STREET TALK

Cars or People?

By James C. Benerofe

3-7-00

You can't just build a parking structure. The proposal for the construction of the new parking structure to go with the Tishman -Speyer development on the old Macy's site is conceptually a bad plan. Without getting into the financial specifics, it's financially rich for the city to the tune of at least a $13 million investment. The finances, however are the least of the city's problems with the garage. Building parking garages in center city locations as a single use facility is bad planning. There are already too many cars on the streets. Garage development, that is large municipal garages in downtown areas, need to have multiple uses and need to be designed in such a way that the space can be converted to other uses without demolishing the structure.

Parking structures need to have mixed uses in them that complement their main purpose. These uses need to include certain service retail uses like, for example a newsstand, a dry cleaning store, and a place that sells batteries, umbrellas, flashlights and similar items. These stores coup be strategically placed within the structure for efficient access-near an elevator or stairwell for example. The stores would offer convenience, security, and greater economic viability for municipal investment. The last thing you want is a garage that looks like a garage. Why not make it architecturally interesting and exciting even though it is one of the least environmentally desirable structures we have to build. At least try to make it environmentally pleasing.

There are lots of other uses that can be incorporated in municipal parking structures that can give them more than a single use purpose. The ground floor and the roof provide the greatest complimentary use opportunities. Ground floor areas would be good for supermarkets, post office facilities, libraries, police stations, restaurants, motor vehicle bureaus and the list goes on. Roof areas could provide opportunities for all kinds of recreational facilities from tennis courts to putting greens and everything in between.

The city talked about putting a single deck on the Waller Avenue parking lot, a foolish thought at best, but a supermarket and or some movie theatres or a postal facility with five to eight decks of parking might make some sense. You might want to throw in 100 apartments to make sure it all works. If you have the apartments, it might be worthwhile to reduce the parking because people know how to walk and you would be providing lots of places to walk. We really need to stop thinking about everything in terms of parking spaces. Parking by itself is not good planning in a downtown central business district. Lots of big parking structures in a central business district are a sign that you want cars not people.