It’s a matter of differing interpretations, but for now the temporary parking lot adjacent to Harbor Place in downtown Haverhill is reserved for residents only.
Haverhill Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. told WHAV Tuesday that replacement spaces stem from an agreement reached last December with Harbor Place. It called for spaces for “residents, tenants, occupants and visitors” to replace those that had been leased in the former Herbert H. Goecke Jr. Memorial Parking Deck.
“It is a broad group,” Pillsbury said, adding however, Harbor Place has a different opinion. “They’re within their rights. Residents are paying as part of their lease in the (Goecke) garage. They are entitled to the 34 spaces in that lot. Pillsbury points out Harbor Place owns the land that had been called “the hole in the ground,” but a state MassWorks grant was used to grade, pave and stripe the lot.
Pillsbury said 40 temporary spaces were originally planned next to the residences, but a few spots were lost to make it easier to empty dumpsters.
Nevertheless, Pillsbury noted, 12 to 15 more spaces will open this week across the street when Pentucket Bank’s original white building had stood. The two-hour spaces, right off Merrimack Street, are currently being striped.
Pillsbury previously detailed for WHAV the creation of about 425 interim parking spaces to be used until a new 600-car garage opens next year. These include 40 spaces accessible from West Street, new angled parking spaces along Bailey Boulevard, an expanded paved parking lot between the Haverhill Police Station and Pentucket Medical, the surface lot adjacent to Harbor Place and a temporary lot next to the former Pentucket Bank building. Pillsbury said all of these supplements the existing How Street lot.
TD Bank is allowing the city to use a spare 40-car parking lot accessible from West Street, off Merrimack Street. (WHAV News photograph.)