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A Brooklyn installation invites viewers to rethink parking space in NYC
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 21, 2023
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Caroline Lewis/Gothamist
By
Caroline Lewis
Published Oct 21, 2023
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Curious New Yorkers wandered into a different kind of open house in Williamsburg on Saturday: a studio apartment installed inside two parking spaces in an underground garage.
By New York City standards, the space looked comfortable. It accommodated a twin bed with a side table, a living room and a kitchen with a small dining table – although there was no bathroom in sight.
The nonprofit Open Plans, which advocates for “livable streets,” set up the one-day installation as part of Open House New York, a citywide program of exhibits and tours. Open Plans’ goal was to show that parking takes up space and funding that could be put toward other things – including housing. The group is working to build support for a proposal Mayor Eric Adams put forth last month to eliminate a city requirement that developers must include parking in new buildings.
The pitch to eliminate the parking mandate is part of City of Yes, Adams’ plan for reforming city zoning rules to address the housing crisis, while also supporting small businesses and promoting environmental sustainability. According to the presentation laid out by the Department of City Planning, building underground parking in new buildings costs about $67,500 per spot, and with the money used to construct four parking spaces, developers could build one additional apartment. Organizers with Open Plans said they had surveyed developers who reported spending as much as $150,000 per parking space.
Open Plans worked with Slate Property Group to find a garage for Saturday’s exhibit, and landed on two parking spaces below 66 Ainslie St. Sara Lind, Open Plans’ co-executive director, said there was no need to move any cars to make room for the faux apartment, since the garage already had unused parking spots.
“This was such a great space to do it because we're right next to the L and the G and, again, we don’t see demand for this,” Lind said. “It shows that when we build new buildings, especially in transit-rich areas, people are making the choice not to own cars.”
Open Plans co-executive directors Lisa Orman (left) and Sara Lind (center) hang out in a faux apartment they installed in a Williamsburg parking garage.
Caroline Lewis/Gothamist
New York City already did away with parking requirements for new buildings in most of Manhattan in the 1980s, and more recently took steps to chip away at the requirements elsewhere, according to a December 2022 report by the Regional Plan Association. The report found that in areas where parking mandates had already been eliminated, developers built more affordable apartments each year than in places where the mandates remained in place.
But what about drivers? New Yorkers who walk or rely on public transit are still in the majority, but car ownership in the five boroughs has increased in recent years, according to a StreetsBlog analysis of census data. Drivers in the city can spend hours circling the block looking for parking.
Lind, who said she had heard opposition to the idea from car owners, emphasized that getting rid of parking mandates would not prevent developers from building parking where it’s needed – particularly in areas with less access to public transit.
“With this reform, we're not banning parking,” Lind said.
The mayor’s City of Yes housing proposals must still undergo a lengthy public review process before being finalized. The city is holding a public meeting on the environmental impact of the proposals on Oct. 26. Those interested can find more information or submit a written comment here.
Caroline Lewis
Caroline Lewis is on the health care beat for WNYC and Gothamist. She has covered COVID, a nurses' strike, the overdose crisis and New York’s marijuana legalization effort, and spent a year investigating patients' medical bills. She always wants to hear about how everyday New Yorkers experience the health system. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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