Parking in the City

I was reading this morning about LNR's plan to redevelop Blount Street. I've heard about this project for a while and I'm so glad that it's actually going to happen. There are so many beautiful houses downtown that could use some work. Not only that, but along that street there are pockets of nice houses, then parking lots. Nice house, parking lot. With the way they are planning to build out the block, it will make for a beautiful street and will provide a unified look as you enter downtown.

Then I read all of the comments about how terrible parking already is in that area and how this project is going to make things worse by building in some of the lots. I hate to state the obvious, but with the $2billion being spent to revitalize downtown, things are going to get more dense. I love it because I dream of a day when there are tons of things to walk to and I won't need to get into my car for a week. Mixed use. It's the thing of the future. But others aren't so excited.

I understand that people work downtown, but this is a city, and parking in cities is not easy. It's all about attitude. I park in a parking deck, 4th floor, and walk a block and a half to get to my office. I was just in San Francisco and parking there isn't easy, but who expects it to be? If you were going to travel to Manhattan, would you expect to find a parking spot in front of your destination? No! So why expect to park in front of your office building in downtown Raleigh? Please help the city of Raleigh by pushing back when you hear people talk about "terrible parking downtown." There are parking decks (opens PDF) and more decks are being built. With a positive attitude toward change, you can help Raleigh become a vibrant destination.