Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

[dick]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I work at Rest. Row, and they recently jacked the early bird parking from $7 to $9. That place is a complete rip-off.

When I lived in Waikiki, I parked in the building next door to my apartment building (the now-notorious Tradewinds). When I first started it was like $90 a month. Then it went to $100, then jumped to $125, and when I left at the beginning of the year it was at $160.

I play a lot of shows at Detox (the old Players Alakea), and the lot next door and also across the street are now becoming more silly hi-rises... there is really no close parking any more. Not when there are big shows. This doesn't bode well for what could have become a great venue for smaller-draw non-cover bands.

I recall once, a few years ago, I went to Wave Waikiki with a friend to see some DJ. He was driving (I took a cab), and got wasted. He was coming back with me to my couch. So we tell the Wave people, "Hey, this guy is wasted, he's parked in your lot, we'll be back in the morning to get the car." "No problem," they say. Come back at like 10 the next day, and find that the car has been dutifully towed. Hmmm.. I guess they want people driving trashed to avoid a tow charge? Seemed that way to me....

I live in Kaimuki now, not far from that huge, oft-filled municipal lot. Fortunately I know of ample free parking. Gotta walk a tad, but it's free and close. But I'll leave that as my (and my neighbors') little secret...

[kilikopela]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I don't know what's in the building on Kapahulu now, but in the early nineties it featured Java Java and the Lizard Loft. Parking was beneath the building, around back, and it was insane. Pillars everywhere. No room to turn around. A steep decline into the parking area. I can't believe anyone ever braved that parking area more than once.

L'raku's parking is pretty bad too, load bearing pylons everywhere.

[kilikopela]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I like Alii Place in downtown. 1100 Alakea is the worse when it comes to downtown parking. I get my da kine car dinged up since 1100 Alakea Parking is way too tight!!!

I havent been in their parking lot..but I work in ASB Bishop sq, and park in the Bishop Sq structure. parking there isnt too bad, but the cost of parking there is getting ridiculous!!! When I started at my firm last year, parking was $175/mo. Shortly after, $190/mo, I just got word that the fee will be going up to $220/mo. This is Standard Parking plight to deter monthly payers and to free up parking. And with the spike in crappy E-10 gas prices, it only makes things worse. prices are up, miles/gal is down...sounds like a federal consipiracy theory.

[scrivener]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I don't know what's in the building on Kapahulu now, but in the early nineties it featured Java Java and the Lizard Loft. Parking was beneath the building, around back, and it was insane. Pillars everywhere. No room to turn around. A steep decline into the parking area. I can't believe anyone ever braved that parking area more than once.

[hawaiiguy]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I'll second the Hawaiian Regent parking structure...yikes!

[Dale]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I like Alii Place in downtown. 1100 Alakea is the worse when it comes to downtown parking. I get my da kine car dinged up since 1100 Alakea Parking is way too tight!!!

[alohabear]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

- The Waimea Town Center on the Big Island in Kamuela. This is a very popular shopping spot where KTA is the major anchor tennant. The problem is that when the place was built, in order for them to meet the necessary quota, they painted the parking stalls too narrow... all of them. It was tough when my folks used to have a big Ford Granada and they had to park the thing. Lucky they now have a Toyota Corolla. Stlll you have to deal with squeezing between large SUVs and pickups which are very plentiful in Waimea. Or worse when one of the bigger vehicles is parked halfway into the stall next to you and you cannot even open the door of your car.

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I gotta agree with you Mel about the Waimea Town Center . It's a nightmare even when it's not full. Another one on the Big island is the "free" lot in Kailua town. That lot is so packed and jams are a plenty.

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

This observation by me isn't on par with ones in regards to the mega-parking structures at Ala Moana or the Ward Centers, but seeing that it's perhaps my least favorite place to park a car when I'm in Hawai'i (and I will note that when I'm in Hawai'i, I try to take TheBus, bike, or walk when ever/where ever possible), I'd like to nominate the small off-street parking lot, in front of Teddy's, Maui Tacos, Jamba Juice, and Starbucks in Kailua, as being a particularly tough lot to negotiate.. It's the lot directly in front of all those businesses that parallels Hahani St.

The parking lot dead-ends at the sidewalk along Kailua Road. With the tight enough spots as it is, and the relative lack of manuverability between the two rows of parking, it can be a real challange to extract your car from a spot located towards the dead end of the lot, especially if you are hemmed in by large trucks or SUVs. A lot of military personnel drive big vehicles into that lot from MCBH, when visiting Jamba, which is located at the dead end of the lot. Often times I see drivers, when in a really tough spot at that end, have to back-up, turn wheel 1 inch, back-up, turn wheel 1 inch, and on and on, until they finally can extract their vehicles from the parking spot.

If I happen to be driving in that area and stop by for a Jamba, I completely avoid that parking lot and instead, park in the Macy's or Long's lot, and simply walk over. Again, most of the time I'm on foot, but if I am driving, I stay out of that lot....it's hardly worth the aggrevation.

[Sayuri]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

The Hyatt Regency parking lot is the worst. It is narrow and there are not much stalls on each level. I guess they didn't have much space to build a wider structure.
Another place I have a hard time finding parking is in the municipal lot in Kaimuki. During mealtimes even the stalls in the boonies are all taken and i've had to circle for 15-20 minutes to get a stall.

[mel]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I'll say this... downtown parking is probably only slightly better than Waikiki, where I don't think there are even 3 public parking facilities around except for on street and Kapiolani Park / Zoo area. Most of the private places are very expensive unless you spend more money at the businesses that validate.

Luckily I rarely venture into Waikiki for any business.

[tutusue]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I think the key word here is "few".

Six is better than none and I've always been able to find a parking stall. I guess it's the same theory as the glass being half empty or half full.

[kilikopela]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

Victoria Ward first ramp has got to be the worste for me. many a times I've managed to scrape the underbody of my car, a G35 coupe, a lot of times. And my car isnt lowered at all...I can only imagine the horror I'll be in store when I get my aftermarket suspension in. I think I'm going to park over on Starbucks side to avoid that ramp.

[mel]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

While not free, there are a few buildings downtown with reasonable parking rates (for short errands!) because they're municipal lots. Hmmm...the 50¢ per half hour rates are now up to 75¢. Oh well, it still beats the $2.50-$3 per 20 minute rates at a lot of the buildings!

I think the key word here is "few".

[tutusue]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

[...]- Downtown Honolulu in general... scarce parking and expensive.[...]

While not free, there are a few buildings downtown with reasonable parking rates (for short errands!) because they're municipal lots. Hmmm...the 50¢ per half hour rates are now up to 75¢. Oh well, it still beats the $2.50-$3 per 20 minute rates at a lot of the buildings!

[tutusue]

Re: Parking Lots and Parking Structures: Best and Worst!

I know that building! I used to go to a video production company located there. You can get an aerial view of the Parking Spiral of Death here.

I love Costco parking lots. Only the absolute worst driver could park bad enough there to inconvenience adjacent cars. Which isn't to say I haven't seen it happen.

Did you go to Island Post or, possibly, the production company that used to share space with IP? Hmmm...did I send you there?

Costco's smart to allow room to open car doors wide enough in which to get the plethora of large boxes customers tend fill. Yes, I'm guilty!

BTW, I love the Google Earth maps you share! I spend way too much time moving 'em around and identifying buildings. In the link above I think I saw my car in my office parking lot!