By Vincent Campagna, CAPP
We are all aware of the famous Benjamin Franklin quote “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, yet again and again we are reminded how true that is. As Parking Professionals, we are often tasked with creating plans and having a plan for an abundance of programs like; Standard Operating Plans, Emergency Action Plans, ADA Plans, Customer Service Plans, Revenue Control Plans, the list goes on and on. However, Facility Maintenance and Capital Improvement plans seem to take a back seat to the more “parking operational plan” types when in reality, Maintenance and Capital Improvement plans need to be on the top of every parking manager’s priority list. Failing to prioritize these areas can result in costly repairs and disruptions to parking operations, which ultimately could lead to lost revenue for the owner.
As we know, parking often forms the first and last impression a guest has of a building or business, influencing their overall perception. Yet, many owners fail to implement proper facility maintenance or capital improvement plans for aging parking facilities. Post-tension repairs, concrete repairs, and membrane repairs are rarely considered “exciting” projects that owners are eager to showcase. These projects are typically dusty, noisy, time-consuming, disruptive to parking operations, and VERY EXPENSIVE, so they often get pushed aside in favor of more visually appealing upgrades to the main building or guest entryway.
As parking professionals responsible for parking operations, it’s crucial that we communicate with ownership/stakeholders and advocate for a seat at the table to contribute to the discussion on a preliminary capital improvement plan. While most of us may not be engineers by trade, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with the types of parking structures we manage and recognize signs of deterioration. Keep in mind, it will be far more costly to completely rebuild a deteriorating parking facility than to allocate funds annually for ongoing repairs and maintenance.
Vincent Campagna, CAPP, is a Manager, Parking & Ground Transportation for Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. Vincent can be reached at vcampagna@mitchellairport.com.