Shopping Mall Parking vs Central Business District Parking

Shopping Mall Parking Spaces

Shopping malls typically average FIVE parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of shopping. This means that for every 1,000 square feet of shopping space in a shopping mall, there are approximately five parking spaces available for customers. The reason for this abundance of parking spaces is that shopping malls are usually located in suburban areas with ample land available for parking lots. This ensures that customers have convenient access to parking near the mall entrances.

Central Business District Parking Spaces

A typical central business district offers THREE AND A HALF spaces per 1,000 square feet of shopping space. Central business districts are usually located in urban areas with limited space for parking. The high density of offices, stores, and other commercial buildings in these areas results in higher land prices, making it impractical to allocate large amounts of land for parking lots. As a result, central business districts tend to have fewer parking spaces available compared to shopping malls.

Explanation

Shopping malls can offer more parking spaces because they have the advantage of being newer structures located far away from downtown areas. The suburban locations of shopping malls allow for easier expansion of parking facilities to accommodate the high volume of customers visiting the mall. On the other hand, central business districts tend to be more saturated with offices and stores, which results in higher land prices and limited space for parking. The best example for this case can be observed in Manhattan, where the business district is so saturated with offices and expensive retail stores, that parking space is an extreme luxury.