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Parking Meters Come to Columbia Street Waterfront

 New parking meters were recently installed on Union Street near Columbia Street in the neighborhood.
New parking meters were recently installed on Union Street near Columbia Street in the neighborhood.
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DNAinfo/Amy Langfield

COLUMBIA STREET WATERFRONT DISTRICT — The neighborhood recently got its first batch of parking meters as the machines were installed on Union Street and two blocks of Columbia Street, city officials said.

The Muni Meters were requested by local community stakeholders and would provide consistent metering for the area, according to a spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation.

Some business owners on the street welcomed the new meters, which they hoped to improve the availability of parking spots, encourage better customer turnover and prevent drivers from parking in a space for days on end.

Frank Buffa, a manager at Ferdinando’s Focacceria, said the meters were "the best thing New York City did."

"People from different areas used to leave [their] cars over here," he said.

Paul D'Agostino, owner of House of Pizza & Calzone, said there were more available parking spots in the area after the meters were installed, but he needed more time to gauge the long-term impact for businesses.  

"I could definitely sympathize with local residents," he said. "Parking is always an issue in New York City."

The DOT said last summer it was replacing its oldest machines throughout the city with a more "technologically advanced" version.