THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510150046
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Eliminating parking from Main Street is all in the name of downtown revitalization, city officials say. It will kill business, merchants respond.
In the past two weeks, workers have replaced parking meters with no-parking signs, built a new loading zone and prepared to remark the roadway - while some business owners have talked of moving out of the struggling downtown.
At Ethel and Eva's Beauty Shop, in the 100 block of N. Main St., Eva Smith said: ``Either I've got to find another place or lose my customers. They say this won't be permanent, but this is going to wipe me out.''
Like Alese Smith, many of her customers are elderly. Alese Smith relies on her husband, Oscar, who parks on the street to deliver her - with her walker - to the front of the shop.
``I'm OK now,'' she said, ``but it could pose problems later.''
City officials said quick stops like the Smiths' will be allowed, but critics said that could be dangerous.
Workers have roped off the sidewalk and placed cones along one side of the 100 block of N. Main for impending demolition to make way for a $14 million courts complex at North Main and Bank streets. By November, trucks will be re-routed via Wilroy Road.
City officials said the demolition and construction pose potential hazards and delays for the approximately 27,000 commuters who travel Main Street daily. Having all four lanes open and truck traffic rerouted will ease conditions downtown, the officials said.
Construction, to begin next spring, will take about 20 months.
Traffic from heavily traveled U.S. Route 13/32 dumps onto Main Street, and traffic bound to U.S. 58 and 460 also flows onto it.
``I can certainly sympathize with them,'' said Mayor S. Chris Jones. ``We didn't say this was a permanent action by City Council. But it's necessary for their safety and for the revitalization that will come.''
Jones said the city may consider replacing the meters six months into construction.
But merchants said that may be too late for elderly and disabled customers and for delivery trucks.
The loading zone, formerly in front of Suffolk Towers apartment, was relocated to the front of The Virginian-Pilot.
Lillian Holeszar, who manages Suffolk Towers, said she has instructed her tenants to continue using the area as a drop-off point even if ``it's an accident waiting to happen.'' She added, ``They want revitalization downtown, but what they're going to do is create more empty stores.''
Some merchants also protested plans to tear down East Washington street businesses to make way for courthouse parking. by CNB