Village of Lewiston, restaurateurs, working to add parking spaces

by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, January 23, 2010

Mayor Bill Geiben shows off some potential parking spaces behind Coppins.

More than 55 new parking spaces may soon be available off Center Street in the Village of Lewiston.

Negotiations are ongoing between the municipality and Amendola Property Management for between 16 and 20 spaces behind Coppins Service Center. A second deal involves the village, a group of restaurants, and Richard Hastings to free up the 40-45 spots in the fenced-off Frontier House lot.

Though residents, visitors and storeowners have complained about a lack of available parking on and directly off Center Street in the summer months, it’s the cold weather that prompted action by the village.

“Snow removal is an issue, and from time to time you lose some spots,” Mayor Bill Geiben said. “This opens up some more spaces, taking pressure off the lots (we) already have.”

The village approached Amendola last year seeking a one-time use for the vacant land, which is also adjacent to First Niagara Bank and across from St. Peter’s Church.

The area is accessible through the bank parking lot, and from North Sixth Street. Before its opening, Geiben said the ground would be shaved and covered with soil bearings.

On Monday, the Village Board approved a motion allowing Geiben to sign an agreement with Amendola Property Management. Terms were not disclosed, but it is expected that the village will not be charged any fee. All liability coverage, however, would be the municipality’s responsibility.  

Greg Gismondi, representing Amendola, said no deal is in place yet, but the two parties are working on an agreement.

With regard to the Frontier House, Jim Lewis, proprietor of the Steelhead Restaurant on Center Street, said he, a handful of eatery owners (including his neighbors from Apple Granny, Brio, The Brickyard and Carmelo’s), and Rose Chiropractic approached Hastings about reopening his Frontier House parking lot.

“We went to Dick, and we made the deal,” Lewis said. “It was a concerted effort by the restaurant group.”

The agreement is on a month-to-month basis. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Hastings, who declined to speculate on the future of the historic building, said recent efforts by the village to assist him with both the Frontier House and The Silo Restaurant, which he also owns, prompted him to change his view on public parking.

“I felt it was the right time to consider (re-opening),” he said, adding the municipality would hereto assume liability for traffic in and out of the lot.

“It was done in a spirit of cooperation,” Hastings said.

The developer has on multiple occasions temporarily opened the lot to motorists at the request of the village.

“Things can be achieved when people work together,” Geiben said.

He expects the fence around the lot to shrink, and instead wrap around the Frontier House itself. The village Department of Public Works may take on the task of moving the fence. Both the mayor and Hastings said those details will be worked out in the near future.

In addition to the new lot availability, the Village Board is considering other vehicle placement options – including changing parking on Ridge Street, the block directly north of Center Street, to a diagonal setup. Geiben said that would create additional spaces. 

“I think the village has become a destination site,” he said. “People want to come here. … Now it’s going to be just a little easier.”