05/18/2024
This is an interesting perspective. I’m curious what people think about this.
During downtown events, people will find a place to park, and this is our introduction to the attraction factor. We humans are drawn to attractions. If something is happening, we want to be a part of it- call it fellowship, or communityness, or even FOMO- but people want to be where the action is. The parade, the art walk, first Fridays, whatever the cause, people like to participate, they like to see other people and have a little fun. And during these events, those people find a way to attend. They might park further away, they might walk, they might bike, they might get a ride from an Uber or a friend, your town might even facilitate a shuttle system, but by all means- the masses will find a way. They do not let limited parking stand in their way of visiting an attraction and enjoying a night out.
The best businesses never suffer from a lack of parking. The great restaurants and the top-of-their-game retailers never seem to struggle with the same lack of parking as their nearby counterparts. They don’t have extra secret parking that their neighbors don’t, they have something else, something far more powerful than parking- they’ve got the goods. They are an attraction. They have something to offer. People will always make their way to the businesses that are a draw.
The best districts in the country and around the world don’t offer abundant parking. That is why they are the best districts. This is the attraction factor at work. Good urbanism is the hook, good businesses are the pull.
Parking does not draw people to a place, you can argue this in the comments until your fingers fall off, but the truth will set you free. People are drawn to attractions, not the utility that facilitates attending an attraction. To focus on parking as a downtown improvement strategy is putting the cart, way, way, way before that proverbial horse.