Parking & the City
Street Parking Free
10 Units
# $ ! &+#
Surface Parking $3,000 - $5,000 per space
Structure Parking $15,000 - $18,000 per space
Below Grade Parking $30,000 - $50,000 per space
Architects, urban planners, and policymakers have recently begun to reconsider the role of parking in affordable housing projects. While the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics has overseen the innovative reuse of parking spots across Boston, recent housing proposals, including the eight presented here, are playing with the kinds and number of parking spots offered. These creative adaptations show that fewer parking spots allow for more housing units at a decreased cost, making them even more affordable. Of course, the role of parking varies from project to project. Urban environments may require less parking density due to their connectedness to public transit, whereas suburban projects may call for higher parking counts.
“Sixty-three percent of municipalities in the MAPC region and 13 of 16 zoning districts in the City of Boston have residential parking requirements that exceed the average vehicle [source: Metropolitan Area Planning Council] ownership per household.�
10 Spaces
#$" &
'! & # $ ! "'!&
"$% 24 Units / 0 Spaces 0 Spaces per Unit
.5 Spaces per Unit Urban Core
"& "$! $ 24 Units / 9-11 Spaces .56-.69 Spaces per Unit
( ) !'& 164 Units / 94 Spaces .57 Spaces per Unit
* !
220 Units / 130 Spaces .59 Spaces per Unit
+ ! $ !% 140 Units / 105 Spaces .75 Spaces per Unit
1.0 Spaces per Unit Satellite Neighborhood
& $ + 42 Units / 57 Spaces 1.32 Spaces per Unit
% ) ! & 53 Units / 67 Spaces 1.26 Spaces per Unit
1.5 Spaces per Unit Suburban Town
( ( 33 Units / 59 Spaces 1.78 Spaces per Unit
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