Cost To Build A Parking Garage
Construction Cost Garage Parking
Cost of Parking Decks

What Does It Cost To Build A Parking Garage?
According to the International Parking Institute, the best way to determine the cost of a new parking garage is to determine the number of spaces it will contain upon completion. In 1996, the International Parking Institute estimated that new parking garages cost between $4500-$15,000 per space. The price per space was dependent on the type of construction, number of special features added, location etc.

Parking garages tend to cost more than surface facilities for obvious reasons. More than 60% of paid off-street parking is in surface lots. The remaining 40% of parking facilities are standard parking garages, many with multiple levels.

Is There a Way to Lower the Cost To Build a Parking Garage?
Typically parking garages are expensive to build because the needs of humans are considered. For example, to accommodate drivers, parking garages must have elevators between levels, proper lighting, security cameras, and exhaust system equipment to reduce emissions. Then there is regular maintenance to make sure these systems work properly. Clean up of parking garages and trash collection is also a concern and added cost.

All the ongoing costs above can be eliminated with the use of automated or robotic parking garages and these are the wave of the future. While, at the outset, automated garages may cost just as much to build as their traditional counterparts, maintenance and other costs that are traditional for standard parking garages are eliminated, thus reducing the cost of operation per space over time. In addition, automated parking garages can provide more spaces, while still utilizing the same physical area as a traditional garage. There is no wasted space that is used for driving cars through regular parking garages, so spaces are tightly placed together, making them more efficient.

Interested in building a new parking garage for your city or facility? Check out our Automated Parking page for additional information.

What Does It Cost To Operate A Parking Garage Each Year? Again, the cost-per-space method seems to work best here. To light a parking garage, keep it clean, pay the people who work there, run the elevators, operate the cash registers and gate equipment, shovel the snow, etc. generally averages about $650 per year per space. How much do cities charge for parking tickets these days? As the cost of everything has gone up every year, the days of the $5 parking ticket have just about vanished. Most cities charge at least $25 for ordinary parking violations. Parking in a space reserved for persons with disabilities, however, can earn you a ticket well in excess of $300 in some jurisdictions. Cities and public institutions are also diligent in collecting parking fines. Some cities report collections close to 90 percent. Some colleges collect an even higher percentage of fines.

Information provided by the International Parking Institute.