Can Parking Minimums Stymie Development?
Streetsblog has an intriguing post about how parking spot requirements in new construction have the potential to mess with a developer’s bottom line. The post centers around the opinions of Hudson Companies co-founder Alan Bell, who says that he’s often sought waivers for parking minimums, particularly in projects that aren’t large, and walked away from…
Streetsblog has an intriguing post about how parking spot requirements in new construction have the potential to mess with a developer’s bottom line. The post centers around the opinions of Hudson Companies co-founder Alan Bell, who says that he’s often sought waivers for parking minimums, particularly in projects that aren’t large, and walked away from development opportunities because the minimums made them financially untenable. Bell says building the spaces—which can run from $25,000 to $50,000—is extremely costly, and can come at the expense of revenue-generating retail space. Here’s one of his cautionary tales: An “East New York project of Bell’s has 179 units, enough that parking would be required even if the building were subdivided into pieces. To comply with the law, Bell built 62 surface parking spaces. ‘I have five takers,’ he said. The rest sit empty. ‘Now instead of a big green backyard around the play area, I have this macadam. You just say why?'” The developer says he thinks one solution would be to revise zoning so that parking minimums aren’t required in high-density areas with easy access to transportation.
Developer: I’ve Walked Away From Projects Because of Parking Minimums [Streetsblog]
So because of this stupid rule, 4th Avenue – instead of having retail in those new bldgs has blank walls. Granted, there’s some stuff opening up in the older retail spaces, but seems like such a wasted opportunity. instead of having another vibrant retail strip in the Slope, you have nothing so a bunch of people can park their beat up subarus and volvos. 🙁
Action Jackson… umm, you do realize that REALITY disagrees with your assertion. It turns out, in many places well-served by transit parking is NOT needed and is not utilized and is a waste of space and money. Funny that.
“I’m willing to make parking totally up to the developer; it seems like they’d have a motivation to put it in there when it would be desired, and not waste space/$ when it’s not going to be needed.”
And we have seen (unfortunately) what happens when things are left to a developer’s discretion.
Wake up folks. Parking is needed, will be utilized and boo-hoo if it’s an additional expense to the developer.
I’d like world peace and to be a millionaire…
This is totally dumb- I agree with Maly. I’m willing to make parking totally up to the developer; it seems like they’d have a motivation to put it in there when it would be desired, and not waste space/$ when it’s not going to be needed.
4th Avenue has a Subway Tunnel going down it… so digging and building underground parking without disturbing the tunnel is much harder (read=expensive).
for some reason empty space is such a no-no……………………
God forbid there isn’t any empty spaces with a building on it………..
I am sure I may regret in say 20 years when the all the vacant lots around my house are filled with condo developments, but it makes no sense to distort the market to encourage off-street parking. I’ve enjoyed my easy at the front door parking spot which is the product of my immediate neighborhood’s underdevelopment, but I hate those new buildings on 4th with no retail spaces. I know sometimes they take a long time to fill – when I moved to Chelsea in 1988, the building on 8th between 16th and 17th was vacant for a long time. But now it’s not, and it would be shame to have a gap in the streetscape there.
I’ve also heard the explanation that 4th Ave has a high water table, so it’s hard to put parking underground…
“Aren’t the parking minimums why all the new construction on 4th Ave has no retail space?”
It is certainly a contributing factor.
Putting another parking level underground is a lot more expensive than putting it on the first floor.
Even when you do put it underground, you still need ramp and ventilation space that reduces ground floor usable space.