"SAD" ENTRY TO MAINSTRASSE TO BECOME GATEWAY TO NEIGHBORHOOD

by Michael Monks

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UPDATE: Photos are now included at bottom of post!
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Mainstrasse parking lot as it is today

The heavily trafficked 5th Street parking lot adjacent to Covington's Mainstrasse, one of Greater Cincinnati's most vibrant neighborhoods, will be completely made over. The City Commission approved Tuesday night a $47,290 tab for Covington's role in resurfacing the lot. The infrastructure project was initiated by the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky which wanted to improve the bus stop situation for riders in that area. TANK will pay $47,263 for its share and Sanitation District 1 will take care of $30,547 to tend to water runoff issues.

The new parking lot will be more than a place for the cars driven by Mainstrasse's thousands of weekly visitors. "This creates a gateway to Mainstrasse, which prior to this (the entrance) has been sad to say the least," said Mayor Pro Tem Sherry Carran. TANK rolled back its service in the area to cut costs and wanted to enhance the location since it will be the bus line's main stop in Mainstrasse, Carran added. The city engineer's office reported that one bus stop a block away was lost and that while one block of driving may not seem like a lot, the change will save TANK $100,000 a year.

When the new lot is complete, it will have spaces for 146 cars, 19 fewer than the current total. But the additions will more than make up for that with new greenery selected by the city's urban forestry review board which chose a design that includes species native to the area. In addition, the Mainstrasse Village Association will contribue a 3-sided kiosk similar to what is found in a mall to help visitors locate businesses and know what the shops and restaurants have to offer. The kiosk will even include brochures about the neighborhood with two sides featuring a detailed map and one side serving as a community bulletin board.

The 5th Street lot is prime real estate and has been rumored as a candidate for redevelopment for years. City Manager Larry Klein said those plans, if they ever come to fruition, will only be helped by the new parking lot. "Because it's a public place we envisioned any development would include parking and pedestrian access," Klein said. "That would be part of any additional plans." The redevelopment includes the alley that leads to 6th Street and will also add a large Mainstrasse sign welcoming people to the neighborhood, two new bus shelters and a rain garden.

Plans for parking lot

Plans for landscaping

Design of new kiosk