Architect Wants To Build Suburban Apartment Complex Without Parking Spaces -- To Appeal To Millennials
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- It's a new development "with millennials in mind."
The zoning code requires 18 parking spots. The architect wants to reduce that to zero, in part because cars don't have quite the same cache with young adults these days, CBS2's Tony Aiello reported Monday.
They use a bike-share program, have food delivered and get around using ride-share services.
So, does a suburban apartment complex targeting millennials really need parking spaces?
Architect John Sullivan said it's time to rethink zoning code requiring on-site parking.
"Millennials don't own cars. We don't have a total crystal ball, but I'm gonna tell you, in 15 years, many of these large municipal parking structures will be half empty," Sullivan said.
His project on Post Road would add three stories with 18 apartments on top of an existing restaurant space. He's asking White Plains to waive the requirement that he include 18 parking spots.
"It's in the middle of a block. It doesn't even have access from the street," Sullivan said.
Sullivan said technical challenges aside, the parking requirement is at odds with evolving attitudes about cars.
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A University of Michigan study shows only 60 percent of today's 18-year-olds have drivers licenses, versus 80 percent back in the 1980s. Some young adults say a parking-free building would appeal to their generation.
"They usually don't need anything. They just use Uber for everything," one person said.
"It's a pretty congested area. If it brings down the amount of cars, I mean I think it's a good thing," another person said.
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Others say life in the suburbs still demands a set of wheels.
"Everybody I know, they want a car," one person said.
"We're using more bikes, but we have cars, too. We need parking," another said.
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While the city is unlikely to waive the parking requirement for construction on vacant land, the planning board is giving strong consideration to this project with no parking, built with millennials in mind.
If the city waives the parking requirement, it would require the developer to pay a fee of about $250,000.