Parking Ramps

[PBJ]

I've read a ton of posts complaining, or stating that, parking ramps are a waste of space, take up to much prime real estate, etc. But i pose the question, what's a better solution?

Whenever I'm downtown, especially if there's an event at Van Andel, parking is a complete nightmare. Finding a place is near impossible, especially if arriving at 9:30 to go out for the night, and an event started at 7:30 or 8.

It seems from the larger cities i've been to, there are always a number of parking ramps everywhere. Granted, many of them are "hidden" in between huge sky risers, or in the basements of hotels so you don't notice them as much as say the one on Fulton and Ionia/Ottawa. What other alternatives do we really have given the current (and not likely to change soon) setup of our transportation system.

[GRDadof3]

And I would add that I would rather see parking ramps downtown then to have downtown ringed by a sea of parking lots (like West of 131 used to be). It seems like photos I have seen of Charlotte and St Louis are like that (maybe they are changing) Like downtown is some kind of giant shopping mall or stadium with a big parking lot around it

I believe the city, according to the master plan, now requires that any new structure in the central city stretching up to North Monroe have its own parking garage built into the plan. I'll bet there is someone here that can verify that

[GR_Urbanist]

If you make it like the one that houses Leo's seafood restaurant, then it works well and adds to the city. If you make it like the one that is across the street form the new hotel, then you might as well have a parking lot.

[joeDowntown]

I think all new parking ramps should require retail on the first level and be scrutinized on their facades. The Leo's ramp is a good example.

I actually ramps should include a second story (smaller sq. footage) of office space. This would give the appearance (atleast from the street level) of an active building and would definitely make the surrounding area more pedestrian friendly.

Joe

[GRCentro]

While I realize their necessity, I hate parking ramps, the tributes of our automobile dependence. When possible in new development, I'd like to see all parking ramps either underground or hidden by the structure they're serving. If a ramp must be built independent from another development, ground-level retail should be a minimum requirement.

The Fulton-Ionia ramp, however, is exactly what a ramp shouldn't be. It monopolizes an enormous piece of land and several corners without doing anything for the streetscape. It was built with cars in mind, not people.