Parking Garages Built to Zoning, Are Half Empty

"Off the streets and under buildings," writes Smerd, "exists a glut of parking spaces, built not to accommodate demand but to comply with zoning that the city has barely updated since the auto boom more than half a century ago."

Smerd says the city knows that its parking codes are out of date, and they're gearing up for an update.

"But transportation advocates worry that reforms will fail to dent what they deem an oversupply of parking at large developments."