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Talk of the Bay
Parking barbs shift into high gear
By SCOTT BARANCIK
Published August 21, 2006
Relations have long been strained between Robotic Parking Inc. and the city of Hoboken, N.J., for which the Pinellas Park company helped complete a 300-car automated garage in 2002. Construction problems and financial disputes delayed the facility's debut by several years and caused it to go millions of dollars over budget. Despite Robotic's claims of near-perfect operations since, two cars have been totaled after falling several stories, according to the Hudson Reporter. But things got uglier in July amid a battle over Robotic's monthly management fee. The city's parking chief and several police officers escorted company officials out of the garage. A Robotic executive reportedly called the chief a "two-bit dictator" who is "nothing more than the head meter maid." The company's lawyers asked a judge to shut down the facility. A settlement was reached this month. The city will pay Robotic a monthly software-licensing fee, but an Israeli company will operate and maintain the garage.
[Last modified August 21, 2006, 06:20:21]
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