Downtown Albany Parking Facility Feasibility Study

Transcription

1 Downtown Albany Parking Facility Feasibility Study Albany Parking Authority 25 Orange Street Final Report Submitted September 19, 2017 by 20 N. Clark Street, 4 th Floor Chicago, IL

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 1 Page PHASE I ANALYSIS OF EXISTING PARKING CONDTIONS... 1 Downtown Study Area and Parking Analysis Zones... 1 Parking Inventory... 4 Parking Occupancy... 4 Stakeholder Interviews... 9 SUMMARY OF EXISTING PARKING CONDITIONS Effective Parking Supply Current Parking Adequacy On Street Parking Weekdays Off Street Parking Weekdays On Street Parking Weekends Conclusion PHASE II PROJECTION OF FUTURE PARKING NEEDS Development North of the Downtown Study Area Development Near the Quackenbush Garage Development Near the Riverfront Garage Development Near the Green Hudson Garage Development Near the Times Union Center Garage Additional Development Projects The Need for a New Downtown Parking Garage The Green Hudson Area PHASE III SITE EVALUATION & CONCEPT PARKING PLANS Evaluation of Parking Development Sites Green Hudson Area Parking Garage Site and Concept Plans Quackenbush/Riverfront Area Garage Site and Concept Plans Public Private Partnerships PHASE IV FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT TOC

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT D) Shared Parking Parking Management Page TOC

4 INTRODUCTION DESMAN has been retained by the Albany Parking Authority (APA) to complete a Feasibility Study for the Construction of Additional Parking Facilities. The feasibility study primarily focuses on parking in downtown Albany and consists of the following four phases: The Phase I analysis of existing parking conditions, including verifying the on street and off street parking supply, completing surveys of parking occupancy, and meeting with key downtown and stakeholders. Phase II provides a projection of future downtown parking needs based on information provided on planned and proposed downtown development projects. Phase III consists of developing concept parking plans for a future downtown parking garage on a preferred site. Phase IV provides a financial feasibility study of the proposed parking garage on the preferred site. Following the downtown parking analysis are parking recommendations for the Warehouse District, which represents the beginning of a Parking Program for the area. PHASE I ANALYSIS OF EXISTING PARKING CONDITIONS Downtown Study Area and Parking Analysis Zones The downtown study area is roughly bounded by Clinton Avenue on the north, Madison Avenue on the south, I 785 on the east and Eagle Street on the west. The study area is divided into three analysis zones as shown in Figure 1. The Quackenbush/Riverfront zone to the north includes two large parking garages owned and operated by the Albany Parking Authority (APA). The State Street zone contains two blocks on either side of State Street and the State University of New York Administration building, and represents the core of the downtown study area. The Green Hudson zone, which is bisected by US 20, includes the Times Union Center and the Green Hudson garage, which is owned and operated by the APA. The offstreet parking facilities included in the study are shown in Figure 2. Page 1

5 Page 2

6 Page 3

7 Parking Inventory Table 1 presents the estimated on street parking supply by type of space within the study area. There are an estimated 724 on street parking spaces, most of which are metered spaces (approximately 89%). The on street parking inventory is based on the parking meter survey provided by the APA and supplemented/confirmed by DESMAN in the field. Table 1. On Street Parking Supply Multi Space Meters Single Space Meters Street/Avenue $0.50/Hr. $0.75/Hr. $1.00/Hr. $1.25/Hr. Progressive 20 Min. 1 Hour 2 Hour 4 hour 10 Hour HC Loading Reserved Total Beaver St Broadway Clinton Ave Columbia St Dallius St. 4 4 Eagle St. 6 6 Grand St Green St Hamilton St Howard St Hudson St James St Liberty St Lodge St Madison Ave Monroe St Orange St Pearl St Pine St Sheridan Ave State St Steuben St TOTAL: The off street parking included in the study consists of an estimated 6,714 spaces in ten parking garages and 15 parking lots. The three APA garages contain 2,594 spaces, while the remainder of the spaces (4,120 spaces) are in privately owned facilities, most of which provide public parking. Parking Occupancy DESMAN completed a survey of parking occupancy of the on and off street parking on Thursday, May 4, 2017 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Downtown parking accumulation typically peaks on weekdays over this period. The weekday on street occupancy counts are summarized in Table 2 and the off street occupancy counts are summarized in Table 3. The on street spaces in the State Street and Quackenbush zones were 83% occupied and the on street parking in the Green Hudson zone was only 26% occupied. The on street parking was 68% occupied overall. Page 4

8 Table 2. Summary of Weekday On Street Parking Occupancy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Broadway Meters % Clinton Ave. Meters % Columbia St. Meters/Reserved % Eagle St. Meters % James St. Meters % Lodge St. Meters % Monroe St. Meters % Orange St. Meters/Reserved % Pearl St. Meters % Pine St. Meters % Sheridan Ave. Meters % Steuben St. Meters % Total: % STATE STREET Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Beaver St. Meters % Broadway Meters/Reserved % Green St. Meters % Howard St. Meters % James St. Meters % Lodge St. Meters/Reserved % Pearl St. Meters % Pine St. Meters/Reserved % State St. Meters % Total: % GREEN HUDSON Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Broadway Meters % Dallius St. Meters % Grand St. Meters % Green St. Meters % Hamilton St. Meters/Reserved % Hudson St. Meters % Liberty St. Meters % Madison Ave. Meters % Pearl St. Meters % Total: % TOTAL: % Page 5

9 Table 3. Summary of Weekday Off Street Parking Occupancy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Spaces Percent Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Occupied Occupied Garage Parking Auth % Garage Parking Auth % Garage Private % Garage Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Total: 2,670 1,726 65% STATE STREET Spaces Percent Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Occupied Occupied Garage Private % Garage Private % Garage Private % Garage Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Total: 1, % GREEN HUDSON Spaces Percent Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Occupied Occupied Garage Parking Auth % Garage Private 1, % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Lot Private % Total: 2,597 2,047 79% TOTAL: 6,714 4,707 70% Page 6

10 The off street spaces in the Green Hudson zone were 79% occupied and the off street spaces in the Quackenbush/Riverfront and State Street zones were 65% occupied. The off street parking was 70% occupied overall. The only significant available supply in the APA owned facilities is in the Quackenbush garage at the far north end of the study area. DESMAN completed a survey of parking occupancy of the on street parking on Saturday, May 6, The results are presented in Table 4 on the following page. Counts of off street facilities were not conducted because most of the parking facilities were observed to be predominately empty on Saturday. The Quackenbush and Green Hudson garages were both closed. The Riverfront garage was open and mostly full mid morning to midday as there was a riverfront event taking place that weekend. The on street spaces were 74% occupied in the State Street zone (compared to 83% on weekdays), 68% occupied in the Quackenbush/Riverfront zone (compared to 83% on weekdays), and 46% occupied in the Green Hudson zone (compared to 26% on weekdays). The on street parking in the Green Hudson zone located below and south of US 20 was not included in the survey on Saturday, which likely contributed to a higher overall occupancy level on Saturday than on a weekday. There was also more parking activity on the streets near the bus station on Saturday. Page 7

11 Table 4. Summary of Saturday On Street Parking Occupancy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Broadway Meters % Clinton Ave. Meters % Columbia St. Meters/Reserved % Eagle St. Meters % James St. Meters % Lodge St. Meters % Monroe St. Meters % Orange St. Meters/Reserved % Pearl St. Meters % Pine St. Meters % Sheridan Ave. Meters % Steuben St. Meters % Total: % STATE STREET Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Beaver St. Meters % Broadway Meters % Green St. Meters % Howard St. Meters % James St. Meters % Lodge St. Meters/Reserved % Pearl St. Meters % Pine St. Meters/Reserved % State St. Meters % Total: % GREEN HUDSON (1) Spaces Percent Street/Ave. Type Spaces Occupied Occupied Broadway Meters % Dallius St. Meters % Green St. Meters % Hamilton St. Meters/Reserved % Hudson St. Meters % Liberty St. Meters % Pearl St. Meters % Total: % TOTAL: % (1) Excludes on street parking below and south of the highway. Page 8

12 Stakeholder Interviews A Meeting was held with key downtown stakeholders on May 4, The list of downtown stakeholders is as follows: Georgette Steffens, Downtown BID Sarah Reginelli, Capitalize Albany Bill Trudeau, Traffic Engineering John O'Brien, Pioneer Michele Vennard, Visitor s Bureau Lauren Alpert, Planning Department Ross Farrell, CDTA Michael Williams, CDTA Mark Aronowitz, OMNI Development Seth Meltzer, Developer Beth Lacey, Architect, Board Member Bob Belber (Not Present), SMG/Convention Center Doug McClaine, SMG/Convention Center Gavin Donohue, Albany Capital Center Chair Seth Rosenblum, Rosenblum Companies Jeff Mirel, Rosenblum Companies Following is a summary of the key points from the meeting with the downtown stakeholders in no particular order. Parking is at a premium presently and downtown is growing. The Green Hudson and Riverfront garages are oversold and there is overflow parking demand on court days. The Quackenbush garage is only at about 50% of capacity, but occupancy levels will increase with future development. There are opportunity sites for proposed development that presently do not have numbers associated with them. Roof top parking could be offered at a discount in the near term at the Quackenbush garage to help fill the garage. Montgomery Street access in the Quackenbush garage is a possibility to better serve future residential parking in the area. Consider busing monthlies to the Quackenbush garage to increase its utilization. There is a 20% commercial vacancy rate downtown presently, and much of the vacant space is in the convention center area. The absorption of office space has been slow but has recently stated to pick up. Page 9

13 Parking rates are higher in Albany compared with nearby cities. The APA requires the parking revenue to pay off bonds to finance parking facilities. The APA cannot lower parking rates and remain solvent. On street and APA off street parking is currently free in the evenings and on weekends. Extending meter hours is not a possibility right now. Hours were recently rolled back from 6:00 PM to 5:00 PM. APA wants to upgrade parking systems to make parking more user friendly. Current downtown residents park for free in on street spaces overnight if it is available instead of paying for off street parking. There is a need for better signage and wayfinding to direct parkers to available public parking and within the APA garages. Consideration should be given to lowering parking requirements downtown in the city s zoning code, and there should be incentives to share parking. The State is not likely to share parking with the City for convention center events in the evening and on weekends. A car sharing company is possibly coming to downtown Albany. There are not many amenities presently to draw people to the downtown area. SUMMARY OF EXISTING PARKING CONDITIONS Effective Parking Supply A parking system operates at optimum efficiency at a level below its actual capacity. The occupancy at which peak efficiency is reached is generally considered to be 85% of the capacity by parking professionals. This cushion of spaces reduces the time to search for the last few available spaces and allows for the dynamics of vehicles moving in and out of parking stalls during peak periods. It also allows for variations in parking activity, the loss of parking due to mis parked vehicles, construction, reserved spaces, snow piling and other factors. As a result, the effective supply is used to determine the adequacy of the parking system rather than the actual parking supply. Current Parking Adequacy On Street Parking on Weekdays As presented in Table 5 on the following page, the on street parking in the Quackenbush/Riverfront and State Street zones is barely adequate based on the effective parking supply. There is only a five space surplus in the Quackenbush/Riverfront zone and a six space surplus in the State Street zone. There are currently deficits on Broadway, Clinton Avenue, Lodge Street, Pearl Street and Sheridan Avenue in the Quackenbush/ Riverfront zone. There are currently deficits on Pearl Street and State Street in the State Street zone. By comparison, there is a large surplus of on street parking in the Green Hudson zone of 113 spaces. Page 10

14 Table 5. Existing Weekday On Street Parking Adequacy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Broadway Meters (1) Clinton Ave. Meters (2) Columbia St. Meters/Reserved Eagle St. Meters James St. Meters Lodge St. Meters (1) Monroe St. Meters Orange St. Meters/Reserved Pearl St. Meters (1) Pine St. Meters Sheridan Ave. Meters (1) Steuben St. Meters Total: STATE STREET Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Beaver St. Meters Broadway Meters/Reserved Green St. Meters Howard St. Meters James St. Meters Lodge St. Meters/Reserved Pearl St. Meters (6) Pine St. Meters/Reserved State St. Meters (17) Total: GREEN HUDSON Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Broadway Meters Dallius St. Meters (1) Grand St. Meters Green St. Meters Hamilton St. Meters/Reserved Hudson St. Meters Liberty St. Meters Madison Ave. Meters Pearl St. Meters Total: TOTAL: Page 11

15 Off Street Parking on Weekdays As presented in Table 6, there is currently a surplus of off street parking in each of the three zones. The Quackenbush/Riverfront Zone has a 545 space surplus, the State Street zone a 297 space surplus, and the Green Hudson zone a 160 space surplus. Only four of the 25 parking facilities included in the occupancy survey have a parking deficit, including the Green Hudson garage and three private parking lots. At 84% occupancy, the 850 space Riverfront garage was essentially filled to its effective capacity on the survey day. The large surplus in the Quackenbush/Riverfront zone is due to the availability of many spaces in the Quackenbush garage and in the very old 220 space garage located at 93 N. Pearl Street, which is in a state of disrepair and expected to be demolished soon. Although Green Hudson garage parking permits are currently oversold by 10%, the parking occupancy survey found that a limited number of parking spaces were available in the garage on the survey day. It should be noted the observed accumulation of parked vehicles does not necessarily represent peak parking demand. As previously stated, the adequacy of a parking facility or entire parking system is based on the effective supply, which is used in part because of fluctuations in parking activity. Figure 3 graphically illustrates the streets and parking facilities operating at and above effective capacity on weekdays, including the Green Hudson and Riverfront garages. Page 12

16 Table 6. Existing Weekday Off Street Parking Adequacy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Effective Spaces Surplus/ Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Garage Parking Auth Garage Parking Auth Garage Private Garage Private Lot Private Lot Private (24) Total: 2,670 2,271 1, STATE STREET Effective Spaces Surplus/ Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Garage Private Garage Private Garage Private Garage Private Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Total: 1,447 1, GREEN HUDSON Effective Spaces Surplus/ Lot/Garage Operator Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Garage Parking Auth (37) Garage Private 1, Lot Private (3) Lot Private Lot Private (24) Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Lot Private Total: 2,597 2,207 2, TOTAL: 6,714 5,709 4,707 1,002 Page 13

17 Page 14

18 On Street Parking on Weekends As presented in Table 7 on the following page, there is currently a surplus of on street parking on weekends in each of the three zones. The Quackenbush/Riverfront Zone has a 40 space surplus, the State Street zone a 33 space surplus, and the Green zone a 42 space surplus, exclusive of the parking below and south of the highway. The streets with deficits on weekends include Monroe Street, Pearl Street, Pine Street, and Sheridan Avenue. Conclusion Although there are currently parking hot spots in each of the three zones where parking demand exceeds the effective parking supply, the results of the parking occupancy surveys indicate there is adequate parking within the three analysis zones and the study area overall presently, and the development of more parking is not warranted until there is additional demand generated by future development and/or the absorption of currently vacant space. Page 15

19 Table 7. Existing Weekend On Street Parking Adequacy QUACKENBUSH/RIVERFRONT Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Broadway Meters Clinton Ave. Meters Columbia St. Meters/Reserved Eagle St. Meters James St. Meters Lodge St. Meters Monroe St. Meters (2) Orange St. Meters/Reserved Pearl St. Meters (2) Pine St. Meters (1) Sheridan Ave. Meters (5) Steuben St. Meters Total: STATE STREET Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Beaver St. Meters Broadway Meters Green St. Meters Howard St. Meters James St. Meters Lodge St. Meters/Reserved Pearl St. Meters (9) Pine St. Meters/Reserved State St. Meters Total: GREEN HUDSON (1) Effective Spaces Surplus/ Street/Ave. Type Spaces Supply Occupied Deficit Broadway Meters Dallius St. Meters Green St. Meters Hamilton St. Meters/Reserved Hudson St. Meters Liberty St. Meters Pearl St. Meters (1) Total: TOTAL: (1) Excludes on street parking below and south of the highway. Page 16

20 PHASE II PROJECTION OF FUTURE PARKING NEEDS Listed in Table 8 on the following page are the near term downtown development projects proposed and planned within or nearby the downtown parking study area. There are four future projects north of the downtown study area, two future projects near the Albany Parking Authority s (APA s) Quackenbush garage, two projects near the APA s Riverfront garage, three projects near the APA s Green Hudson garage, and one project near the private Times Union Center garage. Included in the table is a description of the 11 development projects, their estimated completion date, the estimated parking demand based on the parking demand ratios presented below, the parking to be provided, the possible spillover parking demand, and the estimated existing parking displaced by the development. Residential: 1.5 spaces per unit Hotel: 1.0 space per room Retail: 2.0 spaces per 1,000 square feet Performing Arts Theater: 0.40 spaces per seat Development North of the Downtown Study Area Planned for the area between the downtown and warehouse district study areas are 133 residential units. In addition, the Capital Repertory Theater is considering a new location for a 300 seat theater at 251 N. Pearl Street (NE corner of Pearl Street and Livingston Avenue). These development projects are projected to generate the demand for up to 320 parking spaces, which exceeds the parking to be provided (225 spaces) by 95 spaces. The 760 Broadway project will also displace an estimated 72 parking spaces. The APA s Quackenbush is expected to capture little, if any, of the spillover parking demand given the walking distance of these four projects from the parking garage. It is anticipated the spillover parkers will park in nearby on street spaces or find more convenient off street parking closer to their destinations. Development Near the Quackenbush Garage Planned for the area near the Quackenbush garage are 187 residential units, a 136 room hotel, 17,000 square feet of retail space, and a 600 seat addition to the Palace Theatre. This future development will benefit the currently underutilized Quackenbush garage, which fills to only about 50% of its 890 space capacity. Quackenbush Square will be located only about one block from the Quackenbush garage and is expected to generate the demand for up to 451 parking spaces. The 180 parking spaces to be provided, according to the developer, will be devoted entirely to the residential component of the project. The mixed use development will also displace approximately 60 existing parking spaces. The Palace Theatre expansion is expected to generate the demand for up to 240 more spaces in the area. The future land uses, with the possible exception of the retail space, are expected to exhibit peak demand in the evening and on weekends when there is yet more parking available in the Quackenbush garage. Page 17

21 Page 18 Table 8. Future Downtown Development Projects and Estimated Parking Demand Estimated Parking Demand Possible Estimated Estimated Residential Residential Hotel Retail Entertainment Theater Total Parking Spillover Parking Project Description Completion Units 1.5/unit 1.0/room 2.0/1,000 SF 5.0/1,000 SF 0.40/seat Demand Provided Demand Displaced North of Downtown Study Area Broadway Residential renovation project Fall N. Pearl St. 27,000 SF rental residential new construction Fall Broadway 130,000 SF rental residential new construction 2018/ Capital Repertory Theater 300 Seat Performing Arts Theater TBD N/A Total: Quackenbush Garage Area Quackenbush Square 365,000 SF mixed use project w/residential, 136 room hotel and 17,000 SF retail space 2019/ Palace Theatre Addition of 600 seats and community space TBD N/A Total: Riverfront Garage Area 27 N. Pearl St. Residential renovation project Fall N. Pearl St. Residential renovation project 2018/ Total: Green Hudson Garage Area S. Pearl Residential renovation project Broadway Residential renovation project 2018/ Capital District Gondola Urban gondola from train station to downtown Albany 2019 N/A Convention Center Site Mixed Use Development on 7 Blocks in Phases Concept 1 489,253 SF, excluding parking and green space , Concept 2 482,351 SF, excluding parking and green space Total with Concept 1: 1, Total with Concept 2: Times Union Center Garage Area 20 Park St. 90,000 SF rental residential renovation project Summer Sources: Capitalize Albany and Albany Parking Authority

22 The demolition of the parking garage at 93 N. Pearl Street is not expected to have an impact on parking in the area because there were only 16 vehicles parked in the 220 space garage. The Quackenbush garage is well located relative to future development and should capture a sizable portion of the estimated future spillover parking demand for 500+ spaces in the area. Development Near the Riverfront Garage There are two residential projects with combined 44 units that will generate the estimated demand for 66 parking spaces. There will be no parking provided to support the residential renovation projects at 27 and 48 N. Pearl Street, which are approximately three blocks away from the Riverfront Garage. Development Near the Green Hudson Garage Planned for the area near the Green Hudson garage are two residential renovation projects with combined 19 units, which are estimated to generate the demand for 29 parking spaces. There will be spillover demand of an estimated 19 spaces given the provision of 10 spaces at one of the projects. Land was assembled by Albany Convention Center Authority (ACCA) for a proposed convention center that was relocated. The land totals 4.5 acres (6.4 acres with the adjacent streets included) and was most recently the site for a proposed $172 million mixed use development including 1,200 residential units, 295,000 square feet of street level retail space, and 408,000 square feet of office space. The site, depicted on the following page in Figure 4, consists of seven parcels of land and includes former warehouse buildings along Broadway and multiple surface parking lots in the Green Hudson area with an estimated 450 to 750 parking spaces, depending upon if the lots are self parked or valet parked. The proposed mixed use development did not receive state economic development funding in Empire State Development, the economic development arm for the State of New York, commissioned the Downtown Albany Planning and Feasibility Study for the site, which was recently completed by a group of consultants led by CHA Consulting, Inc. The site has been divided and will be developed in phases over a seven year period. The consulting team developed two concepts for the site. Concept 1 includes 258 residential units, an 81 room hotel, 16,834 square feet of retail space, 105,850 square feet of entertainment space and 392 parking spaces. Concept 2 consists of 303 residential units, 13,221 square feet of retail space, 90,237 square feet of entertainment space and 513 parking spaces. The Entertainment space could represent several different land uses with varying parking demand. The 5.0/1,000 SF ratio used represents and average ratio for the entertainment space in a downtown area. Actual parking demand could be more or less than presented herein. Concept 1 is expected to have spillover demand for 637 spaces and Concept 2 spillover demand for 420 spaces. There will be a minimum of 450 parking spaces displaced by the development over a seven year period. Page 19

23 Figure 4. The Proposed Convention Center Site Funding is in place and design is proceeding on the Capital District Gondola, which will run between the Amtrak Station in Rensselaer and one of two possible sites near S. Pearl Street (Key Bank and Times Union Center). Refer to the graphic on the following page. The line will be extended to the Empire Plaza Station in Phase 2. Although the sites on South Pearl Street will displace existing surface parking, parking is expected to be provided below the gondola stations. Page 20

24 Empire State Plaza South Pearl Street Amtrak Station Case studies of similar urban gondolas in other cities have uncovered a few consistent themes, including: A prime tourist attraction Increased development activity near stations Provides an alternative mode of transportation for commuters and visitors A positive impact on the environment with a reduction in the number of vehicles and traffic congestion The Capital Gondola LLC has engaged two firms to do advanced ridership and economic analysis in the next few months. Development Near the Times Union Center Garage A 90,000 square foot residential renovation project with 74 units is planned for 20 Park Street, which is not close to any of the APA garages. The development project is projected to generate the demand for 111 spaces, and there will be spillover demand for 91 spaces given the provision of only 20 spaces. The project is close to the private Times Union Center garage. Page 21

25 Additional Development Projects The Capitol Complex, which includes the recently opened Albany Capital Center, The Empire State Plaza Convention Center, the Times Union Center arena, and the Egg Performing Arts Center, now provides 159,000 square feet of convention, ballroom, and meeting space in downtown Albany. These venues are directly connected via enclosed walkways with each other, the refurbished Renaissance Albany hotel, and a newly built on site parking garage with approximately 323 spaces. These venues are expected to attract new visitors to downtown Albany, particularly for conventions and trade shows. The ACCA and the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) are teaming to develop a proposed intermodal transportation center to replace the current bus station in the Green Hudson area. A site plan of the CDTA Intermodal Center is shown below in Figure 5. All ground transportation, including CDTA, intercity and interstate buses, shuttles, taxis, and rental cars, will be incorporated at one location. Reported to be included in the development is a 1,200 space parking garage to serve the transportation center as well as downtown Albany. The basis for the 1,200 parking spaces is not known. It is understood that the transportation center will require up to 200 parking spaces. Figure 5. CDTA Intermodal Center Page 22

26 The Need for a New Downtown Parking Garage While much of the future development activity is anticipated to be north of the downtown study area and in the northern part of the study area, the development activity identified to date does not support the building of a new parking garage. As indicated in Table 8 (page 18), the development north of the study area is expected to result in the spillover parking demand for 95 spaces and displace 72 existing spaces, which alone does not support a new parking garage. It is anticipated the spillover demand will park in nearby on street spaces and in off street parking lots made available close to their destinations. While the future development in the northern portion of the study is expected to result in the spillover parking demand for 500+ spaces in the evening and displace 60 existing spaces, the spillover demand and displaced parking can be accommodated in the underutilized Quackenbush garage. The Green Hudson Area Based on the on street and off street parking occupancy counts conducted in May, there is currently a surplus of 273 spaces in the Green Hudson area, consisting of 113 on street spaces and 160 off street spaces. Most of the on street parking available are long term metered spaces, many of which are located south of the freeway and may be perceived as less desirable parking. The underutilized off street parking includes a 200 space lot south of the freeway and the bus station lot, which is busier on weekends. It would not take a lot of future development and/or the absorption of currently vacant space for this available parking to fill to effective capacity. Given the estimated average demand for 2.0 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet in the downtown area, the available parking in the Green Hudson area could theoretically accommodate approximately 136,500 square feet of future development and/or absorption of currently vacant space. It is also understood that there are buildings near the Green Hudson garage with a noteworthy amount of vacant space that if leased would represent the spillover demand for hundreds of parking spaces as these buildings provide minimal on site parking and the Green Hudson garage is effectively full. It is further understood that the lack of public parking in the area is a contributing factor as to why these buildings have high vacancy rates. Prospective tenants are requesting much more parking than is currently available in the area. According to a long time commercial realtor, all the premier office space will eventually be absorbed. A reasonable estimate is approximately 100,000 square feet of space in the next few years and the remaining balance of the space over the next five to seven years. This information further supports locating a future parking garage in downtown Albany in the Green Hudson area. The development projects and the absorption of currently vacant space will over time generate the demand to support the development of a new parking garage in the area. The development projects, with many dwelling units and a sizable amount of entertainment space, will exhibit peak demand in the evening and on weekends. The absorption of office space will increase parking demand on weekdays. Shared parking will benefit the new garage and delay the need for more parking in the Green Hudson area. Page 23

27 PHASE III SITE EVALUATION & CONCEPT PARKING PLANS Evaluation of Parking Development Sites Large and rectangular shaped sites are ideal for parking garages. Although flat sites are generally more economical to develop, sloped sites can provide opportunities such as access on different levels or no ramping between levels. Double loaded parking bays generally range in width between 54 and 60 feet, depending upon the angle of the parking. The overall width of a parking structure is determined upon the multiples of the chosen bay widths. Longer sites provide the opportunity to park along the end bays, which provides more parking spaces, improves the layout efficiency, and lowers the cost per space. Longer sites also allow for more moderate ramp slopes for improved user comfort. Generally, parking bays are oriented parallel to the longer dimension of the site and preferably in the predominate direction of pedestrian travel. Tolerable walking distances from parking to a primary destination vary by user group, but range from up to 300 feet for shoppers to 1,200 feet for employees. The criteria used to evaluate sites for structured parking include the following: Parking Needs User Groups Served Site Ownership and Acquisition Cost Distance to Primary Destinations Size, Current Use and Topography of the Site Parking Efficiency The number of Existing Spaces Displaced Site Access and the Intermixing of Vehicles and Pedestrians Visual Impact/Architectural Compatibility/Historic Integrity Shared Use and Mixed Use Opportunities The basic circulation element for a parking garage is the continuous ramp with parking on both sides of the drive aisle. In continuous ramp facilities, some of the parking floors are sloped for traffic to circulate from one level to another. A continuous ramp slope around 5% is preferred and a continuous ramp slope cannot exceed 6.67%, which is the maximum slope permitted in the International Building Code. Page 24

28 Non parking ramps are often employed at airports, casinos, in large retail and special event facilities, and on small and irregularly shaped sites. Non parking ramps consist of circular helixes, express ramps (external) and speed ramps (internal). Non parking ramp slopes should not exceed 15% if possible. Parking facilities with non parking ramps tend to be less efficient in terms of square feet of structure per parking space, which directly increases the construction cost per parking space. A parking garage with no occupied space above the parking can have a long span structural system. A parking garage with a long span structural system will be more efficient, typically less than 330 square feet per parking space. A parking garage with occupied space above, such as office or residential, will have a short span structural system. A short span structural system is less efficient, typically in the range of 375 to 400 square feet per parking space. Parking efficiency makes a difference. For example, 330 square feet x $55 per square foot construction cost = $18,150 per space; 400 square feet x $55 per square foot construction cost = $22,000 per space. Green Hudson Area Parking Garage Site and Concept Plans A site has been identified for the construction of a parking garage in downtown Albany. The APA is interested in constructing parking above the proposed Intermodal Transportation Center in the Green Hudson area. An express ramp will be required to access the first level of parking above the center. A parking ramp can be employed for vertical vehicle circulation for the parking levels. The width of the site allows for a two bay facility with 90 degree parking and two traffic flow in a single threaded design. Because of the number of 360 degree turns needed to ascend a single level, single threaded helixes should be maximum seven levels and the design has the flow and ramping capacity for 850+ parking spaces. The long site, which anticipates crossing Division Street, will allow for end bay parking and an efficient design. However, the width of the transportation center is about five feet wider than the width of a typical two bay parking garage with 90 degree parking and two way traffic flow, which will provide a high level of user comfort, but will be not be as efficient as possible. A potential advantage of this site is the U.S. Department of Transportation offers grants that are available to parking projects only with a transit component, such as a transit station for buses or light rail. In other words, consideration for federal funding will only be given to projects that can prove they are establishing or improving mass transit service. To qualify for funding the intermodal center and parking project would require a joint application from the city, state and local transit service. The application process is very lengthy and requires proof of the project in a coordinated regional transportation plan, an environment impact statement, approval of the project by the Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration, and several other requirements. The federal government will provide grants for up to 80% of the total cost of the project. Page 25

29 Shown in Figures 6 6C are conceptual plans for the proposed Intermodal Center parking garage. The parking structure spans Division Street and the footprint is 128 wide by 330 long. Provided in the 280,365 square foot, seven level parking structure are 857 spaces, for parking efficiency of 327 square feet per space. The 90 degree parking spaces are 9 0 x The 857 spaces in the parking garage require 18 accessible spaces. Of the 18 accessible spaces, three are required to be van accessible with wider access aisles and minimum vertical clearance of 8 2. There is a single parking ramp for vertical vehicle circulation, which slopes up from south to north (south facing). The parking ramp is 200 long and would be sloped at 5.2% on typical levels (floor to floor height of 10 4 ) and sloped at 5.7% on Levels 1 and 2 to accommodate van accessible spaces (floor to floor height of 11 4 ). There are two entry lanes and two exit lanes on Green Street for the garage. Stairs are located in the northeast, northwest and southwest corners. There are two elevators in the northeast corner of the parking garage. If apartments are located above the parking garage there will need to be transfer slab between the parking and the apartments above, or there would be a reduction in parking of about 10% associated with shortspan column spacing. It would not be practical at this location to expand the garage in the future either horizontally or vertically. The parking garage is estimated to represent a construction cost of $17.9 million, which equates to a cost per space of approximately $20,900 for 857 spaces. Page 26

30 Page 27

31 Page 28

32 Page 29

33 Page 30

34 Quackenbush/Riverfront Area Garage Site and Concept Plans The APA is also interested in the site on the southeast corner of N. Pearl Street and Van Tromp Street to replace the old garage which will be torn down. Its central location in the Quackenbush/Riverfront area and potential for ground floor retail space make it an attractive site for a mixed use garage. A marginally efficient parking garage can be provided at this location despite site dimensions that are not ideal. Shown in Figures 7 7B are conceptual plans of the proposed Pearl St. parking garage. As is the case with existing parking garage, the supported levels of the facility will need to span the sidewalk on N. Pearl Street. The parking structure footprint is 122 wide by 200 long. There is approximately 6,700 GSF of retail space fronting N. Pearl Street on the ground level. It is necessary to employ a less efficient express ramp to the first supported level to rise above the retail space. Provided in the 159,870 square foot, seven level parking structure are 402 spaces, for parking efficiency of 398 square feet per space. The 90 degree parking spaces are 9 0 x The 402 spaces in the parking garage require nine accessible spaces. Of the nine accessible spaces, two are required to be van accessible with wider access aisles and minimum vertical clearance of 8 2. The width of the site and relation to the adjacent building require an irregular footprint to not block widows in the building and about half of the eastern parking bay is single loaded. Both parking bays are ramped for vertical vehicle circulation. The parking ramps are 110 long and would be sloped at 4.7% on typical levels, which anticipates a floor to floor height of There is one entry lane and one exit lane on N. Pearl Street. Stairs are located in the northeast, northwest and southwest corners. There is one elevator in the southwest corner of the parking garage. The parking garage and shell retail space are estimated to represent a construction cost of approximately $11.1 million, which equates to a cost per space of approximately $27,600 (approximately $25,500 per space excluding the retail space). Page 31

35 Page 32

36 Page 33

37 Page 34

38 Public Private Partnerships Although parking garages often make important contributions to the success of an area by spurring economic development, most parking garages are not self supporting. Parking revenues generally fall well short of covering both operating expenses and debt service. Common today is the development of mixeduse, shared use and air rights parking projects so that financial shortfalls can be minimized. The APA should explore the joint development of a mixed use parking project with a local developer. An example of a successful public private venture is the Plaza Centro Garage in downtown Tucson, AZ, pictured below. The City of Tucson built the garage, sold the ground floor commercial space, and sold the air rights above the parking to a developer for three stories of student apartments. Air rights can be sold if the land upon which parking is developed is publicly owned. Parking is an essential service that is not always provided by the private sector, generally because it is not financially feasible. The public sector has access to financing methods and rates that are more conducive to the development of parking. The provision of parking by the public sector has no doubt contributed to economic development in downtown Albany; and it is equally clear that economic conditions in the downtown area will continue to improve with ongoing assistance from the public sector. PHASE IV FINANCIAL FASIBILITY Table 9 is a proforma statement of project revenues, expenses and deficits for an 800 space garage over a ten year period. Following are the assumptions used in the financial analysis: Construction and development cost of $25,000 per space. Monthly and daily rates increase every second or third year. The absorption of unleased office space of 50,000 SF per year for the first two years and 30,000 SF thereafter up to 300,000 SF. Parking demand for 2.0 spaces per 1,000 SF. Operating and maintenance expenses of $350 per space the first year, increased annually at 3%. 20 Year bond financed at 4% interest. Page 35

39 Page 36 Table 9. APA New Garage Revenue Projections (800 spaces) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Monthly Rate $ 140 $ 140 $ 140 $ 150 $ 150 $ 160 $ 160 $ 170 $ 170 $ 180 Daily Rate $ 5 $ 5 $ 5 $ 6 $ 6 $ 7 $ 7 $ 8 $ 8 $ 9 Absorption Sq.Ft 50, , , , , , , , , ,000 Revenue 117 Exisiting Spaces $ 196,560 $ 196,560 $ 196,560 $ 210,600 $ 210,600 $ 224,640 $ 224,640 $ 238,680 $ 238,680 $ 252, New Spaces $ 168,000 $ 336,000 $ 436,800 $ 576,000 $ 684,000 $ 844,800 $ 960,000 $ 1,142,400 $ 1,224,000 $ 1,296,000 Daily Rate $ 6,000 $ 12,000 $ 15,600 $ 23,040 $ 27,360 $ 36,960 $ 42,000 $ 53,760 $ 57,600 $ 64,800 Subtotal $ 370,560 $ 544,560 $ 648,960 $ 809,640 $ 921,960 $ 1,106,400 $ 1,226,640 $ 1,434,840 $ 1,520,280 $ 1,613,520 Expenses $350/space/year $ 280,000 $ 288,400 $ 297,052 $ 305,964 $ 315,142 $ 324,597 $ 334,335 $ 344,365 $ 354,696 $ 365, year bond Payment $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 $ 1,471,635 Subtotal $ 1,751,635 $ 1,760,035 $ 1,768,687 $ 1,777,599 $ 1,786,777 $ 1,796,232 $ 1,805,970 $ 1,816,000 $ 1,826,331 $ 1,836,971 Surplus/Deficit $ (1,381,075) $ (1,215,475) $ (1,119,727) $ (967,959) $ (864,817) $ (689,832) $ (579,330) $ (381,160) $ (306,051) $ (223,451)

40 Operating expenses (operating and maintenance expenses plus debt service) for an 800 space garage are anticipated to exceed parking revenues the first year by nearly $1.4 million. Operating deficits will decease each year with the continued absorption of unleased office space, increased parking demand, and increased parking rates. By Year 10, the 800 space garage is estimated to generate approximately $1,613,520 in revenue, which falls approximately $223,450 below estimated expenses of approximately $1,836,970. Most parking garages require a subsidy of some sort, which most commonly includes revenues from other parking facilities and operations, bonds, taxes, grants, and tax revenue growth. A new parking garage in downtown Albany will have to be heavily subsidized for several years to become a reality. Installing parking meters in the Warehouse District would be a good first step in raising additional parking system revenue to help support a new garage. Page 37

41 THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT The Warehouse District, located a few blocks north of the downtown study area, is home to historic industrial buildings. The Warehouse District is ripe for redevelopment given the architectural character of some of the buildings, and redevelopment has already occurred at two locations in the district that are four to five blocks apart on Broadway. There are several restaurants and bars on Broadway between N. Ferry Street and Pleasant Street and Druthers Brewery and Restaurant (Druthers) is located on Broadway at Bridge Street. These two areas are bustling with activity in the evening and on weekends and more restaurants and bars are expected to be attracted to the area given the success of the existing establishments. With that said, it is understood the City of Albany does not want to push industry, and most importantly its workforce, out of the area. They are encouraging a mix of industrial, housing, and entertainment (restaurants and bars) in the Warehouse District. Shared Parking With a mix of industrial, residential and entertainment, there is a good opportunity for the land uses to share parking. Industrial parking demand peaks on weekdays and residential and entertainment peak in the evenings and on weekends. This is already occurring at Druthers, which is located at 1053 Broadway and housed in an 18,000 quare foot warehouse constructed in There are only a handful of on site off street parking spaces at Druthers and parking demand regularly overflows onto nearby streets where parking is permitted. Druthers is leasing a nearby industrial parking lot and offering free parking to customers from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM Monday Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday in the industrial parking lot, which located about a ¼ block north of the brewery/restaurant. Parking Management It is anticipated the Warehouse District will be largely redeveloped in the future and parking will become an issue as the area redevelops and grows because industrial/warehouse have significantly lower parking requirements than restaurants and bars. Parking requirements for industrial/warehouse are typically in the range of 1.75 to 2 spaces per 1,000 square feet. Parking requirements for restaurants and bars can be as high as 15 to 20 spaces per 1,000 square feet. The APA should take steps to more actively manage parking in the Warehouse District. On street paid parking should be considered in the Warehouse District with the installation of smart single space meters. These single space meters are solar powered, have rechargeable battery packs, and are wirelessly networked to a remote web based management system. The system allows remote diagnostics and configuration of the meters. The meters accept coins, tokens, credit cards, debit cards and smart cards. It is also possible to pay by cell phone. These meters can also come with a wireless sensor to reset the meters to 0 when a vehicle vacates a parking space. Page 38

42 Advantages of the smart single space meters include: Multiple payment options including coins, credit cards and smart cards. More user friendly and better understood by users than multi space meters. More convenient to use than multi space meters as they are located next to the parking space. No space numbering required. Meter placement delineates on street parking spaces. No additional signage required advising users to pay at the parking station and key in their parking space number, license plate number or place a receipt on their dashboard. Meter malfunctions are wirelessly communicated to the maintenance shop so repair efforts can be handled as needed rather than on a routine basis. If a meter fails, only a single space is affected. No paper jams or increased costs for consumables. Parking enforcement can be done in a vehicle and it is also made easier with more highly visible expiration indicators. Audit control and real time reporting and alarming. Credit card usage will reduce meter revenue collection efforts and coin deposits. Represents a lower cost per space on blocks with fewer parking spaces than multi space meters. Ability to charge variable rates based on parking demand. Disadvantages of the smart single space meters include: More maintenance and collection costs compared to multi space meters. More streetscape clutter than with multi space meters. There are currently only a few suppliers of these meters. Credit card user will not be provided with a receipt. More extensive and expensive installation in Old Town Eastlake because there are no existing meter housings and poles to be reused. Wireless communication and credit card processing fees to be incurred. Wireless communication service interruptions could delay credit card processing. Some cities have also tested the meters and found out that there were very few credit card transactions at the meters, which didn t justify the additional expense for the meters. There are on going monthly expenses associated with the meters, including secure wireless, management system license, and credit card transaction fees. A minimum hourly rate of $1.00 is suggested with these meters because of the fees. Page 39

43 The primary reason to institute on street paid parking is to encourage turnover of the most convenient parking spaces. Turnover is critical to most urban businesses because parking supply is often limited. If long term parkers, such as employees or residents, use a parking space in front of a store or restaurant, fewer short term customers will have the opportunity to use that space. The reason turnover is so important to the health of businesses is the economic value represented by multiple customers using the same parking space. Bob Gibbs, of the Gibbs Planning Group, has estimated that a parking space in front of a commercial establishment can be worth up to $300,000 in annual sales. The lack of convenient onstreet parking can contribute to an urban area not being able to compete with the surrounding suburbs where parking is usually ample and convenient. Lower sales, fewer businesses, and weaker lease rates are often a function, in part, of this parking issue. Parking meters will also generate revenue to pay for other improvements in the area, such as future parking lots or even a garage. Parking meters would represent the first step in implementing paid parking in the area and setting the course for possible parking improvements in the future. The APA should consider acquiring (lease or purchase) property in the area for public parking. The parking could be used on weekdays by downtown employees in a Park & Ride lot and by Warehouse District customers and visitors on weekday evenings and weekends. It will be important to direct Warehouse District customers and visitors to available off street public parking. Signage will be required to both direct parking patrons to public parking and to clearly identify the parking as available to the public. Because much of the parking activity in the area is after dark, parking lot lighting will be an important consideration. Lighting that enables users to see and to be seen is one of the most important security features of a parking facility. Light levels should meet minimum standards set by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA). The IESNA Roadway Lighting Committee has set standards for the lighting of both surface parking lots and parking structures, and is considered the authority for setting lighting standards in the United States. They recommend a minimum horizontal illuminance (measured at the surface) of 0.5 foot candles (fc) for enhanced security, with a maximum to minimum uniformity ratio of 15:1. Average horizontal fc should be in the range of 2.5 to 3.0. The recommended lamps are light emitting diodes (LED). LED is probably the most revolutionary lighting development since the invention of the light bulb. LED lighting is highly energy efficient, enhances pure light quality, the technology has improved greatly in recent years, and prices are dropping. LED lighting will enhance security, reduce maintenance time and costs, reduce energy costs and reduce the environmental footprint of a parking facility. The key to the success of public parking is providing convenient parking close to primary destinations and, as mentioned above, signage to effectively direct patrons to clearly identified and well lit public parking facilities. We recommend that the APA identify and reserve land for a surface parking lot to serve the Warehouse District, which could be converted to a parking garage when the demand materializes. A site Page 40

44 near the restaurants and bars on Broadway between N. Ferry Street and Pleasant Street and the relocated Capital Repertory Theater would be ideal. This area is shown in Figure 8 below. Referring back to Table 8 on page 18, the Broadway and Capital Repertory Theater projects will be close to a new parking lot within this area and will require an estimated 43 more spaces. The 191 N. Pearl Street and 760 Broadway projects will be in between the new lot and the Quackenbush Garage. These projects will require 52 more parking spaces and will displace 72 existing spaces. Assuming the new lot captures 50% of that demand, the lot should have 105 spaces ( = 105). It would be good if the site selected for a new lot is large enough to accommodate a future parking garage. Figure 8. Area for a New Parking Lot in the Warehouse District Page 41