MicroMemphis Reporter
The proposed parking garage that is to be built in the heart of Cooper-Young has attracted the interest of the neighborhood and its residents. The Cooper-Young Community Association recently held a meeting to introduce the design of the $4 million structure, as well as to receive feedback from the citizens of the neighborhood. There were mixed feelings about the idea of the garage, some in favor, some against. But how do the business owners and employees of C-Y feel about it?
Java Cabana is located right across the street from the proposed construction site of the garage. Courtney Fly has been working in C-Y for about four years. She understands both sides of the argument, due to the fact that it is “somewhat of a battle between want and need.”
“I can understand the need for one, it can bring a lot of monetary benefits down the road,” she said. “Now that’s the ‘capitalist’ in me. But in reality, Cooper-Young has always had a very local, neighborhood feel to it. I’m leaning towards being community first.”
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Java Cabana is Halford Loudspeakers. This building too, is looking right at the possible construction site from across the street. Owner David Halford was focused on the immediate consequences. “In the long run it COULD be good, but short-term it would be a mess for the months it would take to build it,” he said. “You don’t want to look out your front windows and see all those construction vehicles.”
Halford mentioned that Java Cabana owner Mary Burns shared the same concerns. “I can speak for Mary, and to put it lightly, we both just don’t like the idea,” he said.
Imagine Vegan Café owner Adam Jeffrey sees the points-of-view of Halford and Burns. “I could see the construction turning people away, who maybe don’t live in Cooper-Young, maybe visiting from like Germantown, or even out of town,” Jeffrey said. Imagine just recently moved out of the strip across from the site, just down the street on Young Avenue. So it’s not as close to the site as the previous businesses, but close nonetheless.
“But to be honest, I just don’t know enough about it. I’d have to do more research on it to decide,”(to be in favor or against) he said.
Another business that is not in the immediate vicinity of the potential construction site, is Midtown Market. This convenience store is located on Cooper Street, to the northwest of where the garage would be built. Store owner Kevin Park saw it as an opportunity to improve safety as well as other benefits.
“I think it would be good for the community. It would be easier for security to watch one spot instead of a bunch,” he said. “It would help stop the parking in front of people’s houses, which can be unsafe no matter where you are.” One thing he was concerned about was the location. “The idea is good, the building looks good, but maybe it could’ve been in a better location,” Park said. He suggested the location be closer to Overton Square, “to kind of bridge our neighborhoods together.”
The project is still in its early stages, and must go through several approval processes. Public funds could be sought for to fund the construction and operations, but that too it still in its infancy.
Tamara Cook, Director of Cooper-Young Business Association has been seeking a remedy for the parking issue saying simply, “We don’t want our parking to be mostly in our residential area. This would almost eliminate that need completely.”
Click here to view map of proposed area.
Click here to visit CYBA website, and here for CYCA website.
By Greg Williams: MicroMemphis Reporter
The proposed parking garage that is to be built in the heart of Cooper-Young has attracted the interest of the neighborhood and its residents. The Cooper-Young Community Association recently held a meeting to introduce the design of the $4 million structure, as well as to receive feedback from the citizens of the neighborhood. There were mixed feelings about the idea of the garage, some in favor, some against. But how do the business owners and employees of C-Y feel about it?
Java Cabana is located right across the street from the proposed construction site of the garage. Courtney Fly has been working in C-Y for about four years. She understands both sides of the argument, due to the fact that it is “somewhat of a battle between want and need.”
“I can understand the need for one, it can bring a lot of monetary benefits down the road,” she said. “Now that’s the ‘capitalist’ in me. But in reality, Cooper-Young has always had a very local, neighborhood feel to it. I’m leaning towards being community first.”
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Java Cabana is Halford Loudspeakers. This building too, is looking right at the possible construction site from across the street. Owner David Halford was focused on the immediate consequences. “In the long run it COULD be good, but short-term it would be a mess for the months it would take to build it,” he said. “You don’t want to look out your front windows and see all those construction vehicles.”
Halford mentioned that Java Cabana owner Mary Burns shared the same concerns. “I can speak for Mary, and to put it lightly, we both just don’t like the idea,” he said.
Imagine Vegan Café owner Adam Jeffrey sees the points-of-view of Halford and Burns. “I could see the construction turning people away, who maybe don’t live in Cooper-Young, maybe visiting from like Germantown, or even out of town,” Jeffrey said. Imagine just recently moved out of the strip across from the site, just down the street on Young Avenue. So it’s not as close to the site as the previous businesses, but close nonetheless.
“But to be honest, I just don’t know enough about it. I’d have to do more research on it to decide,”(to be in favor or against) he said.
Another business that is not in the immediate vicinity of the potential construction site, is Midtown Market. This convenience store is located on Cooper Street, to the northwest of where the garage would be built. Store owner Kevin Park saw it as an opportunity to improve safety as well as other benefits.
“I think it would be good for the community. It would be easier for security to watch one spot instead of a bunch,” he said. “It would help stop the parking in front of people’s houses, which can be unsafe no matter where you are.” One thing he was concerned about was the location. “The idea is good, the building looks good, but maybe it could’ve been in a better location,” Park said. He suggested the location be closer to Overton Square, “to kind of bridge our neighborhoods together.”
The project is still in its early stages, and must go through several approval processes. Public funds could be sought for to fund the construction and operations, but that too it still in its infancy.
Tamara Cook, Director of Cooper-Young Business Association has been seeking a remedy for the parking issue saying simply, “We don’t want our parking to be mostly in our residential area. This would almost eliminate that need completely.”
Click here to view map of proposed area.
Click here to visit CYBA website, and here for CYCA website.