On a rainy morning we met Pat Meeks in front of La Taste, the gift shop he's operated in Rice Village for over 30 years. During that time he's seen a lot of changes. Recently the issue has been parking, as visitors repeatedly circle the block looking for a space right in front of the businesses.
"Sometimes I have one shot at that customer," says Meeks. "And they build into their mind that they're never going to find a place to park and they may never return."
But Meeks hopes that endless circling is a thing of the past, now that Rice Village is rolling out of a new parking plan.
Many of those sought-after spaces will now have parking meters. They'll cost a dollar an hour, a bit more on weekends. And they're intended for short-term visitors. People who want to stay longer are directed to parking garages where the first two hours are free.
Parking consultant Jerry Marcus hopes the plan will help reshape Rice Village as a shopping district.
"You were sort of going there for individual businesses and didn't make it a very friendly, walkable place," says Marcus.
Those new meters will be switched on next week. Part of the proceeds will benefit a local park and elementary school.
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