parking podiums: tolerated compromise or the root of all evil?

[J. Will]

I don't buy that forcing parking underground will greatly decrease the number of highrises built. If that was the case how does Vancouver have over 40 highrises u/c (not including suburbs) in a city of 580,000? How does Toronto have over 90 highrises u/c just within city limits? If anything, it could lead to more development because if all parking garages are underground, it makes for a nicer neighbourhood to walk around, ceteris paribus.

The developers just pass on the cost of parking to residents anyways. So it doesn't really matter if it's underground. I'm just grateful that almost all of the parking garages here are underground. I think above-grade parking is ugly even if you try to disguise it.