PAWTUCKET – Parking near the Pawtucket Public Library was already limited before representatives from Nexus Property Management decided to convert the brick building next store into residential units.
The library had long paid an annual lease for the Summer Street lot closest to it, but with the building’s conversion, the 13 spaces there that had long been used by library patrons will disappear.
The library, says Director Susan Reed, will salvage four of those spaces by increasing its leased total at the Core Collaboratives building at 217 Main St. to 10 spaces, from six, but that will still leave them nine spaces short of what they have, in an area of the downtown that is quickly becoming crowded amid increased residential development spurred by the arrival of the new train station.
Reed explained to the City Council that Core Collaboratives charges $50 per space, up from $25, and representatives there felt it was only fair to charge everyone the same rate. That lease will go through next February.
The council ultimately approved a five-month lease extension with Nexus through July for the use of the 13 spaces. Reed said Nexus is planning to start renting apartments in August, which is why it will end then.
She told councilors that library staffers are always hearing comments from patrons asking where they’re supposed to park, and it’s going to continue being a big issue.
Councilor Marlena Martins Stachowiak asked if there is a plan to look for more spots, and Reed responded that they’re always pursuing options. She said they talked in the past with the Salvation Army about renting spaces, as well as people who rent space across the street, and they’ve also been invited to use the parking lot next to the News Cafe, but that lot is always very full and cars are sometimes double-parked. She said it’s a very tough area to park in, and growing more difficult.
Blackstone Valley Prep is also now a big renter of spaces with the Core Collaboratives, Reed added, and she doesn’t see their partnership with the YMCA across the street changing soon.
Martins Stachowiak said she agrees that this will be a big issue going forward, and she wants solutions to be found. Responding to Reed noting the positive that many patrons don’t have to come in anymore and can stream materials, she said it’s “such a magical thing to go into the library,” and she doesn’t want to lose that. Reed agreed, saying programming is another library offering requiring attendance.
Library employees park in the nearby city lot, she said, but that’s also getting pretty full. She said if City Hall ends up moving permanently to Freight Street, perhaps some more spots will open up in the city lot.
“I just want to keep seeing the library thrive,” said Martins Stachowiak. “It’s one of my favorite places.”
