The possibility of many more urban dwellers driving than ever before, even in transit-rich locations like New York City, is still very real.
"A Manhattan garage operator is betting that city dwellers in the Covid age are driving more, and would pay a premium for a personal place to put their cars," reports Oshrat Carmiel.
"Centerpark converted an Upper East Side garage into a condominium -- but instead of apartments, it’s selling 23 parking spaces, and hired a luxury real estate broker to market them for sale to the public for as much as $350,000 each."
Kirsten Jordan, the Douglas Elliman Real Estate broker who’s marketing the units, is quoted in the article saying the new, Covid-era twist on adaptive reuse is designed specifically in response to anticipating the needs of New Yorkers with no plans to return to the subway.
The data would seem to support that assumption, according to Carmiel, even after so many months of pandemic living. "As of mid-July, weekday subway ridership had plummeted 54% from the pre-Covid days, according to the Partnership for New York City. The number of city-bound travelers on the suburban commuter rails was down more than half."
The increased demand for parking in New York City has also been evident in the political controversies regarding outdoor dining and bus-only lanes around the city.
FULL STORY: Manhattan’s Newest Covid-Age Real Estate Bet: Condos for Cars
New York MTA Cuts Bus Service
The transit crisis continues.
Tracking the New York Subway's Uneven Recovery
Ridership on the New York Subway has a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic normal, and the setbacks of recent months haven't helped the cause.
NYC Transit Ridership Patterns Have Shifted to the Outer Boroughs
Signs of the times, and more evidence of the essential service provided by public transit throughout the pandemic.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research