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Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL
it's official then: EVERY renovation and new construction in downtown STL has to have its own dedicated parking garage even though the others are never filled to capacity. very nice.
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I don't think that is a totally fair assessment. Every renovation in downtown St. Louis has not added a garage nor has every new project. The Roberts Tower is a perfect example. All up and down Washington Avenue are renos without new garages because many of the renos had inside parking added in the structures or used existing spaces.
In my opinion, the garage for 1300 Market St. makes sense because of the renovation occurring at Kiel Opera House (now known as Peabody Opera House). That place alone could seat up to 4,500 people. While I would rather have a better use of the land that incorporates a tower, which could include a new public/private garage, I think this one makes sense. It is also good that it won't simply be a sterile garage, but will incorporate street-level retail. The existing one, flanking Savvis Center, doesn't have street level retail.
Ultimately, unfortuately, parking garages are a necessary evil in today's society- especially when 80% of region's population live outside of the core city and public transit has its limitations. The challenge is to build garages sleeker for enhanced streetscape purposes, smarter in order keep them from being total dead zones when not in use and wiser so that downtown's aren't overwhelmed with them, which requires tighter zoning.