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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.minutes.12012004COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF DECEMBER 1, 2004 Meeting was called to order by Chairperson, Bill Dinsmoor at 8:30 a.m. Commissioners in attendance: Charles Kennedy, Marc Breslin, Mark Goodman and Eric Cohen. Excused were Andrew Kole, Terry Butler and John Start. Bill announced to the public that there will be a BID meeting Jan. 19th and the public is invited. Saturday market transition. Bill relayed that the market has expanded 50% from last year. Charles stated that non-profits were hidden in the park and the CCLC was trying to address that. Another issue is that people and vendors wanted food. A retailer came in who has a business on the mall and said she doesn't do business until 3:00 p.m. and maybe the board should rethink the positioning of the market. The City paid. Bier and Frick $250,000 for their study and it was recommended to create dwell time. Encourage messy vitality. The first scenario was to use Hopkins Street to Hyman. That would bring the traffic to the mall where the fountain is. We felt "seamless" to the mall with this concept. The balance of the booths would be left on Hunter Street. Then we discussed moving Hunter to Galena and non-profits could go on the mall. Also the restrooms are on Wagner Park. A band and art stage are potential uses at that site on the mall. Then the idea came to utilize Galena and make it a Single track with individual booths so the vendors could sell from both si des. All the tents could look the same and we work with Lisa Baker to help merchandise the booths and spread out the space and utilize the local businesses. The cooking demonstration could be a Hyman & Galena and the band could be at Cooper. It all becomes pedestrian friendly and brings vitality to the mall. Bill said this is a general ideal. The market runs from June through Oct. 18 only on Saturdays. We are seeing 3 to 4 thousand people a day on Saturday. The idea is to bring people to businesses front doors. Don Lemos, manager of the parking lot on Hyman Street. Don recommended keeping the existing access. He has a contractual agreement with the people COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF DECEMBER IT 2004 who rent parking spaces. There is no access off the alley. There is an opening for emergencies but two cars park there by the cable. The only access is off Hyman. If you leave it open there are liability, issues. His primary concern is his clients. Patty, Bloomingbirds is opposed to blocking all the parking spaces on Hyman, Galena and Cooper. Where are the people going to park that go to the market? We pay a tremendous amount of city taxes. Parking is going to be lost. Bill said you would get an incredible amount of people walking around and going into your store. John Francis, Chepita said he is troubled. He looses $24,000 in sales due to the impacts of the Saturday Market. The Saturday market has a negative loss to businesses. He is opposed to moving something that is a detriment to his business closer to his business. Further, the quality of the market is embarrassing to the market. The market is the worst he ever attended. It is a function to its frequency. The market experience, which started as a farmer market has deteriorated. This plan does not serve us well. There is more Mexican jewelry sold from Mexico than hand made. Lily Garfield, Cos Bar said people do not shop where they cannot park. We have a Rodeo Drive and a 57th street, high-end stores on Galena. Our shoppers do not like chaos and confusion on Galena St. They have a different kind of clientele on Galena St. and we created that. Her clients don't like the confusion. We have established our clientele. John Francis said the people that go to the market are looking for low costs and cheap things. On the fourth of July no one comes to the stores. The market kills our stores. They do not turn around and go into the stores. David Fleisher said the two existing blocks are great. There has been no turnover on Galena in 20 years. Galena Street is the most desirable location in town. The synergy works well for his business. David said when there is a car show etc. business goes away. viable commodity down town. Parking drives our business. the market has been compromised since the market. Parking is a The integrity of Bob Starodoj said you are still talking in terms of a farmers market. It is COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF DECEMBER 1~ 2004 becoming a flea market instead of a farmers market. Keep the market on the periphery of the businesses because it works there. Historically, Cooper to Galena is the main artery of town. It is a separate shopping area. Becky Meritt said we as retailers in Aspen do bring in a huge amount of property taxes and business. We believe in the community. We cannot afford someone taking away parking for our consumers in the prime seasons, June, July and August. It is a very devastating thing. And to take away the ability for clientele to get to their stores is devastating. Karen Woodward, Baggage claim, said most traffic comes from Galena. She has been a retailer over 30 years. She has a big product and needs parking spaces. Everyone is moving from Vail to Edwards because Vail has no parking. You have heard over and over that parking is vital to our businesses. Amy from Sugar said the. Saturday market is very beneficial. The Saturday market makes people know she is here. She is on Hopkins and cannot afford the rents on Galena. She supports the market in its current location. A representative from Sabella salon said the produce is great but we shouldn't have crafts. Don't expand unless you have quality vendors. Heather Isberian came to hear both sides. Enjoys the market's fruit and vegetables. She had nothing to say about its present position. Our business is on Hyman and we rely on traffic. We have rugs and those cars need to be close to our store. If there were fruit and vegetables on Hyman, they need refrigeration trucks and they have closed in awnings. We rely on our store being visible from the street and the vegetable trucks would impact us. The market is not all their clientele. She did a poll on Hyman and the market should stay in its same location. Ute City and Aspen Block manager. I love the farmers part of the market but they do not come down to hassle with the crowd. They go to Buttermilk. Shea Singer: If its not broke why fix it. Knowing what crafts are imported and what are local is important. Sachet is greatly affected by the market. She doesn't sell even $100. of flowers. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF DECEMBER 1, 2004 A business that is paying $12,000 a month, it doesn't make sense to bring in a tomato stand and put it in front of the Golden Bough, it just is not fair. She suggests that the standard of what they are selling should be increased. Tracy, Paradise Bakery said the market is great for their business. They are not high end and we see more business off of it. Possibly look to a Sunday rather than Saturday for the market. Anything that gets it closer to us she is for. David Fleisher said the market helps his business. Frank Wood, manager of the GAP. Overall it would help our business if it moved to the front: Our profile of our shop is in line with the Saturday Market. It wouldn't help Aspen if it was moved. The market isn't the high end and it is not in keeping with the overall Aspen feel. I applaud your efforts. Eric said he is convinced. At some point the market being by Wagner Park might be.a good idea. I have no interest in going there. The crafts have made the market a successful venture. We actually have rotating buyers. The current configuration works. Mark Goodman asked if we have less crafts would they accept the move. The audience was opposed to moving the market closer to town. John Francis said he would help jury the items. Marc said the crafts are not that great and it lessens the market. John Francis asked if there was a chance to increase the amount of produce in the market. Bill said there is a limited amount of growing season. Bill said the consensus is to make the market better. Jim Pomeroy said people want something to drink. Charles mentioned using Conner park for a family picnic every Saturday. Let a non-profit sponsor it. Lily Garfield said maybe the market should go to Paepcke Park. It would draw people as you enter town. There are too many distractions to do a family picnic at the existing location. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION David FleiScher suggested the board work on parking. Vitalization of the core is your charge. The Frick and Beir report suggested businesses be open in the evening. We aren't open because there is no place to park. Bill said paid parking needs to extend beyond its time. The CCLC determined that the market should not move from its existing location. Staff was directed to contact local restaurants to come to the next meeting to discuss the selling of food at the market. Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk 5