The township has added another lot to increase parking, but some say there could still be more parking in town and in the heart of the business district.
On Friday, the 45-foot-by-20-foot gravel lot, which is located on North Main Street near Scott Avenue, added an additional four spots, according to committee member Jay Taylor. He said that this would help the township meet the growing demand for parking.
Taylor said the rationale for the parking lot is twofold. “We need to make sure that our business district is thriving the best way that it can. One of the complaints that we hear from our businesses is that there is a lack of parking for their patrons,” he said.
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“If we can take existing land that we have and create four new parking spots it not only helps business district potentially, but it also will allow us to better understand how the larger lot may impact the business district as well and whether the economics of putting in a larger lot at some point are worthwhile,” Taylor added.
According to resident Rocco D’Armiento, who serves as vice president of the Cranbury Business Association, “You have to start somewhere. We definitely need something that would benefit the entire business district and not just at one end of town — something centrally located.”
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D’Armiento’s family owned Cranbury Paint and Hardware for 80 years, but had to close up approximately five years ago, he said, due to the lack of parking in the town. He added that he and others have been attempting to address the growing demand for parking for approximately 35 years, but said that at least with this new lot the township is moving in the right direction.
Currently there are close to 200 parcels of property, including businesses and residences along Main Street in Cranbury. In the past, there has been talk by the township of creating a larger parking lot near the Cranbury School downtown, which would cost the township more money and require approval through its master plan.
“To do the larger lot, it would involve engineering, a new roadway and it would have to be widened; you’re talking at least $10,000 if not a little more, and this is a ballpark guess at this moment,” Taylor said.
According to Taylor, the four-spot parking lot is also going to be a pilot program of sorts. “If we notice that the new lot is used by residents and patrons we will look to develop another lot, which will bring in more people. It would be like Field of Dreams — if we build it the customers will come.”
George Nikitiades, the owner of Teddy’s Restaurant, located at 49 N. Main St., said he is ambivalent toward the new lot. “Any additional parking will help, but we need more than four spots. I don’t think it’s enough but it’s a start. Whatever it takes to get more spots in town I am all for.”
Another business owner, Hector Palma, who is the proprietor of Cranbury Pizza, located at 63 N. Main St., said the additional spots would be serving a positive purpose.
“If they’re going to put more parking in of course it will help. It will mean that more people will come in. It’s better than nothing. Cranbury is tough to park in and four spots are better than nothing,” he said.
