Parking for Paramount Theater reviewed

After two months of concerts at the new Paramount Theater, Huntington Town is reviewing its downtown parking procedures.

The effort comes amid resident and business complaints that available parking vanishes when the venue is open. Owners of a restaurant, novelty store and apartment house say concertgoers take up parking spaces for hours but don't patronize other establishments.

"We knew there would be obstacles," town Supervisor Frank Petrone said. "You don't bring in a large economic program such as this, as well as a cultural venue, and not expect to have some difficulties. But it's nothing that cannot be worked out."

Town officials said they have had about a half-dozen meetings with the Paramount's owners since it opened in late September. The owners agreed to keep meeting to resolve issues.

Petrone said the town is looking at using lots in the outer reaches of the village and that Paramount owners are exploring renting private lots, something he said he encourages.

The Paramount, located on New York Avenue, devotes a page on its website to parking and encourages patrons to use the Long Island Rail Road lot about two miles away and ride a free trolley to the theater.

Dominic Catoggio, one of Paramount's owners, however, said they are not considering renting a private parking lot. He said he has met with neighbors to hear their concerns but has received few complaints about parking.

"We're not turning our back on anything," Catoggio said. "Anyone who has reached out to us, we have met with them and figured out how to make it right."

Melissa Chermak, who owns an apartment building on Elm Street, met with the venue's owners and spoke about her concern at a recent town board meeting.

"You can't get down Elm Street and if you can, there are no parking spaces," she said.

Dennis Goussis, owner of Skorpios restaurant on New York Avenue, said his business drops 30 percent on concert nights when he has a virtually empty restaurant for hours. Customers tell him they don't come into town because there is no parking, he said.

"The town has to find a solution, so everyone can benefit," Goussis said. "It's not fair that they take up the parking spaces until midnight -- that's when I close."

Trudy Kaplan, who owns Porters gift shop at New York Avenue and Elm Street, said she is happy that the Paramount opened -- something that Chermak and Goussis also said -- but "it would just be better if they could figure out the parking."

Petrone said the town needs to consider parking problems overall in the village, where large weekend crowds regularly come to shop, eat and drink.

"The ultimate improvement for parking . . . is basically to have a parking type facility somewhere in the village, because there is just not any more land mass," Petrone said.