Ann Arbor Still A Leader In Carport Planning

It is a "safe bet" that Ann Arbor has more existing and planned carports than any city under 100,000 population in the United States.

There is a major reason for that distinction–revenue bonding. It is a financing plan under which parking lots and carports can be acquired and built. with bonding debt retired by revenues.

The "beauty" of the plan is that it can be self-perpetuating, providing carport after carport, parking lot after parking lot in a "snowball" fashion without tapping city general funds.

For every $1 in net operating revenue from parking, $10 in bonding power is generated to provide additional parking facilities.

William E. Brown Jr., Ann Arbor's mayor between 1945 and 1957, is the "father" of Ann Arbor's municipal parking system–a system which he estimates has been copied in terms of financing facilities by up to 150 cities in the nation.

He recounted that the idea of using revenue bonding was "spawned" at his Ann Arbor home by himself and John Nunnelly of Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone, a Detroit bonding consultant firm. Legislation had earlier been adopted, permitting use of revenue bonding for off-street parking, and it was Brown who put the system to work.

Here's what happened:

Initially, about 1946 or 1947, Brown said, the first revenue bonds were floated to buy the property on which the W. Washington parking structure, three levels high and providing 206 spaces, was built later with other revenue bonds backed by spiraling net operating revenue.

Today, the public still can pack on a municipal lot or in a carport for as little as 50 cents for nine hours, whereas in some Michigan communities parking costs as much as $1.50 for four hours.

Besides the W. Washington carport, the five-level Maynard carport of 584 parking spaces and eight off-street parking lots were acquired and developed during Brown's 12 years as mayor. Those facilities provide 1,442 off-street parking spaces.

After Brown left office the city acquired three other off-street parking lots, boosting carport and municipal lot parking to 1,742 spaces.

The University observed the success of the Brown-initiated revenue bonding program for parking and adopted it for a parking system, which today has put the U-M in the forefront of universities in the country in terms of providing off-street  spaces for faculty and staff.

Revenue boding permitted the U-M to build to four 2,205 cars. Those structures are in the 500-block of Church St. 589 cars; 1100-block of Catherine St., 415 cars; 500-block of Thompson St., 758 cars, and 200-block Thayer S. 443 cars.

In addition, the U-M has just begun construction on the 1,045-car East Medical Center parking structured, and has announced plans to construct an 800-space carport in its $13 million to $14 million Dental School complex on the Central Campus.

Wilbur K. Pierpont, U-M vice president of finance, is credited with being the "architect" behind the U-M parking system which includes 125 surface lots, with all existing, planned and under-construction facilities providing spaces for 11,100 cars.

A U-M spokesman said the "book" value of the U-M parking system, not including the E. Medical and Dental School parking structures, is in excess of $5 million.

It's certain the University will build additional carports.

The City Council recently authorized construction of a seven-level, 252-space carport on S. Fourth Ave. at E. Washington. It is expected to be built and put into operation in 1966.

The the meantime, Towne Realty, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis., is building a 478-space carport at Willard and S. Forest and will turn it over to the city which will operate it as a municipal facility.

Towne Realty also has offered to build a 500-space carport under a similar plan with the city at S. Fourth Ave. and William St. If built, it will bring off-street spaces under city control to 2,734. In addition, there are 1,137 metered spaces on downtown area streets.

John D. Telfer, U-M planner for the past six years, said "I would think it is a safe bet to say there is no other community under 100,000 population in the country with so many carports."

The number of city and U-M existing, planned and under-construction carports totals 10, and the "have" a total of 5,587 spaces.

It is understood the city is eyeing the S. State business area as the place for a 500-car parking structure.

Telfer, who is deeply concerned with off-street parking at the U-M and has toured all major university campuses, said the U_M is "out in front" in terms of providing off-street parking.

"Over the years a lot of people have come here and taken home lessons on off-street parking." Telfer said.

"The only way to lick this monster (parking) is to utilize all forces," he said.

Washintgon St. Port – First Built, Usually Jammed

PROPOSED FOURTH AVE -WASHINGTON STRUCTURE

STRIKING STRUCTURE OF THOMPSON

PROPOSED FOR MEDICAL CENTER

For Dental School

Arrows point to an 800-car parking structure, part of which will be underground, which the University will construct as part of its $13 to $14 million Dental School complex on the Central Campus. Persons will go from the carport directly into the Dental School or exit atop the carport if bound for other areas.

FOR E. ANN ST. PARKERS

ST. FOREST STRUCTURE UNDER WAY

FOREST-CHURCH BUILDING

MAYNARD ST. STRUCTURE