In 2003 Talcor Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc. decided to attempt a pedestrian friendly destination spot on the corner of East 5th Avenue and Thomasville Road in Tallahassee, Florida approximately one mile from the downtown complex. The plan was to renovate and convert an existing 21,000 square-foot furniture store, complete with loading bays, to a retail center that would include high-end, sit-down restaurants, smaller casual and fast food shops and small retail stores.
The Parking Problem
The challenge lay with the availability of parking, and convincing potential tenants that a retail center that would rely mainly on pedestrian traffic during daytime hours could not only survive, but be successful.
Only eleven spaces were available in the existing parking lot for the furniture store. While Talcor owned adjacent office complexes with parking for 205 vehicles, only 25 to 30 spaces were available in that lot during the day until 5:00 PM. In order to compensate for lack of parking, the owner decided to try to rent a fairly large portion of the renovated building as a restaurant that would be a night-time destination, with valet parking. The remainder of the floor space would be rented to various small operations with varying hours of operation (a pub, a clothing shop, a coffee shop, a wine-bar, and a small casual fast food restaurant, etc.).
The owner appealed to the City for relief from the existing parking standards, which required a minimum number of spaces for the use, with a 25% allowance for redevelopment, arguing that the proposed development would meet the stated intent of the Development Code by providing for infill development and a needed pedestrian friendly destination in area. The request was essentially to provide only for employee parking during daytime hours. While at first sceptical that such a plan could work, the City of Tallahassee Planning and Growth Management Departments agreed, and Manor @ Midtown began leasing floor space.
How the Parking Plan Works
The new retail center now shares a few of the 205 office parking spaces during the day and uses the entire parking lot after 5:oo PM to serve the sit-down restaurants and any of the smaller shops that might have extended hours. An unrestricted entrance to the new center provided through the existing office buildings leads directly to the retail / restaurant center from the office parking area. The few spaces located at the building main entrance on East 5th Avenue are signed for 15-minute parking only. So far there are no ongoing complaints from surrounding owners about parking encroachments from the center's operations.
Tenants Understand the Situation
Proprietors of the other mostly daytime uses are advised by Talcor of the parking conditions and that the development's daytime operations depend largely on pedestrian traffic from surrounding office, residential, retail and other commercial uses, and not from drivers. Night-time operations rely on the available parking at the adjacent office complex and pedestrian traffic from the surrounding area. Even so, tenants are willing to lease, believing the concept works. According to Talcor, a surprising number of patrons also walk to the center, even at night, from surrounding areas.
An Example for Sceptics
Talcor President Ed Murray is pleased with the success of the project, which now has the support of Tallahassee Growth Management as an example of developments that encourage pedestrian activity, even though the center relies partly on patrons with vehicles during a portion of its hours of operation.
Some businesses in the area are following suit with similar ideas and with varying levels of success. While location really is nearly everything, it still takes a developer and design team with inspiration, savy and persistence to turn a mere retail location into neighborhood destination. -jc
View From Southwest (Photo from www.manor@midtown.com)
Walk Around from Office Parking Lot --staff photo
Coffee Pub on South Side --staff photo
5th Avenue Entracne with 15 minute parking --staff photo
Design Team:
Architect: Architects Lewis + Whitlock http://think3d.net/
Engineer: ColoneyBell Engineering http://www.coloney.com/
Planning Consultant: Canter Group Planning & Design http://http//cantergroupblog.blogspot.com/
Links:
http://manor@midtown.com
The Parking Problem
The challenge lay with the availability of parking, and convincing potential tenants that a retail center that would rely mainly on pedestrian traffic during daytime hours could not only survive, but be successful.
Only eleven spaces were available in the existing parking lot for the furniture store. While Talcor owned adjacent office complexes with parking for 205 vehicles, only 25 to 30 spaces were available in that lot during the day until 5:00 PM. In order to compensate for lack of parking, the owner decided to try to rent a fairly large portion of the renovated building as a restaurant that would be a night-time destination, with valet parking. The remainder of the floor space would be rented to various small operations with varying hours of operation (a pub, a clothing shop, a coffee shop, a wine-bar, and a small casual fast food restaurant, etc.).
The owner appealed to the City for relief from the existing parking standards, which required a minimum number of spaces for the use, with a 25% allowance for redevelopment, arguing that the proposed development would meet the stated intent of the Development Code by providing for infill development and a needed pedestrian friendly destination in area. The request was essentially to provide only for employee parking during daytime hours. While at first sceptical that such a plan could work, the City of Tallahassee Planning and Growth Management Departments agreed, and Manor @ Midtown began leasing floor space.
How the Parking Plan Works
The new retail center now shares a few of the 205 office parking spaces during the day and uses the entire parking lot after 5:oo PM to serve the sit-down restaurants and any of the smaller shops that might have extended hours. An unrestricted entrance to the new center provided through the existing office buildings leads directly to the retail / restaurant center from the office parking area. The few spaces located at the building main entrance on East 5th Avenue are signed for 15-minute parking only. So far there are no ongoing complaints from surrounding owners about parking encroachments from the center's operations.
Tenants Understand the Situation
Proprietors of the other mostly daytime uses are advised by Talcor of the parking conditions and that the development's daytime operations depend largely on pedestrian traffic from surrounding office, residential, retail and other commercial uses, and not from drivers. Night-time operations rely on the available parking at the adjacent office complex and pedestrian traffic from the surrounding area. Even so, tenants are willing to lease, believing the concept works. According to Talcor, a surprising number of patrons also walk to the center, even at night, from surrounding areas.
An Example for Sceptics
Talcor President Ed Murray is pleased with the success of the project, which now has the support of Tallahassee Growth Management as an example of developments that encourage pedestrian activity, even though the center relies partly on patrons with vehicles during a portion of its hours of operation.
Some businesses in the area are following suit with similar ideas and with varying levels of success. While location really is nearly everything, it still takes a developer and design team with inspiration, savy and persistence to turn a mere retail location into neighborhood destination. -jc
View From Southwest (Photo from www.manor@midtown.com)
Walk Around from Office Parking Lot --staff photo
Coffee Pub on South Side --staff photo
5th Avenue Entracne with 15 minute parking --staff photo
Design Team:
Architect: Architects Lewis + Whitlock http://think3d.net/
Engineer: ColoneyBell Engineering http://www.coloney.com/
Planning Consultant: Canter Group Planning & Design http://http//cantergroupblog.blogspot.com/
Links:
http://manor@midtown.com
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