We’ve had a chance to summarize presentations from the PSU/PDOT Traffic and Transportation for each of the last two weeks. Now we’d like to feature one presentation that we found particularly interesting, something we’d like to do each semester.
Marcia Carlson (PDF 2.5M) has certainly identied quite an opportunity: over the next decade, many surface parking lots in the Lloyd District are going to grow tall buildings!
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We’ve had a chance to summarize presentations from the PSU/PDOT Traffic and Transportation for each of the last two weeks. Now we’d like to feature one presentation that we found particularly interesting, something we’d like to do each semester.
Marcia Carlson (PDF 2.5M) has certainly identied quite an opportunity: over the next decade, many surface parking lots in the Lloyd District are going to grow tall buildings!
The opportunity: as 17,000 new jobs and 3,000 new households are added to the district, how can you keep auto-intensity under control?
Marcia’s solution? Provide guidance to developers on the number of parking spaces to build, engage the Lloyd District TMA in negotiating group pricing for residents with TriMet and emphasize tools like Flexcar.
We think Marcia’s on to something. The Lloyd has great possibilities for building a car free residential culture. Here are some of the advantages in place:
- A strong employment-oriented TMA already in place
- Developers who understand that shifting modes is cheaper than building parking
- A large inventory of parking for employees that could be shared with residents overnight
We suggested a different idea to Marcia: put regulation in place that requires developers to unbundle condos and parking spaces, i.e., when you buy a condo, you can also buy a parking space if you want, but you’re not required to! We think this would reduce the number of parking spaces built. How many folks in the Pearl own cars only because they have a parking space (whether they wanted it or not). Today lenders seem to be requiring about 1 parking space for every residential unit in the Pearl. I think this would change quickly if half the spaces didn’t sell in an unbundled scheme. And faced with a $15,000 or $20,000 price tag, how many folks would think about whether they really want to bring a car to that new condo?
Go for it, Marcia!
3 responses to “Featured Class Presentation: Lloyd District Development and Transportation”
This is a NEW idea?! Oh my god, no wonder this country is so screwed. I am just AMAZED and BLOWN AWAY by the ability of those that hold our money to actually use their brains.
The mentality of people in this country is around the level of a lobotomized mouse.
Since I would not be using it, I would not like to have parking bundled with my housing price. In fact, I am quite proud to be living in a place that has less than 10 spaces for well over 100 units…and two well-used bike racks.
I remember talking once to the developer of the Belmont Lofts, who sold parking spaces just as you described. He had about one per space, and (if I’m remembering correctly) they sold for something like $10,000 at the beginning and shot up to over $20,000 by the end. Think of the savings for residents who chose not to buy a spot and didn’t have to pay for it anyway.
I wish I could opt out of the on-street parking I’m never going to use in front of my house. Can I lease it out? Turn it into a park? Make my own curb extension to slow traffic and make crossing easier?