Urban Redevelopment; To Convert or Not To Convert Office Space to Parking or Vice Versa ?
To Convert or Not To Convert- The Major Question for Properties
With the rise of automated parking and smart parking applications, the need for large office space parking and other large volume parking areas is reduced as digital parking has the ability to streamline parking and also control the area to better serve the needs of visitors and staff. However, there are challenges that exist in the changing world of parking that have led to an ever exciting scape of opportunities.
The Face of Parking Is Changing
There is a shift in the parking industry that is changing with the modern driver. We are seeing an increased need for technology in everyday activities, as well as overall demographics in parking in general that are creating change. Currently there is a combination of higher residential and commercial properties that are in high volume traffic and vehicle areas. This leads to congestion and other problems associated with high traffic like pollution and lost time waiting in traffic. The demographics of the modern driver are shifting to one that shows an increase in telecommuting, having vehicles with advanced technology like AI or equipment that eases the driving experience, and the ability to use rideshare or carpooling.
It is because of these shifts that the parking garage or parking area can fluctuate between overcrowded or under-used. It all depends on the time of day and the day of the week. Current projections show that the typical parking area or garage will become almost obsolete. There needs to be parking areas that meet both today’s needs and also has the ability to prepare for the future and the future drivers’ needs.
Today’s Parking Solutions
In corporate real estate (CREs), parking is more often than not one of the last things considered even though it is an important part of the whole experience. Parking areas or lots can be regarded as the ‘true lobby’ of businesses, properties, and other venues as it is the first thing a driver experiences. In order to have a good first impression, many parking lots or garages are offering boosted experiences and services to level up the parking area. These can include valet parking, reception areas, parking assistive technology like signage, lighting, and even smart applications, detailing services, an increase in overall security and lighting, as well as specific parking areas.
There has also been an increased use of shared parking areas. These are shared among businesses and residential areas to maximize the limited space available in densely populated areas. The overall needs of the businesses will determine the usage and design of these shared spaces. For example, a work area may need parking throughout the business day, and then surrounding businesses like cafes and restaurants may need the parking in the evenings and nights to accommodate guests. This sharing of spaces is ideal so that all needs can be met and use less space. In order to help with times that may overlap, the use of metered parking or timed parking, as well as ticketed parking is used. In the modern world, this includes the use of digital or mobile apps to register and find parking, as well as track time in the spaces.
The Future of Parking
While meeting the needs of current drivers and spaces, there needs to be a look at the future and the needs of the people. Due to increased uses of telecommuting, carpooling services, public transportation, and more there is a new approach coming to the parking areas. These areas will need to be multi-purposed and easily converted if needed to other spaces. For example, many parking garages around the world have been converted to either residential building spaces, or office spaces. With meeting the needs and wants of municipalities that want either a minimum or maximum number of parking spaces and areas, there are many that believe parking areas to become less and less of a need.
In order to prepare for the future, parking garages and lots need to be multipurpose ready, and able to make changes as needed. This may be as simple as having level floors instead of graded ones, open spaces for duct work and other plumbing or electrical, specific ceiling heights, and more.
In addition to the need for multi-purpose areas, the future of parking is looking towards one that is highly technological through tools and equipment like AI and applications through cloud-based technology. Today such technology exists and is used to help in the parking and organization of parking areas no matter the application such as residential or commercial. Companies specializing in this technology are known as smart parking or digital parking companies. ParkingBadge is a top smart parking company that offers a state of the art parking application that can be customized to specific needs and parking types. This means that even in spaces being designed to be multipurpose, ParkingBadge can still meet the needs of current drivers and also shift to the future needs. Even with pre-existing parking areas, there is little to no lag time in the implementation of this cloud-based application to the parking areas as it is custom made and can be placed quickly into use in these areas.
For more information on how these systems would work in your parking setting, please reach out to a knowledgeable staff member of ParkingBadge. ParkingBadge is a premier smart parking technology company that has professional staff at the ready to help with any questions and assist in design and install of equipment and app use.
Interested in finding out more information about ParkingBadge’s innovative parking management and parking enforcement software? Please visit- https://parkingbadge.com/pricing
