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Edited By Ron Donoho
This Space for RentPaul Smigilani commutes to work downtown from University City. Ten years ago, he paid $2.50 to park all day. Since then, the cost has more than tripled to $8. “I don’t like [the increase], but the parking prices are fair,” says Smigliani, whose potential ire is tempered by his previous experience in Boston, where today he’d be paying nearly twice as much as here.
Drivers in Beantown, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York City and San Francisco (where prices range up to $30 a day) generally pay more to park than in San Diego. But you’ll fork over more for a day’s parking in the “City with Sol” than Dallas, Atlanta and Phoenix, according to a survey of major U.S. cities. (For more information, see the chart. Note: Most figures represent average prices.)
In our quest to pen the definitive story on the cost of parking in downtown San Diego, we found ourselves circling the block several times. We found great variance in rates in this unregulated industry. Worst of all, we never seemed to have coins or small bills when we needed them.
Roughly 50,000 all-day and short-time commuters file in and out of Ace Parking lots every day in San Diego County. So we asked Ace president Scott Jones what the deal was with wide-ranging parking fees. He says parking is like the real estate industry.
“The better the location, the stronger the demand, which results in a higher price,” says Jones. “Lots located next to the courts have a high demand and generally higher parking prices.” Courthouse-close parking is $2 per 15 minutes; $14 per day.
Mark Antonio Razo is the parking attendant at the Five Star Parking lot near the courthouse. He’s noticed a pattern among his frazzled clients: “Monday and Tuesday are the hardest days to find parking.” The day after a holiday is no picnic, either. Raza notices that—surprise—folks clear out early on Thursdays and Fridays.
Some say parking lot owners gouge the public during special events. Lots three to four blocks from the Gaslamp Quarter on Market Street, for example, are usually $5 a day. But that price soars to $15 during the popular Street Scene music festival.
“Again, it’s supply and demand,” says Jones. “Customers may not understand that Ace makes more money during a non-event weekend. The stalls don’t turn over for Street Scene; ordinarily they turn over three times a day on a summer weekend.”
Lots far away from most of the action go for $3-$5 per day. Horton Plaza offers shoppers three hours free with validation; otherwise it’s $1 for 20 minutes (no excuses for lost tickets—it’s a $24 fee). Seven bucks can buy an apple martini at The Bitter End or valet parking in the Gaslamp Quarter. Seinfeld’s George Costanza would balk at paying somebody to park his car, but $7 still beats the price on L.A.’s Sunset Boulevard: $15-$20 for lots, $9-$12 for valet.
—Camille Tuomi
Will There Be a Vowel Movement?
Transplanted Los Angeles businessman Rob Lauer wants to sell San Diego on a new kind of hotel—an eHotel. But as of early May, the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) still wasn’t buying. Lauer and CCDC locked horns when the city’s redevelopment agency ruled that a huge “e” painted on the side of the downtown building at 12th Avenue and A Street violates city signage regulations. Lauer insists the “e” is actually a mural, and exempt from regulation.
A source close to the situation believes that—due in part to bad publicity over the flap—CCDC will negotiate a deal to allow the giant vowel to become a part of the cityscape.
One thing not in question: eHotel is a departure from hospitality industry norms, where long-distance calls and Internet access can soak business travelers a couple of bucks a minute and faxes run $2-$3 per page. eHotel rooms (ranging from $150 to $200 a night) include free, unlimited Internet access, free faxes and cheap long-distance phone calls (10 cents a minute). Lauer says the goal is “to attach an office to every room, free of charge.” To that, we say, eYeah, baby!
Lauer plans to go public with the eHotel concept and open 20 across the country, heading next to Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
—Ben Chapman
A Gwynn-Win Situation
A performance clause in Padres right fielder Tony Gwynn’s contract allows that 502 plate appearances this season trigger a $6 million salary gurantee in 2001. Of course, our future Hall-of-Famer must remain healthy to stay in the lineup and pick up his 502. To that salubrious end, here are a few helpful suggestions:
• Don’t marry left fielder Al Martin.
• Lace Gatorade with St. John’s wort.
• Quit laughing and pointing at Ryan Klesko’s goofy-looking facial hair.
• Never punch Tony Soprano’s sister.
• Cop a season’s supply of MetaboLife from Ted Leitner.
• If Tonya Harding comes at you with a hubcap, beat feet in a hurry.
• Absolutely no batting practice while driving!
• Ask yourself this: Why has Deepak Chopra never had a groin pull?
• Wear a cup, 24/7.
• Remember: Spit, then scratch.
• Lobby hard for new team mascot: Richard Simmons.
• Leave that skateboard in the garage. You’re Tony Gwynn, not Tony Hawk.
—Bill Owens
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