One of the most common misconceptions about Downtown is it’s difficult to find a place to park when you visit the neighborhood.
According to Downtown Vision Inc., which keeps up with all of the urban core’s statistics, there are more than 43,500 public parking spaces along the streets at meters, in surface lots, parking garages and in peripheral lots adjacent to the sports complex and in LaVilla.
With 3,196 spaces at four multilevel garages and three surface lots, plus about 1,600 parking meters, the city is the largest operator of public parking Downtown.
Monthly rates vary by location, from $53.30 at the garage at the Yates Building and at the Water Street garage to $85.60 at the garage along Monroe Street at the Ed Ball Building and the city lot at 28 W. Forsyth St.
The rates are structured to attract new business and to be competitive, but not too competitive with rates charged by private parking operators, said Public Parking Officer Jack Shad.
“Each location is different and we try to be aware of what the private sector is charging,” he said.
Like all parking operators, the city can be flexible on price when a Downtown business has specific parking needs for its employees.
For example, the city negotiated with the owner of EverBank Center to meet the parking needs of about 1,000 Citizens Property Insurance Corp. employees who will soon be moving into the building.
The Downtown Investment Authority approved an agreement to provide 850 spaces in the Water Street garage near EverBank Center for $45 per month per space.
In order to better market the public spaces the city owns, a veteran parking department employee, Tina Moody, has served since March as the Office of Public Parking account coordinator.
Moody joined the city in 2008, working as a parking operations analyst, where her job included budget management, financial analysis and forecasting and contract compliance.
Since becoming account coordinator, Moody said she’s added another important skill when it comes to Downtown parking — education.
“People call all the time and ask where they can park. The concept is to reach out to people and let them know the number of options we have available,” Moody said.
There’s also quite a bit of problem-solving involved in parking management, such as when the city caps monthly parking before a garage is full in order to leave some spaces for hourly parking.
An example is the garage at 33 W. Duval St. About a block from the Main Library, the city offers one hour of free parking in the garage when a customer has the entry ticket validated at the library.
“We have short-term and long-term options. We can find the fit for all types of needs,” Moody said. “It sounds dull, but it can be challenging.”
Asked if anything about Downtown parking has come as a surprise since she started working daily with customers, Moody said there is one aspect she wasn’t anticipating.
“I am always surprised how many people don’t know that parking at a meter after 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and on weekends is free,” she said.
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