Aided by low-interest loans from Baltimore County, two Catonsville business owners are taking steps to solve a problem created, in part, by their own success.

Sharon and Jim Andrews, owners of Ships Cafe at 828 Frederick Road, will use $100,000 in loans from the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development to put a parking lot behind their business.

The couple plans to demolish a building on Winters Lane behind their cafe and create about 30 parking spaces on land they recently purchased from an adjacent landowner.

The cafe now offers a curbside valet service for its customers.

Across the street from Ships Cafe, the Strawberry Fields commercial property owned by Catonsville resident Craig Witzke is home to another popular restaurant, The Catonsville Gourmet, at 803 Frederick Road.

To create more parking for the businesses owned by his tenants, Witzke has entered into his own loan agreement with the county.

Witzke will use about $250,000 in low-interest loan money to expand the parking lot behind his building.

The loan money will help create about 60 additional parking spots and pay for required storm-water management improvements.

While most of these spots will be reserved for Strawberry Fields customers, he will allow the county to place meters on about 27 of the spaces for 10 years to allow for public parking.

"The county approached me, and I was willing to work with them," Witzke said.

He said he thinks the additional parking will change the perception that there isn't enough parking downtown.

"The whole project has been about trying to contribute to Catonsville," he said.

Pierce Macgill, revitalization specialist with the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development, said the Strawberry Fields arrangement is a unique deal between his department, a private landowner and the Baltimore County Revenue Authority, which runs county parking facilities.

"It's different, but it's exciting," he said, "and, hopefully, it will work and create a template for future partnerships."

Sharon and Jim Andrews said they have received about five economic development loans from the county since they first opened Ships Cafe about eight years ago.

The loans have helped pay for interior remodeling, exterior improvements and, now, additional parking.

Though Macgill said it is not a requirement of their loan, the couple said they are planning to allow the lot to be used for short-term parking for both theirs and nearby businesses.

In an area where visitors risk being towed if they park in the wrong spot, the couple said they hope their lot will inspire other businesses to take down their "No Parking" signs.

"There would be enough parking for everybody if they did that," Sharon Andrews said.

A growing need

Even in this current economy, Catonsville has been growing, Macgill said.

The area has developed a "real restaurant row," he said.

"Because of this growth, we do now have a legitimate parking problem," Macgill said.

However, both deals have brought criticism from Jim Himel, vice president of the Catonsville Community Conservation Association, who said taxpayers are not getting enough benefit to justify the low-interest loans.

"There's absolutely no guarantee that the restaurant owner will allow other people to park there," he said about the deal with Ships Cafe.

Himel said the arrangement with Witzke does not offer a long-term public parking benefit.

"Ten years go by in a flash," he said. "If it was a 100-year deal, sure."

In response, Macgill said he feels the arrangement with Witzke is a good solution for the county.

The county will get its money back and will get 10 years of revenue from the meters, he said.

But Himel does not think the meters will generate enough revenue to justify what he views as "sweetheart deals" with landowners.

"Why doesn't the county take our public money and build public parking lots?" Himel said.

The loan money will benefit only a couple of businesses and their customers while publicly owned parking lots would benefit all businesses, customers and residents in Catonsville, he said.

There is parking available downtown if people are willing to walk, said Teal Cary, executive director of the Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce.

However, many residents want to park right behind the restaurant or in front of the store they are going to, she said.

"There is a perception that there is a need for more parking, because people would like to be able to park closer to where they are going," Cary said.

Catonsville resident Harrel Woolford said finding parking could be difficult for people who are unfamiliar with the area.

"You have to know the area," he said. "I never have a problem finding somewhere to park in Catonsville."

Getting close

Catonsville resident Crystal Myers, in the area to attend the Frederick Road Fridays free concert July 23, said she doesn't have trouble finding parking.

But she agreed with Woolford that the additional parking lots would be helpful.

Catonsville resident Mona Martin said the valet parking at Ships creates problems, because it is difficult for drivers on Winters Lane to see around the line of cars that forms while the valets wait for customers to come out of the restaurant.

Catonsville resident Rose Windsor said that while parking is available after 6 p.m., it can be very difficult to find spots during the day.

Windsor said she understands that businesses need parking for their establishments, but it would be better if residents could park openly.

Customers don't want to go to dinner and then come back and find their cars towed, she said.

Martin said she thinks the additional parking behind the cafe will help solve that problem.

"Ships is very popular in Catonsville," she said. "And that's what is causing the problem."

Cary said the projects at Ships Cafe and Strawberry Fields are a good move.

"It's a great gift that they are giving the community by giving us this additional parking," she said.

Cary agreed with Sharon Andrews, saying it would be helpful if downtown businesses took down their "No parking" signs.

At least businesses in downtown Catonsville should allow parking after hours if the business is closed, she said.

"We're like any old town," said chamber President George Brookhart, noting that Catonsville was built during a time when there weren't two or three cars per family.

Brookhart said restaurant owners in the downtown area need to meet and figure out how to resolve parking issues.

He said he would like to see the restaurants negotiate with area churches to provide more parking.

Brookhart said he also would like to see more residents walking and cycling in downtown.

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user comments (1)

user kelly says...

I applaud Jim and Sharon Andrews and Craig Witzke. Between the two of these business owners, they have brought tremendous change in their efforts to revitalize Catonsville and both of their restaurants are great places to go for good food, great atmosphere and to enjoy yourself, year round.

Posted 3:40 PM, 07.28.10

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