GaryMrMets
08-04-2004, 06:02 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/9313277.htm
Posted on Wed, Aug. 04, 2004
Phillies aren't completing parking lots as expected
The Eagles will continue to wait for more spaces.
By Don Steinberg
Inquirer Staff Writer
Sports fans, the Eagles, and South Philadelphia residents will have to wait longer than they expected for parking nirvana around Lincoln Financial Field. A revised timetable for construction of the Veterans Stadium parking lot will delay availability of some of the 3,000 spaces until late in the football schedule.
The Phillies, who are responsible for all work at the Vet site, using $100 million provided by the city, had told neighbors and city officials that the lot would be ready for fans Oct. 1, according to several sources. That would have been in time for any postseason baseball, though missing two preseason Eagles games and the first two regular-season home games.
It won't happen that way. The Phillies now say about one-third of the Vet site, the eastern-most portion closest to the football and baseball stadiums at 11th and Pattison streets, will be ready early. It'll be done by the end of August, in time for the Eagles' home opener and the end of the Phillies' season. That should bring back about 1,000 spaces.
But that will be all there is for a while. The second segment of the lot will be ready in early October, and the final third, bordering Broad Street, will be done in November, according to the Phillies.
The Phillies are ready to open one new lot. The so-called Peco lot, bordered by 10th and Darien streets, between Citizens Bank Park and the Holiday Inn on Packer Avenue, will be ready when the Phillies return home Monday. It's paved and ready to hold 650 cars. All that remains is painting the lines this week.
With the Vet lot taking longer than many expected, South Philadelphia neighbors, whose houses have been shaken by construction and demolition for a couple years, fear extra months of disruption from cars and site work.
"The problem is the mayor made promises, but nothing's in writing. The Phillies made promises, but nothing's in writing," said Judy Cerrone, director of the neighborhood group closest to the Vet.
Of course, the neighbor that needs parking most can only watch wistfully from across the street. The Eagles are believed to be upset about the staggered rollout of parking spaces, but they won't grouse in public.
Last season, during Citizens Bank Park construction, Eagles parking was a nightmare. Spaces around the still-standing Vet were open then, although much of the rear of the Vet lot, now open, was closed.
All Eagles regular-season games are sellouts, with 68,532 fans expected. The Phillies have maxed out this season at 44,000.
Richard Deats, Phillies vice president in charge of ticket sales, said that as of next week there will be about 17,500 parking spaces around the sports complex, about 2,000 more than last year at this time.
When the Vet lot is complete, the area will have roughly 21,500 spaces, the most ever. Right now, much of the 50-acre Vet site is covered with mounds of concrete silt that will be used to fill the hole left by the Vet. The project includes adding storm drains, curbs, lights, signs and fences, the laying of asphalt, landscaping, relocation of statues, and construction of a memorial to veterans.
The Phillies also will close Broad Street access to Vet parking near Geary Street, after they build a new entrance south of there at Hartranft Street.
The Eagles have exhibition games at home Aug. 20 and 26. The regular-season home opener is Sept. 12, followed by a Monday night game Sept. 20. None of those dates coincide with Phillies home games. If the final section of the Vet lot is done in late November, three regular-season Eagles games would remain.
"From our perspective, we'd like to have those spaces done as quickly as possible. We're just depending on everyone doing the best they can to achieve that," Eagles president Joe Banner said.
The Eagles have about 2,700 spaces around their stadium. The adjacent land around the Wachovia arenas fits 6,000 cars.
The city, despite paying the bills for the Vet cleanup, indeed did not get in writing any deadline for completion of the Vet lot, according to Sam Rhoads, senior vice president of Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., which represented the city in both stadium deals. The Phillies are obligated only to "use good-faith efforts" and "diligently pursue" destruction of the Vet and construction of parking facilities.
"We have been satisfied with their progress to date," Rhoads said.
http://www.philly.com/images/philly/inquirer/9318/86829698138.gif
Posted on Wed, Aug. 04, 2004
Phillies aren't completing parking lots as expected
The Eagles will continue to wait for more spaces.
By Don Steinberg
Inquirer Staff Writer
Sports fans, the Eagles, and South Philadelphia residents will have to wait longer than they expected for parking nirvana around Lincoln Financial Field. A revised timetable for construction of the Veterans Stadium parking lot will delay availability of some of the 3,000 spaces until late in the football schedule.
The Phillies, who are responsible for all work at the Vet site, using $100 million provided by the city, had told neighbors and city officials that the lot would be ready for fans Oct. 1, according to several sources. That would have been in time for any postseason baseball, though missing two preseason Eagles games and the first two regular-season home games.
It won't happen that way. The Phillies now say about one-third of the Vet site, the eastern-most portion closest to the football and baseball stadiums at 11th and Pattison streets, will be ready early. It'll be done by the end of August, in time for the Eagles' home opener and the end of the Phillies' season. That should bring back about 1,000 spaces.
But that will be all there is for a while. The second segment of the lot will be ready in early October, and the final third, bordering Broad Street, will be done in November, according to the Phillies.
The Phillies are ready to open one new lot. The so-called Peco lot, bordered by 10th and Darien streets, between Citizens Bank Park and the Holiday Inn on Packer Avenue, will be ready when the Phillies return home Monday. It's paved and ready to hold 650 cars. All that remains is painting the lines this week.
With the Vet lot taking longer than many expected, South Philadelphia neighbors, whose houses have been shaken by construction and demolition for a couple years, fear extra months of disruption from cars and site work.
"The problem is the mayor made promises, but nothing's in writing. The Phillies made promises, but nothing's in writing," said Judy Cerrone, director of the neighborhood group closest to the Vet.
Of course, the neighbor that needs parking most can only watch wistfully from across the street. The Eagles are believed to be upset about the staggered rollout of parking spaces, but they won't grouse in public.
Last season, during Citizens Bank Park construction, Eagles parking was a nightmare. Spaces around the still-standing Vet were open then, although much of the rear of the Vet lot, now open, was closed.
All Eagles regular-season games are sellouts, with 68,532 fans expected. The Phillies have maxed out this season at 44,000.
Richard Deats, Phillies vice president in charge of ticket sales, said that as of next week there will be about 17,500 parking spaces around the sports complex, about 2,000 more than last year at this time.
When the Vet lot is complete, the area will have roughly 21,500 spaces, the most ever. Right now, much of the 50-acre Vet site is covered with mounds of concrete silt that will be used to fill the hole left by the Vet. The project includes adding storm drains, curbs, lights, signs and fences, the laying of asphalt, landscaping, relocation of statues, and construction of a memorial to veterans.
The Phillies also will close Broad Street access to Vet parking near Geary Street, after they build a new entrance south of there at Hartranft Street.
The Eagles have exhibition games at home Aug. 20 and 26. The regular-season home opener is Sept. 12, followed by a Monday night game Sept. 20. None of those dates coincide with Phillies home games. If the final section of the Vet lot is done in late November, three regular-season Eagles games would remain.
"From our perspective, we'd like to have those spaces done as quickly as possible. We're just depending on everyone doing the best they can to achieve that," Eagles president Joe Banner said.
The Eagles have about 2,700 spaces around their stadium. The adjacent land around the Wachovia arenas fits 6,000 cars.
The city, despite paying the bills for the Vet cleanup, indeed did not get in writing any deadline for completion of the Vet lot, according to Sam Rhoads, senior vice president of Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., which represented the city in both stadium deals. The Phillies are obligated only to "use good-faith efforts" and "diligently pursue" destruction of the Vet and construction of parking facilities.
"We have been satisfied with their progress to date," Rhoads said.
http://www.philly.com/images/philly/inquirer/9318/86829698138.gif