Park it Here: Explaining Downtown Parking

Sean Maher, For the Camera
Originally printed June 29, 2009

Now that I work downtown, I hear it every day from both customers and retailers. Parking in downtown Boulder is a big issue. Scarce, expensive, confusing ... the list goes on. Many claim it is the main reason they do not come downtown more often.

The city of Boulder is certainly not perfect. But on this one, I have to step up and defend the folks who manage downtown parking. Is it perfect? Of course not. But I know it is far better than you think it is. And there are good reasons why it is not free and unlimited.

The most common gripe I hear is how tough it is to find a spot. Many folks love to compare downtown to Flatiron Crossing where there is always plenty of parking. If you are one of them, have you ever thought about the difference? Flatiron Crossing was designed and built 10 years ago. A mall developer from Phoenix paved hundreds of acres of green fields to create enough parking so every single shopper on the busiest day of the year can find a spot. The other 364 days a year, there is a sea of empty asphalt. That is how suburban malls are designed in the age of the automobile.Downtown Boulder, on the other hand, was laid out and built 130 years ago in the age of the horse. There were no cars and there was no day-after-Thanksgiving shopping rush.

So instead of acres of asphalt, we have hundreds of historic buildings, churches, homes and landmarks. Every historic downtown in the United States has the same parking issues. How dare those pioneers not think about our convenience!
However, in the face of these "historic" challenges, the city of Boulder has been pretty darn innovative in creating parking. Since the 1970s, the city has spent more than $50 million to build five parking garages with 2,200 spaces. Yes, it is a bit of a hassle to park in a garage, but there is almost always space available -- especially in the garage at 15th and Pearl. For example, last Saturday afternoon, the downtown was packed with people and I saw no empty spaces on the street. But the entire top two floors (300-plus spaces) at the 15th and Pearl garage were empty.

The next most common complaint is the cost of parking. Since it is free at Flatiron Crossing, why can't those greedy folks in Boulder make it free downtown? Think about it. Paving cornfields in Broomfield is pretty cheap compared to wedging a five-story parking garage into the middle of a historic district. The two most recent garages (15th & Pearl and St Julien), cost the city more than $30 million. That money was borrowed and the city will be paying it back until 2023, which means they have to charge for parking. Also, because one developer controls everything at a suburban mall, they can build the cost of parking into the rent charged to retailers -- which, on average, is more than double downtown rates. That is why big malls are filled with national chain stores and downtown is 85 percent locally owned businesses. When you think about it, there really is no "free" parking.

OK, what about other downtowns? How come Denver and Cherry Creek North only charge a dollar an hour at meters while Boulder charges $1.25? This is true, but Denver also charges from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Boulder meters only run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Let your meter expire in Denver and it will cost $25 versus $15 in Boulder.

And if you have to ask what it costs to park in a Denver parking garage, you can't afford it. The Larimer Square garage charges $2 for every 20 minutes or $6 per hour. Compare that to $1.25 per hour here. And downtown Boulder garages are free all day Saturday and Sunday. No gates, no tickets, no charge on weekends. Garage parking in downtown Denver is never free.
So, while far from perfect, parking in downtown Boulder is easier and cheaper than you think. And if you are really willing to drive to Broomfield just to save a few bucks on parking, remember what it cost you at the pump the last time you filled up!
For more parking information, go to www.boulderparking.com or call 303-413-7300.