The Great Canadian Parking Lot Thread!

[esquire]

Parkades are never going to be a thing of beauty but at least those ones in Calgary posted above make some kind of effort to improve their appearance.

If you put some kind of non-parking related use on the ground level and add something to the exterior to give it a sculptural type of character like in that Philadelphia example, it is possible to make parkades tolerable in the urban context...

[MolsonExport]

Another problem with a lot of parkades (as well as underground parking) is the entry/exit system. Someone is always trying to make a left-hand turn, and pedestrians have to scramble to avoid being hit or very nearly so.

As others have said, ground level retail and an attempt to make the parkade levels/ramps less utilitarian can do wonders for their appearance.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Another problem with a lot of parkades (as well as underground parking) is the entry/exit system. Someone is always trying to make a left-hand turn, and pedestrians have to scramble to avoid being hit or very nearly so.

As others have said, ground level retail and an attempt to make the parkade levels/ramps less utilitarian can do wonders for their appearance.

I wonder if cities have the power to make left hand turns from parking garages illegal.

I'm highly supportive of Montreal's no right turns on a red light. Makes the roads much safer and the drives much more relax (don't have a guy in a Ram 1500 beeping at me constantly while I'm trying to figure out if it's safe to go). I wish we would implement this in Ottawa, at the very least downtown.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Reminds me of the downtown University of Calgary campus parkade...



It’s especially pretty when it’s windy, as the steel tiles move with the wind.



Some other decent examples in Calgary...

The Colours of Battistella (local family owned developer)


https://www.juliedempsey.ca/Colours.ubr


SAIT Parkade by Bing Thom




https://www.archdaily.com/129142/sai...ext_project=no


Annnd... can’t think of any others off the top of my head.

This one is UC in the East Village. It will double as a tech incubator hub on the bottom two floors with community amenities in the centre open-air section. The parking floors are designed to be converted to office or hotel space once non-autonomous vehicles become obsolete...

Although it borders a bit on Stampitecture this parkade on 9th ave is also a good example:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0449...7i13312!8i6656

[O-tacular]

10th Ave has some of the worst parkades in the entire city:

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.0434...7i13312!8i6656

[O-tacular]

Any other universities hide their Fine Arts department above a parkade like U of C? Took me forever to find it when I had a drawing class there in first year.

[MolsonExport]

Concordia's fine arts department is actually in a repurposed parking garage. If you don't believe me, see the before and after at https://www.concordia.ca/offices/arc...ore-after.html


concordia.ca

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Another problem with a lot of parkades (as well as underground parking) is the entry/exit system. Someone is always trying to make a left-hand turn, and pedestrians have to scramble to avoid being hit or very nearly so.

As others have said, ground level retail and an attempt to make the parkade levels/ramps less utilitarian can do wonders for their appearance.

Very true. There are many examples of parking garages that are not only attractive but actually add to a city's urbanity. Most parking garages are sterile and unforgiving because they were allowed to be built that way and not because they had to.

This is just like a subway/rapid transit station...........some are as sterile and alienating as hell and others attractive and welcoming.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I wonder if cities have the power to make left hand turns from parking garages illegal.

I'm highly supportive of Montreal's no right turns on a red light. Makes the roads much safer and the drives much more relax (don't have a guy in a Ram 1500 beeping at me constantly while I'm trying to figure out if it's safe to go). I wish we would implement this in Ottawa, at the very least downtown.

Why wouldn't cities be able to make no left turns illegal from private property onto a public boulevard?

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by esquire

Parkades are never going to be a thing of beauty but at least those ones in Calgary posted above make some kind of effort to improve their appearance.

If you put some kind of non-parking related use on the ground level and add something to the exterior to give it a sculptural type of character like in that Philadelphia example, it is possible to make parkades tolerable in the urban context...

The Philadelphia facade is beautiful.

Parking garages are built like bunkers. Automation which saves space in expensive urban environments doesn't need to be built to such concrete standards. The showroom feel with bright lights showcasing the cars can be beautiful. Until then, the best solution will be to put parking behind residential or commercial units.

[MolsonExport]

• Video Link

In the United States, parking spaces collectively occupy a size equal to the state of West Virginia.

[MolsonExport]

CBC: The slow death of urban parking: Don Pittis

[kwoldtimer]

edit

[niwell]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Retail at grade helps, like this one in Kensington:https://goo.gl/maps/J3VNu1YVagk5BwmS8

In my perfect Toronto world a parking garage like this (talking about use, architecture notwithstanding) would exist somewhere near most urban subway stations and in major destination neighbourhoods such as Little Italy, West Queen West, etc. Any portion that fronts a main street would have retail but there are also plenty of opportunities behind commercial buildings, some of which is already pay public parking. In return get rid of street parking and use the curb lane for combination of patio space like is happening now during COVID and expanded pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. Traffic concerns could be largely ameliorated by adding left turn lanes at key intersections - really the curb lane is barely used as a traffic lane on most streets anyways.

[MolsonExport]

We designed Canada's cities for cars, not people

[J.OT13]

Park and Rides! In Ottawa, all P&Rs are surface lots, with the exception of space rented in a mall parking structure in Olreans. Acres and acres of asphalt for your viewing pleasure. 9,000 free spaces (and a few hundred "gold permit" spaces closer to bus stops.


http://www.transitottawa.ca/2011/09/...eson-park.html


https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle...in-trim-ottawa


https://www.otrainfans.ca/confederat...place-dorleans

[WhipperSnapper]

going off tangent...

1925 parking garage converted to condos in the early 1980s.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.6518...7i16384!8i8192

unfortunately, the facade was replaced. I probably would have been cleaned and repaired if built now.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d4/00...dc74805aec.jpg

You wouldn't know it was a parking garage by looking at it.

[J.OT13]

The first image shows parking lots and brown fields that don't have an official approved development, west of the Rideau Canal.

The second image shows the same for Hull, but includes lots with official proposals (minus Zibi which is continuously u/c).

Thanks to Ottawa forumer Harley for the great work.

Originally Posted by Harley613

Here is a VERY quick sketch of empty lots which are not currently being developed, lots that do not have an approved future development, and all surface parking lots of notable size.

I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff but you get the general idea.

I'm having trouble seeing how Gatineau is especially 'filled with dusty parking lots'.

[IMG]Ottawa by harley613, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]Gatineau by harley613, on Flickr[/IMG]

[MolsonExport]

[ssiguy]

^ Is that Kanata?