The National Parking Association (NPA) has recognized the City of West Hollywood’s automated garage with one of its annual innovation awards.
The so-called “robo garage” was given the NPA’s “Innovative Facility of the Year” award.
“The West Hollywood automated garage has enhanced parking for city visitors and staff as it provides a valet-like experience without the costs and risks of valet parking,” the NPA said in an announcement of the award. “Through the use of a computerized parking storage and retrieval system, the automated garage has provided a dense configuration of parking spaces on a smaller footprint than a traditional parking structure.”
“The parking structure includes a rooftop photovoltaic system that powers the garage. Other sustainable features include the use of composite wood panels that were made from recycle plastic grocery bags and milk jugs. Additionally, emissions are reduced due to the lack of drivers searching for an available space.”
The 200-space automated parking structure replaced a 68-space surface parking lot behind City Hall, with an entrance on Sweetzer Avenue. “The compact nature of the project afforded the city the ability to create a 4,000 square foot community plaza between city hall and the garage,” the NPA noted.
The National Parking Association, established in 1951, is an organization that represents the $28 billion parking industry composed of private parking owners and public parking operators that together employ more than 143,000 people.
It’s a very expensive and almost embarrassing boondoggle.
Its still a huge waste of money and long term it will cost more for repairs, only certain sized vehicles can park, etc. Its just dumb. Its like City Council wants Weho to be this metropolitan, Toyko, Manhattan place…when it just isn’t. But they certainly will try with these projects, all the mixed use nonsense going in, etc.
LOL, what an honor bestowed upon us! Having spent $18 million (or more than $136.000,00 per space) on this structure should make us honorary lifetime NPA members.
While this is one of the nicest robogarages around (there aren’t many in the US), I can’t help but thinking that the award from a self-serving trade group was heavily influenced by the company that develops these things. We did pick up some additional parking spaces for area businesses, but does anyone know if it’s open late enough to actually service the area restaurants?
I imagine that the award committee was not made aware of how picky the garage can be if your car or small Truck does not fit into a very specific size class. Next time someone wants an award for something, buy more WEHO pedals bikes so that we have the worlds highest number of bike share bikes per capita in the nation. Then the ‘National Bikesharing Association’ can give us an award.
Hey, Guess where next years NPA meeting is,,,,,Palm Springs CA. In September – it is sure to be the hottest conference that they ever had.
Ridiculous.
ABSURD! A committee of builders of expensive robotic parking structures (first seen in LA in the late 1950’s and still has never caught on big due to to triple cost to build, the maintenance cost and regular malfunctions making getting your car impossible until the mechanic came to repair the car elevators … do your history if interested). First: The old existing 98 spot flat lot NEVER had issues of inadequate parking for city hall, and prior to construction, the city was parking city use vehicles that were not used on a regular basis, but available when needed. (Other cities,… Read more »
Every city in the United States should have these garages! #fb