The Parking Dynamics Of Israeli Cities

"From the outside, the parking-lot industry looks very simple. You take a piece of land, pave it with asphalt, mark spots, set up a guard and a booth at the entrance - and start earning money. Although to a great extent this is true, like any branch of real estate, this area, too, requires expertise and experience.

'One of the common mistakes people make concerning the parking lot industry is thinking that it is static,' explains CEO Roni Ikar of Ahuzot Hahof, which operates the Tel Aviv municipality's parking lots. 'Cities are dynamic and constantly changing. As a result, operation of a municipal parking lot system is affected by many variables. Tel Aviv is a very dynamic city that is changing very fast. Some parking lots are identified more with businesses and with daytime hours; others are associated with the nightlife. Some lots are open 24 hours a day. Everything depends on the nature of the district.' "