Sometimes a public shaming can be good for less-than-desirable land uses. Case in point: designers mobilizing to remodel a notorious parking crater in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Jarrel Wade reports on the details of a proposed a makeover for the notorious parking crater located in Tulsa's cathedral district. The surface parking lot was the "winner" of 2013's Golden Crater award from Streetsblog USA, in a vote that was described as a landslide.
"The designers, a group of local architects and design consultants, are presenting their designs for a multisport field and facility Wednesday to the Downtown Coordinating Council." The design actually adds parking capacity, but underneath the multi-sport field designed by Jones Design Studio. The design was originally proposed as a submittal to the 2014 Tulsa Young Professionals Street CReD contest, which "called for conceptual designs to replace surface parking." After winning that competition, the design is seeking more institutional audiences.
According to the article, the south side of Downtown Tulsa has been "the focus of planners for years, hoping that someone would marry parking with business space on the same land mass. The area between Eighth and 12th streets from Boulder to Detroit avenues is filled with parking lots."
FULL STORY: Designers pitch multisport project to reverse Tulsa's infamous downtown 'parking crater'
Good News From America's Surface Parking Capital
Just two months ago, Tulsa was given the ignominious title of having the country's most parking-scarred downtown by Streetsblog readers. Apparently the recognition has jolted the city into action, as a ban on new surface lots was recently extended.
Congrats Tulsa! Your Downtown is Filled With Parking Blight
The votes are in and Tulsa has defeated Milwaukee in Streetsblog's inaugural tournament to recognize the worst parking crater in America. Fear not, though, Tulsans, some solutions have already been proposed to help address your dubious distinction.
What is the Worst Parking Crater in America?
The March Madness bug has bitten the staff of Streetsblog. Based on nominations submitted by readers, the website has organized a Parking Madness tournament to determine the "ugliest parking scar draining the life from [an American] downtown."
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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