La Grange Restaurateur Upset With Parking Study

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange restaurant owner said Monday he is disappointed with a study of parking downtown.

Over the last year, Dan Spain, owner of The Elm, 23 W. Harris Ave., has aired his frustrations with downtown parking to the Village Board. He spoke again Monday.

His comments were made after a presentation by consultant Kelly Connolly, who said parking supply is not a problem downtown.

But Spain said the study only analyzed parking on two days in July – a Wednesday and a Saturday. He said Wednesdays are the worst day for his business. (His restaurant is closed Mondays.)

He also took issue with including Gordon Park's parking in the study's count of parking spots downtown, which totaled 2,037.

"It's rarely used, no one knows about it," Spain said. "I think the data is a little bit misleading overall."

He added, "It's just a little frustrating that you would put in only two days. No offense, maybe a little. It's just a little baffling to me."

In response, Connolly said the study did not take into account just the two days. It also analyzed the village's annual parking numbers from 2018 to 2022.

She said the report makes it clear that it analyzes downtown in zones.

"The Elm is in the most utilized area of downtown, no question," Connolly said. "That was only 80 percent occupied, indicating that within one block there are spaces available. Surface lots are full. It's on-street parking."

She also said the study made no assumptions that any of The Elm's customers are parking at Gordon Park.

"That's absolutely not practical," she said.

Despite criticizing the report, Spain praised the village government.

"I love my partnership with the village of La Grange, along with everything the public works department does," he said. "Overall, the village of La Grange is doing a phenomenal job."

The Elm opened in La Grange three years ago.