Park and Ride
03/01/2007
It is not often that a new building’s parking structure gets more buzz than the residences, but that may be the case with the 123 Baxter development in Manhattan’s SoHo. The 26-unit luxury condominium project, which was completed last fall, is becoming known for its unique automated parking system.
Photograph courtesy Automotion Parking Systems/ Stolzer Parkhaus.Homeowners simply roll up to one of the building’s parking doors, take a ticket from a drive-up kiosk and drive into a space after the door opens. After you get out and walk to the elevator, your wheels take their own trip. The pallet the car sits on is then lifted and moved into its own cubbyhole in a steel structure, where it waits to be retrieved.
"The beauty of this arrangement is that it’s like having your own private garage while you’re living in an urban area," says Perry Finkelman, president of American Development Group, which built the project. "The concept has been used successfully for years in Europe, where space is at a premium."
The Automotion parking system used at 123 Baxter takes up a
fraction of the space a standard parking garage would need, since room for cars
to turn in, back up and drive is eliminated. "It gives the architects and
developers more square footage to use for other things," says Finkelman. "As
real estate becomes more expensive, these systems will become more common."
Laser-guided elevators at 123 Baxter
Street take the car from its allotted parking space and deliver it to its owner. Photograph courtesy Automotion Parking Systems/ Stolzer Parkhaus.
Another issue is security. A stored car is accessible only to
its
owner. "If you lose your ticket or, if you’re a resident, the special key
fob that lets you in, the staff will ask for your driver’s license or
the car
registration to prove it belongs to you," he adds.
When it is time to leave, you return to the parking area and
insert your ticket into the kiosk, wait two minutes, and the door rolls open to
reveal your car. The system is designed to retrieve a car in two minutes or
less. "That’s usually much quicker than waiting for your car at a regular
garage," said Finkelman. "Plus, there’s no valet to tip."
American Development Group
516.565.5600
www.adgorg.com