The Solution to the Parking Problem

Automated parking systems improve the space efficiency and security of a parking structure

By Jeanette Fitzgerald Pitts

There is a problem with the conventional approach to parking in the United States: It requires too much space. Conventional parking solutions can take a few different forms: Off-street parking can be a flat surface lot or a multilevel high-rise or subterranean structure. On-street parking spots are another popular solution, and then, of course, there are the spots in residential garages and driveways. The one thing all of these traditional parking solutions have in common is the incredible amount of space they set aside to park a car. As a general rule, a typical conventional parking space allots 320 square feet per vehicle.

The size of the single car’s footprint can add up, especially considering that cities small and large are finding space to provide more than 1 million parking spots. The city of Seattle has roughly 1.6 million parking spaces, as does the much smaller Des Moines, Iowa. There are about 1.9 million parking spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, and Philadelphia tips the scale with more than 2 million spots. All of this space represents a tremendous real estate value. A report written by Parkingmill for the Research Institute for Housing America estimated that the parking space provided by Des Moines, Iowa; Seattle; New York City; Philadelphia; and Jackson, Wyoming, combined was worth roughly $81 billion.

For cities, and professionals involved in developing buildings and spaces within cities, the size of a parking space is problematic from both a basic cost and opportunity cost perspective. Either way you look at it, it is expensive, because the land used for parking must be paid for and could be used more cost-effectively.

One of the factors driving the pervasive number of parking spots found in urban areas are policies called mandatory minimum parking requirements. Mandatory minimum parking requirements dictate the number of parking spaces that must be included in commercial and residential projects. In the 2005 book by UCLA urban planning professor Donald Shoup titled The High Cost of Free Parking, he provides some background on the mandatory minimum policies: “Planners thought the solution would be to require new buildings to have ‘enough’ to satisfy the demand. It seemed like quite a miracle; it did not cost the city anything, and it hid the cost of parking.” The costs of the parking spots were incorporated into the development costs of a project and could be significant. In Los Angeles, for example, Shoup explained that the mandatory parking space can increase the cost of a new shopping center by 67–93 percent.

Beyond the cost of development, these minimum parking policies have left urban areas with large expanses of parking space that may be better used in different ways, especially if the area is well-served by public transportation.

Across the nation, cities are beginning to reevaluate their mandatory minimum parking policies, and some have eliminated them altogether. But, experts caution, just because the cities are not mandating parking in some areas does not mean it is not needed. According to the IBISWorld report published in May 2019, urbanization has been on the rise, resulting in greater demand for parking garages. Another consideration is funding. Lenders often take into account the available tenant parking to make the building more attractive for renters and purchasers. Luckily, there is another solution that can enable projects and cities to meet rising parking demands in a significantly smaller footprint. The solution is an automated parking system.

Introducing Automated Parking Systems

An automated parking system flips the conventional design of a parking structure and the less-than-efficient experience of parking on its head, providing a solution that parks more cars in less space and often speeds up the parking process altogether. It accomplishes all of these things by using a combination of lift and conveyor technologies that lift, slide, and store vehicles vertically and horizontally inside the automated parking structure. Where conventional parking practices required 320 square feet per vehicle, an automated parking solution can safely store a car in as little as 170 square feet (8.5 feet by 20 feet). A 2017 Bisnow article titled “This Company Is Bringing Fully Automated Parking Coast to Coast,” author Alec Berkman writes, “Countries like Germany, Japan and China, which faced land constraints earlier or more severely than the United States, have already invested heavily in these systems.”

There are four different types of parking systems, offering varying degrees of automation, accessibility, and parking capacity. From least automated to most automated, they are: a manually operated system, a semi-automated system, and fully automated systems that arrange cars either horizontally or vertically.

Manually Operated Parking Lift

A manually operated parking lift is a solution for increasing the parking capacity of a valet parking area. These highly adaptable, customizable car stackers offer a maximum of two levels, allowing valets access to a second-story tier to increase the number of cars they may park in their allotted area. The experience of the patron (customer driver) is no different when a manually operated system is used, as the driver will drop the car off to the valet, who parks it, and then receive the car from the valet, who retrieves it. These systems can make retrieval quicker and easier for the valet rather than parking some distance away and retrieving the vehicle, which improves the overall parking service provided.

Semi-Automated Parking System

A semi-automated parking solution allows each parking space to be independently accessed and, in most cases, does not require an attendant. Here is how it works. Instead of driving around and around looking for an empty parking space, like one does when parking in a surface lot or multilevel garage, drivers pull up to the automated parking system and pull into an open platform. Once parked, the driver and passengers exit the car and receive a retrieval ticket or issued fob for assigned parkers. While parked, the car is part of the parking ecosystem. The system will lift and slide the car on its platform, both vertically and horizontally, to make the necessary adjustments to accommodate new cars entering the system and cars being retrieved. When the driver returns, he or she can call for the car from a kiosk or remote key fob. The system automatically moves other cars as necessary to return the requested car to the ground level, where the driver enters the car and drives away. The average retrieval time for systems like this, which is the amount of time that it takes for the system to return a parked car to the driver at the ground floor, is 33 seconds for the most utilized systems.

These semi-automated parking systems can be configured with up to seven levels and can include a pit, or below-ground parking area. They can be designed in a tandem configuration, with one structure behind another. These parking systems are suitable for new construction and retrofit applications and are widely used in multi-residential, mixed-use, and public garages in urban areas. These solutions are well-suited to projects that have a ramped garage with enough clear height or an outdoor surface lot. Most impressively, these systems can save more than 60 percent of the space required by a conventional parking garage and reduce the cost and timing of construction.

Fully Automated Vertical Parking System

A fully automated vertical parking system is ideal for narrow spaces. This solution can be built up to 20 levels high. The average retrieval time for these systems is 120 seconds, and multiple vertical parking systems can be installed side-by-side for greater parking capacity, without increasing the retrieval time.

The way it works is very similar to the semi-automated parking system. The driver pulls into a bay, exits the vehicle, and receives a retrieval ticket or issued fob. The car, on top of its moveable platform, is lifted into an available parking space where it is stored until the driver returns. The biggest difference between a semi-automated parking system and the fully automated one is that the car in the fully automated system remains in one spot while it is stored, and the position of the car in the semi-automated parking system may change more frequently as it accommodates the movements of the other cars in the system. The fully automated systems are targeted for non-ramped garages.

Fully Automated Horizontal Parking System

A fully automated horizontal parking system delivers the largest capacity automated parking system available. There are projects in the United States that feature horizontal parking systems that offer up to 240 spaces. Whereas the vertical parking system, described above, is designed for vertical space solutions, this system is designed for more horizonal space and subterranean solutions. This system can be built to have up to seven levels above ground and five subterranean levels. The average retrieval time is 120 seconds, and it can also be designed with one or more retrieval arms to accommodate periods of more intense demand, simultaneously parking and retrieving vehicles. Just like the fully automated vertical system, cars are immediately moved to an open parking space and do not move again until the driver returns.

By incorporating an automated parking system into a project, designers can transform the entire layout of a building and regain use of valuable space that would otherwise be dedicated to storing cars. “As land in America’s urban core becomes scarce, automated parking solutions are the most cost- and space-effective way for developers and public agencies to meet parking requirements within increasingly smaller footprints,” says Scott Gable, CEO of CityLift Parking.

When Does Automated Parking Make Sense?

Automated parking systems help designers solve the parking-related issues and expenses that many projects face by providing a more space-efficient parking solution. For example, while some cities are currently reevaluating their mandated parking minimums, many are not, and designers often find themselves struggling to meet those mandated parking goals, within the designated footprint of the project, with a space-intensive conventional approach. This is especially true in urban and densely populated areas, or when a site is oddly configured or constrained, where teams may be limited in their ability to build up or build down to create more available square-footage within the structure. Automated parking systems can deliver the parking solution the city demands in a fraction of the footprint and make some projects possible, where they otherwise might not be built.

“We had a job that had an incredibly tight site with a high water table and an awkward shape, and we were not sure if we were going to be able to build the project given all the parking requirements that we needed to include,” explains Samantha Beadel, associate at GGLO in Seattle. “Using an automated parking system has made this project possible, and we are incredibly excited to find this solution.”

Projects that involve excavation are also excellent candidates for automated parking systems because these systems can reduce the reduce depth, levels, area to be excavated, risk, and costs. Excavation is an intense, expensive, and risky undertaking, and it becomes more expensive and has a greater inherent risk the deeper the digging. Deep excavations require earth retention and shoring systems to prevent soil and water from sliding into the new hole and support adjacent structures, when necessary. Also, as the excavation becomes deeper, the earth being removed must be lifted higher, which is more expensive. As the hole becomes deeper, the potential for encountering unexpected ground water increases, which is a big complication for any excavation project. For these reasons, the cost structure of excavation is nonlinear, so each additional foot of excavation depth costs more than the previous foot. Subterranean parking costs can reach as high as $95,000 per space when water tables are involved. Automated parking systems can dramatically reduce the amount of space and depth required to store a certain number of cars, especially when compared to the footprint of conventional underground garages.

“Automated parking helped us with the cost of a project,” explained Anthony Jansen, project manager, Henbart, Seattle. “We were working through different cost scenarios to strategically attack some legacy parking and transportation requirements, and automated parking was suggested to us by a contractor. The solution minimized the scope of excavation that the project needed, which saved money, because any time you go below grade, it gets very expensive.”

Architect and design lead Chester Weir at Katerra in Seattle has also incorporated automated parking into a project. “We became aware of automated parking out of necessity. We had some urban infill sites that were very constrained and required innovative approaches that would minimize excavation and concentrate parking in constrained sites.” The design team chose a fully automated vertical solution that reduced the amount of space used for parking by 89 percent. “The automated parking solution enabled us to minimize excavation, which is always risky, and provide parking in less space than you typically would dedicate to a parking garage. It also gave us the potential to rededicate that space in the future if the need for cars changes.”

Automated parking systems can also help designers do more with less. Today, designers are often asked to include more amenities in a space, without being given extra space for the desired features. To meet client demands, designers are looking for ways to free up space that can be repurposed into the extra storage or coveted community-building areas (gyms, co-working spaces, pools, basketball courts, etc.) desired by many building owners. Providing the necessary number of parking spaces in a smaller footprint opens up the space designers need to deliver these additional amenities. The Star Tower project in Long Island, New York, was able to provide additional tenant storage and a basketball court with the savings in parking space.

This was also the case with the Harmon Guest House, a 39-room boutique inn located in the heart of Sonoma wine country in Healdsburg, California. Designed by David Baker Architects, each guest room features private outdoor space—either a balcony or patio—and has a view out toward either the main street and town square or the swimming pool and creek-side park. The LEED Gold certified guesthouse also offers a stunning central courtyard and an inviting rooftop bar. A three-level semi-automated parking system was selected to provide the 50 desired parking spaces in a smaller footprint. “The automated parking system allowed us to modernize the hotel guest valet experience and minimize the square footage devoted to parking so we could maximize hotel amenities,” explains Construction Project Manager Daniele Petrone.

Additional Benefits of Automated Parking

Beyond delivering parking solutions in a more space-efficient manner, automated parking systems can improve upon some of the other troublesome issues that plague the conventional parking structures. Automated parking systems may improve the safety of people and property in the parking area and support important sustainability objectives.

More Safe and Secure

Let’s start exploring the additional benefits of automatic parking systems by taking a closer look at their safety implications. Conventional parking garages with rows and rows of unattended cars are a popular setting for crime and assault. The most common crimes in parking lots are theft and vandalism. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), between 2004 and 2008, more than 1 in 10 property crimes occurred in parking lots or garages. They are also a common location for violent predators to prey on women. In fact, according to the DOJ, in a report titled Female Victims of Sexual Violence, 1994–2010, 10 percent of sexual assaults occur in an enclosed but public parking area, such as a garage or parking lot.

Automated parking systems can improve the overall safety in a parking lot by consolidating the retrieval points and keeping them closer to the building, eliminating a situation where a person is walking past rows and rows of empty cars that stretch and wind further from the entrance. Keeping parking patrons in busier parking areas is a good way to deter opportunistic criminal activity.

In terms of protecting property, automated parking systems provide a more secure parking solution than conventional lots or garages. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that it is a good idea to ensure that valuables left in a parked car are not visible in plain sight. Cars in the automated parking system are not left in plain sight or easily accessed by people who are not the driver. In addition, the use of automated parking systems has been shown to minimize the occurrence of door dings or other types of vehicle damage.

Environmentally Responsible

Improved efficiency is a central theme for much of the sustainable design occurring today. Automated parking systems allow designers to provide the necessary number of spaces in a much smaller footprint. This means that the total structure can either be built smaller or the extra space can be used in other ways. Beyond being more space efficient, automated parking systems, as a solution, are also more material efficient than conventional parking solutions. Instead of the many levels of concrete of which parking garages are constructed, automated parking systems are made from steel beams and columns. The frame of the system is considered a sustainable material.

Steel has many qualities that lend itself to being a good choice for sustainable construction. Steel has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It is recyclable and does not lose any of its material properties when recycled. It is said that steel is the most recycled material in the world. Structural steel produced in the United States contains an average of 93 percent recycled steel scrap.

As evidence of their sustainability, automated parking systems are currently being certified under the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) through its Parksmart program. Parksmart is the LEED equivalent for parking structures and first of its kind in the United States. There are a few notable qualities that allowed automated parking systems to earn this green building distinction. With their smaller and steel-centric structure, these systems used 69 percent less construction material per parking space, and it is estimated that over the lifetime of the parking solution, it will eliminate 91 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions typically emitted in a comparable conventional parking structure.

Improve City Planning

Automated parking systems can also make parking more readily available in areas that are heavily congested. Traffic congestion is frustrating part of living in an urban area. It may be surprising to learn that a major contributor to congestion is people looking for parking. The activity is referred to as “cruising,” and it describes the amount of time drivers spend driving around looking for parking. In a 2019 article by Alex Weissman titled “Minimum Parking Requirements: A Word of Caution,” he explains, “Cruising causes up to 74 percent of traffic every year in some cities. In an average Los Angeles neighborhood, cruising in one year contributed to 945 thousand vehicle miles travelled. It was the equivalent to driving around the earth 38 times. Cruising wasted 100,000 hours of drivers’ time, consumed 47,000 gallons of gasoline, and produced 728 tons of CO2.

Automated parking systems can be used in new construction and retrofit projects. This means that city planners can use automated parking systems to relieve congestion by increasing the parking capacity of existing parking structures. The thought here is that if more spots are available, people will not have to drive in as many circles looking for an available spot.

As an added benefit, the steel structure of the automated parking system can be taken apart like an erector set. This enables building owners to dismantle the automated parking system much more easily than breaking down a conventional concrete garage if they wish to repurpose the space.

Case Studies

Perhaps the best way to showcase the types of projects that can benefit from automated parking systems is to profile a variety of different projects where the system is in use. There are currently more than 100,000 automated parking spaces storing cars in a more efficient manner throughout the United States.

Case Study: Bento Box Living

Nineteen conventional parking spaces were converted to 83 spaces on five levels on a 20-foot by 120-foot space. The Bento Box Living development in Nashville is a six-story, mixed-use project that includes 23 flex-stay rental apartments, 66 hotel rooms, 4,000 square feet of entrepreneurial retail, and a 5,500-square-foot restaurant. Located across from Dudley Park in Chestnut Hill, this project is the first in “flexible living” communities, offering fully furnished, short- and long-term stay options in a range of floor plans that measure 250, 400, 600, and 800 square feet with boutique hotel amenities. The 250-square-foot microunits are unique because they are furnished with a folding Murphy bed, a mini-fridge, television, and bathroom and share a communal kitchen. The property also features a resident lounge, two restaurants, an on-premise market, and an expansive roof deck with dramatic view of downtown.

Another progressive aspect of the Bento Box Living concept is the use of an automated parking structure. The project features a semi-automated, five-level, 83-space parking system that shuffles cars vertically and horizontally to maximize the number of cars that can be parked within the project footprint.

The COO of Bento Box Justin Koziol notes that this flex-living automated parking system solution for this residential and mixed-use apartment is a first of its kind in Nashville. “We saw a big shift in the way people are choosing to live,” Kozoil says. “People are not buying as much stuff and sharing more, like car sharing. It is really a more sustainable way to live, so we decided to start a couple of businesses that would help facilitate that.”

“The whole project is about small footprint living,” adds EOA Architect Tracy Ford.

Case Study: Paper Box Lofts

The conversion of an old mid-block industrial site into a mixed-use development known as Paper Box Lofts will bring affordable housing, green space, midblock pedestrian walkways, and new, much-needed parking into downtown Salt Lake City. In a March 2019 Salt Lake Tribune article, Micah Peters, CEO of ClearWater, one of the developers, called the endeavor “a multifamily project we have not seen in this city before.” As another notable feature, the project will host Utah’s first standalone automated parking system.

Located less than a block from the Vivint Smart Home Arena, home of the Utah Jazz, Paper Box Lofts will include 195 apartment units, retail, and restaurant space, a public park, and a 10,000-square foot “pocket park” open to the public. As part of an effort to alleviate parking woes in the area, developers are incorporating a seven-level, 112-parking space automated parking system into the project that will automatically stack and retrieve cars parked by their drivers.

Here is how the system will work. When a tenant arrives, he or she will pull onto one of six ground-level platforms. After exiting the car, it will be automatically delivered to its secure, designated spot within the parking structure. When the tenant returns to retrieve the car, he or she will swipe a key fob at the parking kiosk, and the system will return the car to the ground floor.

Councilwoman Amy Fowler has said the new parking system could help the city meet a range of parking needs downtown. The lofts are expected to be completed by spring 2021.

Case Study: The Hive Parking Structure

Automated parking systems can also be used to replace conventional parking garages. The Hive automated parking structure is the first and only fully automated parking structure in Northern California. It is an impressive example of just how much space these automated parking systems can save on a project. The entire system has a footprint of just 1,600 square feet, which is roughly the size of seven parking spaces. But the Hive can store 39 cars within its seven-story system.

The Hive showcases the many benefits that can be realized when designers choose an alternative to the conventional, multilevel parking structure. The Hive reduced the amount of space that needed to be consumed by the project by as much as 80 percent, offering cities and designers alike a solution that can supply the increased demand for parking in a smaller footprint, leaving valuable square footage that can be used for other activities.

The automated parking system also adds an extra level of safety and security to the parking experience. When a customer drives into the parking bay and parks his or her car, the garage lifts it into an available resting spot. Only technicians are capable of going up into the parking structure, which minimizes the ready access to unattended cars that makes conventional parking lots such magnets for theft and vandalism. In addition, the structure is designed to be mishap free, so scratches and dents are less likely to occur in an automated parking system than in a typical parking situation.

There is also an environmental benefit to offering a parking solution that no longer requires patrons to drive slowly around the complex looking for an available spot. It is estimated that cars in an automated parking system will emit just 4 percent of the greenhouse gases that are emitted in a traditional garage. The automated parking system can also be equipped to offer electric vehicle charging.

This new technology and its parking structure application are garnering some impressive accolades and changing the way industry professionals think about parking. The Hive automated parking structure project, developed by Signature Development Group, was the Winner of the 2017 Parade of Products at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference. “With the launch of the Hive automated parking structure, we now provide a better parking solution for our tenants and their customers that is cost-effective and environmentally sustainable,” says Mike Ghielmetti, president of Signature Development Group. “It is a parking system that represents the future of real estate.”

Case Study: Star Tower

When the developer of the Star Tower condo project in Long Island City, New York, discovered that installing a traditional garage in the 26-story, 184-unit property would mean sacrificing its entire basement, it went looking for an alternative parking solution. Ultimately, the team decided upon a fully automated horizontal parking solution that stores 32 cars in the five-level system. This solution allowed the developer to recapture 75 percent of the space that would have been consumed by the traditional parking structure, which was then used to create additional amenities like extra storage spaces and a basketball court.

A Note about City Approval

While automated parking systems have been bringing secure parking in a smaller footprint to hotels, multifamily developments, standalone parking garages, and other applications for years, there are still a few myths circulating about this technology that must be dispelled. Perhaps the most egregious is the belief that cities will not approve these unique and innovative systems for use.

The truth is that many cities already have approved the use of these automated parking systems, and the technology continues to receive approval. It has been approved in Oakland, California; San Francisco; Salt Lake City; Nashville; Chicago; Miami; New York City; Long Island, New York; Jersey City, New Jersey; Boston; Culver City, Santa Monica, and Long Beach, California; and San Diego, and the list continues to grow. The technology has even earned the Los Angeles Research Report (LARR) approval for its recently completed project in Los Angeles.

Because the technology is new and different, most cities are unfamiliar with it. City councils can be approached to review and approve the use of automated parking systems in their jurisdictions. By and large, the cities see the benefits of these automated systems and are receptive to finding ways to make them work. To that end, city guidelines may be adjusted or customized for a specific project, and the manufacturer of the automated parking system will typically work with the design team to get an approval of the concept and meet any needs of the jurisdiction having authority. Says Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, “These parking innovations are already spreading across the United States, and I am so proud that it started right here in Oakland.”

For example, Culver City approved automated parking systems on October 26, 2016. The City requires that the system have an operational plan and backup power. By far, Los Angeles has some of the most restrictive guidelines and most rigorous approval process. Los Angeles does not issue a general approval for automated systems, so each project using an automated system must undergo a one-time approval, but LARR approval has been attained.

The LARR is an evaluation from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), which reviews and approves building, mechanical, and electrical products within the City of Los Angeles. This is a parallel process to the rest of the typical building permits. The manufacturers and design team meet with LADBS and the Los Angeles Fire Department to get an approval of concept. Then the LARR application is submitted six weeks prior to the completion of the installation.

The automated parking system undergoes a thorough review process by the LARR electrical laboratory, and additional approvals are received for fire safety, structural steel, and an independent third-party electrical system certification using ETL standards.

The Most Common Question

According to the industry-leading manufacturer of automated parking systems, when designers hear about these systems, they are immediately intrigued, and they see the problem-solving benefit and the value. But they do usually have one question: “What causes the system to break down?”

These automated systems do not break down often. In fact, they have an uptime of 99.6 percent, and that 0.4 percent of downtime is the amount of time it takes the technician to get to the site and fix the problem.

In fact, the most common errors are user related: an issue using the touchscreen kiosk, something keeping the gate from closing and moving the cars, tenants forgetting the gate is down and backing into it, or dropping the fob or keys between the lifts. Occasionally, a sensor may need to be adjusted, which a technician can quickly accommodate, and the system is electronic, so it requires electricity to operate. But, in terms of breaking down, these systems have been engineered in such a way that they work reliably, and the manufacturers offers thorough training and support to aid any issues that may occur as patrons and employees learn how to operate the automated parking system.

Getting Started with Automated Parking

Automated parking systems can be incorporated into new construction or retrofit projects. The first step to determine if one of these systems is the right fit for a project is to reach out to an automated parking manufacturer. These teams will often have a very close working relationship with the design team as it relates to finalizing the design of the system and attaining the necessary permits from the city. The best place to start the discussion is with parking CAD files or schematic drawings. The supporting team at the manufacturer will take a closer look at the city guidelines and specific permits that are required to move forward. In terms of timing, every project is different, but use nine months as a starting point from the time the order is submitted to the date of the completed installation, depending on the size of the project.

In Closing

Automated parking systems are an innovative solution to a parking problem that has plagued many projects in urban areas. As people continue to move to big cities and land values climb, designers have struggled to provide the necessary parking spaces within the constraints of the site, without breaking the budget of the building. Now there is a space-savvy parking system that offers a number of additional benefits, including improved safety and security of the parking structure, and sustainability-related objectives such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and decreased use of construction materials. Incorporating these systems into a design can return precious square footage to the plan, allowing designers to deliver more amenities than originally thought possible and reducing the scope of costly and risky excavations.

The next time a project faces a parking-related issue, be it capacity, available space, site constraint, or budget, explore whether an automated parking system can offer the solution.

Jeanette Fitzgerald Pitts has written nearly 100 continuing education courses exploring the benefits of incorporating new building products, systems, and processes into project design and development.