Downtown Parking Ramp 1962-1997

Racine Journal-Times, June 27, 1962 Mrs. L. B. Ruggaber, 1531 Taylor Ave., demonstrates how to use the Downtown Parking Ramp. At left, she glides into the entrances on Wisconsin Ave. Both entrance and exit are at the same location but are separated by a concrete island upon which is located electronic equipment to operate entrance and exit gates. Once Mrs. Ruggaber is in the ramp, she stops, second picture, to take a time-stamped ticket from the dispenser, an act which opens the entrance gate. Once in the ramp, she finds easy parking, right, in the nine-foot wide and 20-foot long stalls. She leaves the structure either by a stairway on the College Ave. side or by stairs or elevator on the Wisconsin Ave. side.
Racine Journal-Times, June 27, 1962
Mrs. L. B. Ruggaber, 1531 Taylor Ave., demonstrates how to use the Downtown Parking Ramp. At left, she glides into the entrances on Wisconsin Ave. Both entrance and exit are at the same location but are separated by a concrete island upon which is located electronic equipment to operate entrance and exit gates. Once Mrs. Ruggaber is in the ramp, she stops, second picture, to take a time-stamped ticket from the dispenser, an act which opens the entrance gate. Once in the ramp, she finds easy parking, right, in the nine-foot wide and 20-foot long stalls. She leaves the structure either by a stairway on the College Ave. side or by stairs or elevator on the Wisconsin Ave. side.
Through shopping, left, Mrs. Ruggaber returns to her car in the same manner and takes her keys and parking ticket from her purse. On her way out, she stops her auto, center, at the top of the first ramp and hands her parking ticket to attendant John Costabile, who calculates parking time and fee. The fee is 10 cents for the first hour and 5 cents each additional hour. If Mrs. Ruggaber had received parking stamps from businesses participating in the Park and Shop plan, she could have traded them in for free parking. Each stamp is equivalent to 10 cents free parking. If however, she would have left the ramp after the attendant had gone off duty, Mrs. Ruggaber, right photo, would have driven to the foot of the ramp and deposited 50 cents in a receptacle to open the exit gate. The machine takes only quarters, dimes, and nickels.
Through shopping, left, Mrs. Ruggaber returns to her car in the same manner and takes her keys and parking ticket from her purse. On her way out, she stops her auto, center, at the top of the first ramp and hands her parking ticket to attendant John Costabile, who calculates parking time and fee. The fee is 10 cents for the first hour and 5 cents each additional hour. If Mrs. Ruggaber had received parking stamps from businesses participating in the Park and Shop plan, she could have traded them in for free parking. Each stamp is equivalent to 10 cents free parking. If however, she would have left the ramp after the attendant had gone off duty, Mrs. Ruggaber, right photo, would have driven to the foot of the ramp and deposited 50 cents in a receptacle to open the exit gate. The machine takes only quarters, dimes, and nickels.
The second Kewpee Lunch building and the Sandy’s store under the downtown parking ramp.

Pete Sisak: Lula Ruggaber was one of my grandmother Zahn’s best friends. Her first husband was LeRoy Easson who happened to be my grandfather Zahn’s first cousin. LeRoy died young and she had remarried.