Letter to the editor: City’s parking proposal risks health of downtown

To the editor:

So, the city commissioners are proposing new uses for downtown parking lots (Journal-World, Aug. 16). Really?

Are they trying to totally kill downtown retail? At least one-tenth of the parking on Mass. Street already has been given over to outdoor dining — used only during dining hours and when the weather is nice.

The Journal-World article said the commissioners are interested in putting a grocery store or affordable housing in the already used parking lots. How about using the green space next to library instead?

We’ve already had a transit hub site study, and these wonderful minds opted for 15th and Crestline, southwest of the main KU campus. How about using the train station for a smaller, downtown hub? The station is a very nice, furnished, existing building, used two hours a day for an an hour at a time when the trains roll through.

Shoppers are already becoming more reluctant to come downtown. Don’t make it any harder.

Mary Lou Wright,

Lawrence

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