Christopher Alan, founder of Auto Parkit, the only automated parking company in the US competitive with traditional parking, spoke with The Planning Report about how his experience as a real estate developer in LA led to a parking opportunity.
Though automated parking structures are not exactly new, San Fernando Valley residential development The Savannahs is the first in Southern California to boast such a facility. The project was the brainchild of LA real estate developer Christopher Alan, who partnered his firm, Dasher Lawless, where he is president, with Omron Automation & Safety, Design Systems Inc., SEW Eurodrive, ConXtech, and others, to create Auto Parkit, the only automated parking company in the nation competitive with traditional parking.
Alan details how his scalable, operator-free, fully-automated, high-density parking system and its potential to reduce emissions and increase safety have drawn interest already. Unlike most automated parking companies, which tend to focus on engineering innovations, Auto Parkit has placed an emphasis on reliability and lifespan. While it may be feasible to replace a cell phone each time a new product is released, automated parking requires fixed costs and investment. In this way, a developer will only be willing to invest if he knows the product is reliable and hassle free.
FULL STORY: Auto Parkit: A Parking Revolution Comes to Urban America
Los Angeles Is Quietly Losing Bike Lanes
While adding new bike lanes can be a long and contentious process, removing them in favor of parking requires no public process.
L.A. Reimagines Parking for New Uses
In famously car-centric Los Angeles, developers and city officials are changing the way they view parking space, opting instead to allocate the space to more effective uses.
Businesses Oppose Conversion of Parking Structure Into Affordable Housing
Business owners in downtown Santa Monica have filed a lawsuit opposing the city's planned replacement of a parking structure with housing, despite city studies showing that the city's downtown parking supply far exceeds demand.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.
Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont