Tag Archives: Boston

Income-based Parking Fines Floated in Boston

Scale shows difference between more and less changeSaying they’re concerned about undue burdens that  may be inadvertently placed on less prosperous residents, the Boston City Council last week floated a proposal for a sliding scale for parking fines based on income.

If approved, parking fines could be based on a driver’s income taxes, which would make tickets more expensive for wealthier drivers and less expensive for lower-income parkers. City Councilor Julia Mejia, who proposed the legislation, says she’s surveying city residents to see how they feel about the potential change. Others said they’d rather see less towing implemented or adjusting meter prices to lessen any burden on lower-income users.

Read the whole story here.

Adaptive Reuse: A Case Study

Adaptive reuse of parking garages has been an industry conversation topic for a few years, but now consumer-facing publications are getting in on the topic. Forbes features a story about the Motor Mart Garage in Boston, which was built more than 90 years ago. While its occupancy numbers are relatively healthy, they largely come from big bumps during shows at a nearby theater.

The garage’s architecture and facade are beautiful and beloved and its parking spots are valuable, so the structure is being saved. Atop it will grow a 20-story, mixed-use tower, which will make the most of the garage’s spot on a city block while preserving both its beautiful features and its availability to theater-goers, and making better use of its spaces the rest of the time.

Read the Forbes story here. For more on adaptive reuse, read this story from The Parking Professional.