[buzzg]

I was just in Austin, Texas for a week. There are parkades EVERYWHERE (really, it's staggering), but they ALL have first floor commercial, and most of them are well designed. Anything that appeared to have been built this century, especially in the downtown/uptown areas are really nice integrated podiums or fully hidden where it's not even obvious it's a parkade.

While this wouldn't be the worst thing in some other areas, this being part of the TOD around Harkness Station, it should not be allowed without the townhouses or retail in the parkade.