Downtown Meriden nightclub closes amid parking worries

MERIDEN The closing of a Colony Street parking lot due to construction is expected to impact a nearby church and may have already contributed to The Reserve public house and concert venue going out of business, according to the owner.

The 93-space parking lot at 38-44 Colony St. will close Feb. 3, and signifies the beginning of construction at 24 Colony St. where the Meriden Housing Authority and Westmount Development Group will build a $24 million building with commercial space and apartments. Construction is set to begin in mid-February. A 273-space parking garage will also be built on the site.

While there will eventually be more parking, The Reserve owner James Peracchio wrote in a Facebook forum this week that the business was closed, adding it was not an easy decision. He declined to comment to a Record-Journal reporter Thursday, but wrote in the Meriden, CT Community Forum that parking was a concern moving forward, especially as the venue drew large crowds from outside the city.

Although the reduction in parking is unfortunate, Midstate Chamber of Commerce President Sean Moore said some short-term interruption is necessary to complete the many construction projects planned and underway.

Something really big is happening here and for a number of years were going to have to figure out how to adapt, Moore said.

Moore works in the chamber offices across from The Reserve. He doesnt believe the closing of the parking lot contributed to the owners decision.

I dont believe the audience that is at The Reserve is fundamentally different than the night club crowd in New Haven or Hartford, or Middletown, Moore said. They park their car and they walk.

Moore believes the most successful use of The Reserves 16 Church St. building is something open during the daytime/early evening hours.

Mayor Manny Santos said he was quite disappointed to hear of the venues closing, adding he wished the owners brought it to his attention.

Currently there arent other businesses that are open at the same time they are open, so it becomes difficult to continuously attract people to one location where theres one thing going on, he said. In the future, when we get restaurants and shops that can be open later, it can be a destination... where it can be a better attraction for people. Once theres more activity downtown itll be easier, but I suspect theyre having a hard time maintaining a business in the meantime.

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Downtown Meriden nightclub closes amid parking worries