Marine Drive Gateway | 102.1m, 77.7m, 63.4m | 35flr, 26flr, 14flr | Completed

[Aroundtheworld]

I think people are starting to get over the idea of free parking being a given. I'll admit it is not easy to let go of the sense of entitlement that comes from having something be so ubiquitous for so long.

The truth is parking is incredibly costly to provide and making it free drives the cost of everything else and punishes those who don't drive. I also see it becoming obsolete in the next 15 years once self-driving taxis become prevalent.

[officedweller]

For the movie theatre, you probably don't need a car if it's a single purpose trip.

If you are on a shopping trip doing the circuit - say a visit to IKEA Richmond with stops on the way back home at Real Canadian Superstore, then Canadian Tire & Marshalls, then T&T and Winners:
1) the car enables you to make the various stops quickly, and
2) the car allows you to easily carry multiple purchases (including bulky / heavy groceries).

Nowadays, people tend to multi-task on trips and/or link trips.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by officedweller

For the movie theatre, you probably don't need a car if it's a single purpose trip.

If you are on a shopping trip doing the circuit - say a visit to IKEA Richmond with stops on the way back home at Real Canadian Superstore, then Canadian Tire & Marshalls, then T&T and Winners:
1) the car enables you to make the various stops quickly, and
2) the car allows you to easily carry multiple purchases (including bulky / heavy groceries).

Nowadays, people tend to multi-task on trips and/or link trips.

Well, if you are seeing the last showing of Superman at 10:45pm, you probably won't be done until 1:30am. It could be hard to find a transit ride home at that time. Last train north goes past there a little after 1am. And you'll probably want to go home as fast as possible and cry into your pillow because of the travesty you just saw, so waiting for a nightbus is out of the question.

Parking is a business. Plain and simple. It's up to the landlords what to charge in order to make money off the parking and/or off businesses's rent. If businesses can't drum up enough pedestrian/transit only business to pay the rent, the whole thing kind of collapses. So it could be free parking if they wanted to, but then it would be abused, and people actually wanting to patron the businesses there would be forced out, thus costing the businesses money, making them unable to pay rent.

A good compromise is validating parking. Limited supply is kept in check, and people who might travel across the Oak street bridge, are encouraged not to. Another good solution I've seen some places is the first 1/2 hour or hour is free/cheap, then the price goes up exponentially; if you're there for 3 hours you pay like $3, if you're there 6 hours you pay $30. Most shopping/dinner/movie visits are under a certain time, people staying longer are clearly using it for work/park n ride.

If they drum up enough business while still charging full price for parking, so be it. If you want to go somewhere and not pay for parking, you can drive a little further and visit another business that doesn't have a supply of parking problem (plenty of those in Richmond). It really doesn't take that much longer to drive out to Silvercity Riverport (10 minutes).

[Vin]

Driving is an addiction, like smoking. Once you start, it's hard to stop, unless something detrimental forces you to quit.

Charging for parking is "detrimental".

If Marine Gateway mall and cinema developer puts in so much money to build an underground parkade, they have every right to charge patrons for parking. The days of big open parking lots free to all is over in Vancouver.

[vanman]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

I parked here a few days ago and the lot was almost full.. was very difficult to find a space.. free parking would make it totally insane.

Ron.

The parking lot has never been full passed the second level since I've moved in. P3 and P4 are always empty no matter how full the first two levels are.

[Migrant_Coconut]

If you really need to drive there, there's the occasional free space on Marine Drive proper, and all the side roads.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

... Most shopping/dinner/movie visits are under a certain time, people staying longer are clearly using it for work/park n ride.

Ahh, good point - the pay parking is probably an easy to adminster deterrant against it becoming a park & ride for Canada Line.
(I missed it if anyone mentioned that before)

[vanman]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

If you really need to drive there, there's the occasional free space on Marine Drive proper, and all the side roads.

shhhhhhhh

[Large Cat]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

If you really need to drive there, there's the occasional free space on Marine Drive proper, and all the side roads.

Just don't walk across the bus loop if you park on Yukon. A lot of people clearly have no idea how dangerous this is.

Also, please don't do passenger pickup and drop off using that spot in the separated bike lane with the no stopping sign. Even if buses can get by you this makes it an extremely tight turn for them, probably more than you realize, and there are insulators above you they can get stuck on if you force them to stop. Not to mention you're taking up the entire freaking bike lane, which IS used. Stopping there puts a lot of people in danger and makes transit customers late at an already backed up intersection. Use the loading zone out front instead if you must.

Yes, I'm talking to YOU. Whoever you are.

[officedweller]

Official opening:

http://www.cknw.com/2016/04/07/vancouvers-newest-town-centre-officially-opens/

Mayor Gregor Robertson says he’d like to see similar development along other transit lines.

“We want to see further development along the Expo and Millennium Lines we are certainly seeing that start to happen in a big way in Burnaby and Surrey.”

http://www.cknw.com/2016/04/07/vancouvers-newest-town-centre-officially-opens/

[Klazu]

So is customer parking free at the shopping center?

[officedweller]

Apparently not - due to the potential for commuters to fill up free parking.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Official opening:

http://www.cknw.com/2016/04/07/vancouvers-newest-town-centre-officially-opens/


http://www.cknw.com/2016/04/07/vancouvers-newest-town-centre-officially-opens/

Quote:
Mayor Gregor Robertson says he’d like to see similar development along other transit lines.

“We want to see further development along the Expo and Millennium Lines we are certainly seeing that start to happen in a big way in Burnaby and Surrey.”


So now the Van mayor wants more malls and high rise developments in Vancouver by the transit system just like in Burnaby and Surrey?

Where are all the green initiatives and innovations of Vancouver, and why didn't the mayor make the City do that on Main Street Station or OV in the first place? I think this City is finally feeling the lost of face when neighbouring cities are developing so fast.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Vin

Quote:
Mayor Gregor Robertson says he’d like to see similar development along other transit lines.

“We want to see further development along the Expo and Millennium Lines we are certainly seeing that start to happen in a big way in Burnaby and Surrey.”


So now the Van mayor wants more malls and high rise developments in Vancouver by the transit system just like in Burnaby and Surrey?

Where are all the green initiatives and innovations of Vancouver, and why didn't the mayor make the City do that on Main Street Station or OV in the first place? I think this City is finally feeling the lost of face when neighbouring cities are developing so fast.

Well, for one I'm curious why Gregor thinks we need more mostly empty new office office buildings. Gateway is anything but a success.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by s211

Well, for one I'm curious why Gregor thinks we need more mostly empty new office office buildings. Gateway is anything but a success.

It is only two months old. And still surrounded by nothing but car dealerships and drive-thrus. Give the neighbourhood a few years to mature, and you might be surprised.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Apparently not - due to the potential for commuters to fill up free parking.

They could easily weed those out. Now I don't feel like driving up there to check it out, although there is some free street parking nearby. Stupid decision on their side IMO.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Klazu

They could easily weed those out. Now I don't feel like driving up there to check it out, although there is some free street parking nearby. Stupid decision on their side IMO.

If you look at the parking garages around Cambie and Broadway, the big merchants there (Save On, Whole Foods, etc.) all validate parking. That's the easy solution.

Or, you build parking specifically to accomodate park and riders, and charge "reasonable" rates for the day, like the casino at Bridgeport.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

It is only two months old. And still surrounded by nothing but car dealerships and drive-thrus. Give the neighbourhood a few years to mature, and you might be surprised.

As a matter of general practice, developers don't build to sit on vacant product for years. This project is a mis-call, along the lines of Solo, Renfrew, Metrotower 3, etc., that all developed on spec and got burned.

[officedweller]

They'll fill out eventually - Central City tower eventually did.

[LeftCoaster]

Nothing wrong with having a glut of office space anyway, from the city's point of view at least. Brings down occupancy costs and allows businesses more flexibility taking more space and hiring more people.

Developer makes their money on the condos and the city gets more office space which the developer doesn't make a ton on but can be profitable. It's a pretty good set up and I'm sure we will continue to see more and more of it.