HomeMy WebLinkAboutDowntown Parking Study ReportCITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
0.
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
CITY OF OSHKOSH
OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
Prepared for:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING SERVICES DIVISION
DECEMBER 23, 2015
PROJECT NO. 21-4111.00
6602 E 75th St., Suite 210 Indianapolis IN 46250
Philip J. Baron Parking Consultant IIII
Cell: 317.417.4040 E-mail:
Philip.Baron@walkerparking.com
TITLE OF REPORT
PROJECT NAME
PROJECT LOCATION
Prepared for:
CLIENT
DATE
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
CITY OF OSHKOSH
OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
Prepared for:
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
PLANNING SERVICES DIVISION
DECEMBER 23, 2015
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................... i-xiv
Project Approach ..................................................................................................................................................... i Stakeholder Engagement Process and Feedback ........................................................................................... ii
Summary of Stakeholder Feedback ..................................................................................................................... iii
Study Area ................................................................................................................................................................ iv Current Parking Conditions ................................................................................................................................... iv Public Parking Locations ......................................................................................................................................... v
Current Parking Adequacy ................................................................................................................................... vi
Future Parking Conditions ..................................................................................................................................... vii
Future Parking Adequacy.....................................................................................................................................viii
Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................................................. xiii
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Project Understanding............................................................................................................................................. 1 Scope of Services ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Study Area ................................................................................................................................................................. 2
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Summary of Stakeholder Feedback ..................................................................................................................... 4
CURRENT PARKING CONDITIONS.................................................................................................................................. 7 Parking Inventory ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Effective Parking Supply .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Parking Occupancy ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Parking Adequacy ................................................................................................................................................. 16 Zone Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................... 17
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 18
FUTURE PARKING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................................................... 19 Organic Market Growth........................................................................................................................................ 20
Historic Washington Building (105 Washington Avenue) ................................................................................ 20
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 21
First National Bank Building (404 North Main Street) ........................................................................................ 22
First National Bank Building Parking Requirements .......................................................................................... 24
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 24
Kline Building (217 North Main Street)................................................................................................................. 25 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 26 Daily Northwestern Building (224 State Street) ................................................................................................. 26
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 28
City Center Building (334 City Center) ............................................................................................................... 28 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 32
Oshkosh Convention Center (2 North Main Street) ......................................................................................... 32
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 34
Best Western Riverside Hotel (1 North Main Street) .......................................................................................... 35
POLICIES, PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT .......................................................................... 46
1. Demand Management ................................................................................................................................. 46
2. Branding And Sign Package Program ........................................................................................................ 48 3. Parking Enforcement ..................................................................................................................................... 49
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
4. Parking Planning .............................................................................................................................................. 50
5. Technology ....................................................................................................................................................... 52
ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS [WORK IN PROGRESS] ......................................................................................................... 56 Proposed Parking Ramp Sites .............................................................................................................................. 56
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 58
Parking Utility Fund ................................................................................................................................................. 58 Sources and Uses of Funds ................................................................................................................................... 59
Opportunities to Improve Financial Performance of Parking Utility Fund ................................................... 59
Paid Parking System ............................................................................................................................................... 59
Conceptual Estimate of Probable Cost............................................................................................................. 65
Operating Cost ....................................................................................................................................................... 65
Breakeven Pricing ................................................................................................................................................. 66
Annual Debt Service .............................................................................................................................................. 66 Structural Repair Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 67
STATEMENT OF LIMITING CONDITIONS ....................................................................................................................... 68
List of Exhibits
Exhibit 1: Study Area .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Exhibit 2: Summary of Stakeholder Feedback .............................................................................................................................. 5
Exhibit 3: Parking Supply Allocation ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Exhibit 4: Effective Parking Supply ................................................................................................................................................... 8
Exhibit 5: Parking Supply Adequacy ............................................................................................................................................... 9
Exhibit 6: Weekday Parking Conditions - 10:00 am .................................................................................................................... 10
Exhibit 7: Weekday Parking Conditions - 12:00 pm .................................................................................................................... 11
Exhibit 8: Weekday Parking Conditions - 2:00 pm ...................................................................................................................... 12
Exhibit 9: Weekday Parking Conditions – 4:00 pm ...................................................................................................................... 13
Exhibit 10: Weekday Parking Conditions – 6:00 pm .................................................................................................................... 14
Exhibit 11: Weekday Evening Parking Conditions – 8:00 pm .................................................................................................... 15
Exhibit 12: Current Adequacy ........................................................................................................................................................ 16
Exhibit 13: Study Area – Zone Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Exhibit 14: Parking Adequacy by Zone ......................................................................................................................................... 18
Exhibit 15: Future Parking Condition Parking Scenarios ............................................................................................................. 19
Exhibit 16: Historic Washington Building Site and Surrounding Area........................................................................................ 20
Exhibit 17: Projected Washington Building Parking Demand ................................................................................................... 21
Exhibit 18: First National Bank Building and Surrounding Area ................................................................................................. 23
Exhibit 19: Projected First National Bank Building Parking Demand ........................................................................................ 24
Exhibit 20: Kline Building and Surrounding Area .......................................................................................................................... 25
Exhibit 21: Projected Kline Building Parking Demand ................................................................................................................ 26
Exhibit 22 Daily Northwestern Building and Surrounding Area ................................................................................................. 27
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Exhibit 23: Projected Daily Northwestern Parking Demand ...................................................................................................... 28
Exhibit 24: City Center Building and Surrounding Area.............................................................................................................. 30
Exhibit 25: Projected City Center Parking Demand ................................................................................................................... 31
Exhibit 26: Projected City Center Parking Demand – Phased Approach .............................................................................. 32
Exhibit 27: Convention Center and Surrounding Area .............................................................................................................. 33
Exhibit 28: Convention Center Unadjusted Parking Demand .................................................................................................. 34
Exhibit 29: Projected Convention Center Parking Demand ..................................................................................................... 34
Exhibit 30: Best Western Riverside Hotel and Surrounding Area ............................................................................................... 36
Exhibit 31: Best Western Riverside Hotel and Ground Round Unadjusted Parking Demand .............................................. 37
Exhibit 32: Projected Best Western Riverside Hotel and Ground Round Parking Demand ................................................. 37
Exhibit 33: Scenario 1 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone ..................................................................................................... 39
Exhibit 34: Scenario 2 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone ..................................................................................................... 40
Exhibit 35: Scenario 3 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone ..................................................................................................... 42
Exhibit 36: Scenario 4 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone ..................................................................................................... 43
Exhibit 37: Scenario 5 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone ..................................................................................................... 44
Exhibit 38: Summary of Future Parking Adequacy by Scenario ............................................................................................. 45
Exhibit 39: Community Approach to Parking Planning.............................................................................................................. 51
Exhibit 40: Proposed Parking Ramp Sites ...................................................................................................................................... 57
Exhibit 41: Parking Utility Fund – Historical Performance ........................................................................................................... 58
Exhibit 42: Sources and Uses of Funds ....................................................................................................................... 59
Exhibit 43: On-Street Multi-Space Meters – Purchase/Revenue Analysis ........................................................... 60
Exhibit 44: On- and Off- Street Multi-Space Meters – Purchase/Revenue Analysis .......................................... 61
Exhibit 45: Case 1: Current Parking Utility Fund ........................................................................................................ 62
Exhibit 46: Case 2: On-Street Pricing Strategy ($0.50/Hour) .................................................................................. 63
Exhibit 47: Case 3: On-Street ($0.50/Hour) and Off-Street ($0.25/Hour) Pricing Strategy ............................... 64
Exhibit 48: Breakeven Considerations – Monthly Income Required to Breakeven .......................................... 66
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin (the “City”) engaged Walker Parking Consultants (“Walker”) to
prepare a comprehensive downtown parking analysis of the City’s existing parking conditions.
The results will be used to guide future policy and decision-making within the community. This
report provides parking planning and operating strategies that embody the philosophy of
managing public resources in a way that supports community well-being, community connection, and growing a sense of place. This report aims to address public parking in the
context of the larger vision for downtown Oshkosh. Since parking is such a costly asset, the City is carefully considering the need for additional parking and opportunities to maximize use of
current parking assets. In addition, the City is looking to implement new policies and practices that better align parking services with community expectations.
Public parking plans should not lead community development; rather the broader community
goals for the downtown should be supported by any proposed parking strategy. With that in mind, the parking strategy should serve as a tool to help ensure downtown success and embody
the following guiding principles:
• Maintain the small town, walkable form that has evolved over decades of purposeful planning.
• Support for a park once, pedestrian friendly vision that improves connectivity for visitors, residents and employees.
• Provide a customer-friendly experience for visitors, residents and employees centered on
convenience, access and fairness.
• Continue to help facilitate and encourage a diverse economy.
• Maintain a responsibility to optimize public investment in parking infrastructure.
PROJECT APPROACH
Walker understands that public parking issues cut across various departments and policy fields
and real solutions require collaboration. Our approach includes public engagement, plus the
evaluation of current and future parking conditions, alternative development options, parking
policies and practices, and financial considerations. While the technical parking analysis
provides measurable decision points for City leaders to consider, public engagement can
produce the collaboration and alignment required for effective policy design and
implementation strategy. The project approach is further defined in the following exhibit.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary ii
Project Approach
Prepare Financial
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND FEEDBACK
Walker representatives facilitated a key stakeholder meeting on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 12th and subsequently met or teleconferenced with additional local stakeholders
unable to attend the initial meeting. In total, Walker met with forty informed stakeholders to
discuss ideas and recommendations for enhancing the public parking system. The meetings
included a diverse representation of downtown stakeholders with unique interest and
perceptions. The common themes shared by the stakeholders are summarized in the following
exhibit, by subject and not in any priority order.
• Review current parking
operations and market conditions • Document parking
inventory for 28-block
study area
Document and evaluate peak weekday parking occupancy
• Determine current parking adequacy • Evaluate proposed future
redevelopments and
project parking needs • Determine future parking adequacy
• Identify on- and off-street
parking policy improvements • Evaluate on and off-street parking pay station
equipment and opportunities for improvement • Evaluate parking regulations
and opportunities for market alignment • Identify opportunities to enhance the delivery of
parking services and support economic development
• Review current parking
operations and market conditions • Meet with stakeholders to more clearly understand
the vision for downtown parking • Listen to suggestions for improving parking
• Review previous planning reports • Review public parking
financial documents
• Review proposed development concepts and plans for additional
downtown growth
Stakeholder
Engagement & Data
Analysis
Current and Future
Parking Conditions
Policies, Practices, and
Opportunities for
Improvement
Financial Plan
• Provide guidelines for optimizing system financial performance • Estimate probable costs
and annual debt service associated with system improvements
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary iii
SUMMARY OF STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
Several recurring and key components were identified amidst the list of comments shared in the
group session and individual stakeholder meetings. Of greatest significance, “the parking system
needs uniform rules and signage to reduce the amount of confusion with employees and visitors.
A win for the parking system would be to reduce the amount of complaints from the business owners.”
Several of the downtown stakeholders also felt, “Oshkosh needs to build a ramp to
accommodate weekend parking demand from the Oshkosh Convention Center and the Best Western Hotel.” And lastly, Walker heard “charging a fee for parking downtown would chase
small business customers away to suburban big box retailers.”
The following provides a summary of common themes shared by stakeholders in no specific order:
Common Themes Shared by Stakeholders
The ideas for improving the Public Parking System were overwhelmingly positive and
constructive with considerations for the overall well-being of the downtown community.
However, to the extent that concerns or issues were raised, we attempt to address these within
this report.
1 Oshkosh does not have a shortage of parking spaces. We need to know if we are efficiently utilizing our inventory.
2 Any downtown parking plan should maximize the use of existing parking resources before investing in new and
costly parking ramps.
3 Oshkosh needs to build a ramp to accommodate weekend parking demand from the Oshkosh Convention Center and the Best Western Hotel
4 Charging a fee for parking downtown would chase small business customers away to suburban big box retailers.
5 Oshkosh should create employee parking lots during the business day and keep prime visitor lots open for retail
and restaurant patrons
6 60% to 70% of business owners and their employees are getting cited for parking beyond the posted time limits
as opposed to visitors. Employees are a big part of the problem.
7 The parking system needs uniform rules and signage to reduce the amount of confusion with employees and visitors. A win for the parking system would be to reduce the amount of complaints from the business owners.
8 Having no enforcement limits on Saturday works well for the Farmer’s Market. Attendees spend 2-4 hours shopping, dining and visiting the downtown area.
9
Develop special event parking strategies for small, medium and large events. Communicate these strategies
with the community and coordinate implementation with downtown businesses, venues and government
agencies.
10 Any walking distance beyond a two block walk is too far to walk from parking to destination. Locals complain about it and prefer not to do it.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary iv
STUDY AREA
Current parking conditions are evaluated for the geographical area generally bound by
Parkway Avenue to the north; the Fox River to the south; Broad and Court Street to the east; and
Jackson Street to the west (map on page 2). This 28-block area represents the defined study
area determined by the City of Oshkosh.
CURRENT PARKING CONDITION
• 4,960± parking spaces are located within the 28-block study area
• 987± parking spaces (20%) are privately owned and operated with limited public access
• 1,500± parking spaces (30%) are owned and operated by the City Center with limited public access
• 1,874± parking spaces (38%) are publically owned and or operated with public access
• 599± parking spaces (12%) are located on-street
Parking Supply Allocation
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015 Note “Public “off-street parking includes all city-owned lots and the Best Western hotel ramp.
PUBLIC PARKING LOCATIONS
The City owns and operates seventeen (17) public parking lots (±1,679 spaces) located in
downtown Oshkosh. In addition to these locations, the City lists the hotel ramp (195 spaces) as available public parking under the downtown public parking inventory. The capacity and
general description of each parking location is provided in the following exhibit.
Total Supply Private Off-
Street City Center Public Off-
Street
Public On-
Street
Parking Supply 4,960 987 1,500 1,874 599
Percent of Total 100%20%30%38%12%
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
Pa
r
k
i
n
g
S
p
a
c
e
s
• The City controls 50% of the downtown parking supply (Public Off-Street + On-
Street).
• The City Center controls 30% of the downtown parking supply.
• The distribution of parking
supply by accessibility (public vs. private) is within reasonable standards when compared to similar size cities.
• Perceptions of downtown parking adequacy, organization, and safety are based on both public and private parking facilities.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary v
Downtown Oshkosh Public Parking
Source: City of Oshkosh 2015
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary vi
CURRENT PARKING ADEQUACY
• Weekday peak parking conditions at 12:00 pm on Thursday
49% occupancy or 2,414± parked vehicles
2,546± unoccupied parking spaces
• Weekday evening parking conditions at 8:00 pm on Thursday
20% occupancy or 1,001± parked vehicles
3,959± unoccupied parking spaces
• 27% peak Public Off-Street occupancy = 1,361± unoccupied spaces
45% peak Private Off-Street occupancy = 540± unoccupied spaces
87% peak City Center occupancy = 201± unoccupied spaces
26% peak On-street occupancy = 444± unoccupied spaces
The documented parking occupancy is presented in the following exhibit.
Current Parking Supply Adequacy
Source: Walker Parking Consultants
Note: Weather conditions during the observation period were Fair with a high of 73°F and low of 59 °F.
10:00 AM 12:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
On Street 134 155 152 140 103 81
Off-Street Public 448 513 506 465 337 270
Off-Street Private 447 447 449 281 230 226
City Center 1,299 1,299 1,297 1,305 728 424
Total 2,328 2,414 2,404 2,191 1,398 1,001
Occupancy %47%49%48%44%28%20%
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
Pa
r
k
e
d
C
a
r
s
Actual Supply = 4,960 Spaces
Effective Supply = 4,563 Spaces
Effective Surplus = 2,149 Spaces
Actual Surplus = 2,546 Spaces
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary vii
Definition: Effective Supply is the maximum number of parking spaces that can realistically be used within a given parking system. FUTURE PARKING CONDITIONS
The methodology for assessing the future parking conditions in downtown Oshkosh incorporates
assumptions with regard to future market conditions, local redevelopment plans, and the financial impact of constructing a public parking ramp. At this time, there are several possible
redevelopment options under consideration by the Oshkosh community. While public parking is an important consideration for all the future development options, public parking plans should
not lead community development decisions. Rather, the broader community goals and plans for downtown should be supported by any proposed parking strategy. Therefore, to prepare
the City with information on parking options that respond to possible future development, this
planning study includes future market assumptions organized into five (5) scenarios. The purpose
for evaluating future parking needs through the lens of multiple scenarios is to provide the City
with a frame of reference for determining possible outcomes. A description of each scenario is
presented in the following exhibit.
Future Parking Condition Scenarios
Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Scenario 5
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• No organic market growth
Potential New Sources of Demand • No historic Washington Building
Redevelopment
• No First National Bank Building Redevelopment
• No Kline Building Redevelopment • No Daily Northwestern
Building
Redevelopment
• No City Center Building Tenant Expansion
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10%
Potential New Sources of Demand • Historic Washington Building
Redevelopment 29,100 SF • First National Bank
Building Redevelopment 19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10%
Potential New Sources of Demand • Kline Building Redevelopment
31,000 SF
• Historic Washington Building Redevelopment
29,100 SF
• First National Bank Building Redevelopment
19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10%
Potential New Sources of Demand • The Daily
Northwestern Building
Redevelopment 46,080 SF
• Kline Building Redevelopment
31,000 SF
• Historic Washington Building Redevelopment
29,100 SF
• First National Bank Building Redevelopment
19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10%
Potential New Sources of Demand • City Center Building Redevelopment and
Tenant Expansion
• The Daily Northwestern Building Redevelopment
46,080 SF
• Kline Building Redevelopment 31,000 SF
• Historic Washington Building Redevelopment 29,100 SF
• First National Bank Building Redevelopment 19,075 SF
Source: City of Oshkosh and Individual Property Managers and Owner
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary viii
A comparative summary of the future parking adequacy by scenario is presented in the
following section.
FUTURE PARKING ADEQUACY
While an overall parking surplus in the study area is projected for each planning scenario, there
are areas that will likely experience parking challenges. To assess parking adequacy in localized areas, the study area is divided into five (5) zones (A, B, C, D, and E).
A comparative summary of the future parking adequacy by scenario is presented in the
following exhibit.
Summary of Future Parking Adequacy by Scenario
Future Parking Planning Scenarios Future Parking Assumptions 1 2 3 4 5
BASE PARKING DEMAND
Current Parking Conditions "As Is" x x x x x
Organic Growth in Parking Demand (10%) x x x x
CHANGES TO CURRENT PARKING SUPPLY
Addition of Anchor Bank Parcel x x x x
Addition of Daily Northwestern surface lot x x
NEW PARKING DEMAND
Historic Washington Building (105 Washington Ave.) x x x x
First National Bank Building (404 North Main) x x x x
Kline Building (217 North Main) x x x
Daily Northwestern Building (224 State Street) x x
City Center Building (334 City Center) x
Future Parking Planning Scenarios
Projected Parking Adequacy
Supply 1 % Avail 2 % Avail 3 % Avail 4 % Avail 5 % Avail
Zone A 208 68 33% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26%
Zone B 612 455 74% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72%
Zone C 643 247 38% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36%
Zone D 374 323 86% 318 85% 215 57% 215 57% 215 57%
Zone E 247 148 60% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56%
Zone F 780 549 70% 453 58% 453 58% 327 42% 249 32%
Zone G 2096 741 35% 294 14% 294 14% 294 14% 151 7%
TOTAL SURPLUS (DEFICIT) 4,960 2,531 51% 1,925 39% 1,822 37% 1,696 34% 1,476 30%
Scenarios defined by the City of Oshkosh
In the following exhibit, a map of the study area with zones is provided to help illustrate future
parking adequacy.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary ix
Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
Future Parking Planning Scenarios
Projected Parking Adequacy
Supply 1 % Avail 2 % Avail 3 % Avail 4 % Avail 5 % Avail
Zone A 208 68 33% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26%
Zone B 612 455 74% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72%
Zone C 643 247 38% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36%
Zone D 374 323 86% 318 85% 215 57% 215 57% 215 57%
Zone E 247 148 60% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56%
Zone F 780 549 70% 453 58% 453 58% 327 42% 249 32%
Zone G 2096 741 35% 294 14% 294 14% 294 14% 151 7%
TOTAL SURPLUS (DEFICIT) 4,960 2,531 51% 1,925 39% 1,822 37% 1,696 34% 1,476 30%
Source: Walker Parking Consultants
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary x
POLICIES, PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Prior to developing any new public parking in downtown Oshkosh, Walker recommends the City
consider changes to current policies and practices. The proposed changes are intended to
help improve the overall delivery of parking services. These recommendations are based on
input from stakeholders directly impacted by public parking policy and practices. In addition,
the recommendations reflect Walker’s analysis of current and future parking conditions, and assessment of current operations. The recommendations are organized and presented in the
following categories:
• Demand Management - There are areas within each zone that temporarily experience high levels of demand that strain local parking supply, while at the same time nearby areas
experience a parking surplus. Even though available supply may exist within one or two blocks, these localized “hot spots‟ form perceptions that parking supply is inadequate.
• Brand and Sign Package Program - Walker recommends the concept of branding public
parking locations with attractive entry signs that display the owner’s logo, street address, hours of operation, and contact information. Providing a standard look for public parking will
greatly reduce first-time visitor and patron anxiety when determining suitable locations for short-term parking.
• Enforcement - Walker recommends that the City adopt a hospitality-based compliance
program for the Downtown area as used successfully in many other cities across the United
States. In addition to the hospitality oriented nature of the program, Parking Ambassadors
are still required to enforce parking regulations.
• Planning - Many communities are rethinking how best to address the challenges of parking
and are pursuing management solutions before committing to long-term capital
investments. This course of action is proven to improve perceptions and increase access to
available supply.
• Technology - Proven technology advancements in the parking industry can improve the
patron experience and financial performance of a public parking system. Outcomes often
include more efficient use of public assets, a higher level of customer service, and reduced
direct labor costs.
• Financial Solvency – The Parking Utility Fund is intended to be financially solvent as an
independent operating unit. The Utility Fund is currently receiving subsidies from the General
Fund, BID, and TIF #10 to pay for associated expenditures. If the Utility maintains an insolvent
financial position the quality of parking services provided to the community may decline and potentially impede access to downtown businesses and events.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary xi
As new developments enter the downtown market, the public parking needs will change and
the City should be prepared to address how best to accommodate this additional growth -
spatially, operationally and financially. The future parking improvements should focus on
enhancing the overall delivery of parking services to the downtown community.
Walker prepared an evaluation of the current and future financial position of the Parking Utility
Fund to identify opportunities to transition the Fund to a financially solvent operation. Three financial cases are represented in this report: 1) Current or as-is conditions, 2) Pricing strategy
for on-street parking only, and 3) Pricing strategy for the total parking system. The summarized results are presented below:
Case 1: Current Operating Conditions
Results:
• Requires continued subsidies from the City’s General Fund, the Business Improvement
District (BID), and the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District #10.
• No new parking supply
• Minimal capital improvements
• Goal to maintain current conditions
Case 2: Pricing Strategy for On-Street Parking Only
Results:
• Elimination of subsidies from the City’s General Fund, the Business Improvement District
(BID), and the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District #10.
• Managed on-street parking demand through the use of multi-space meters.
• Opportunity to reinvest Parking Utility revenue back into the community
Case 3: Pricing Strategy for On- and Off-street Public Parking System
Results:
• Elimination of subsidies from the City’s General Fund, the Business Improvement District
(BID), and the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District #10.
• Improved ability to proactively manage demand.
• Opportunities to reinvest Parking Utility revenue back into the community.
• Opportunity for the Parking Utility to fund a future parking ramp project.
PROPOSED PARKING RAMP SITES
While current typical parking conditions do not warrant the construction of a new parking ramp,
we recognize that some stakeholders believe a ramp is desired. In response to this desire, Walker
researched information on suitable development sites for a multi-story ramp. The sites are listed in no particular order on the map below and have been identified based on their central
location to the downtown area and their ability to satisfy the demand needs identified in nearby zones. Three of the sites identified are located on City owned land, where surface parking
inventory exists today. The fourth site requires the purchase and demolition of any existing
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary xii
privately-owned building coupled with land acquisition costs. Lastly, the fifth site involves the
expansion of the existing City Center ramp.
1. High Avenue surface lot – Development of this 99-spaced surface lot would support the
expansion needs of the City Center tenants, both today and in the future should the City
Center expand the third floor above the 4Imprint tenant space. The development of this
site would also serve the Grand Opera House patron parking needs. 2. Kline Building – Most likely the most expensive site to develop into a parking ramp, however the most practical to serve the parking demands from all zones within the study
area. With its central location to downtown, this location would support the “park once” campaign suggesting a central location for all visitors to park and walk just two blocks to
most destinations in downtown. 3. Ceape surface lot – Similar to the High Avenue surface lot, this site would serve the downtown office tenant expansion and meet the seasonal, special event parking
demand specific to destinations in Zone G. During non-special event seasons, this ramp would serve nothing more than daytime office parking inventory. 4. Jefferson Street surface lot – Solely for the benefit of Main Street destinations in the 400
and 500 block of North Main, this location would meet the short-term visitor demands in the downtown area as well as offer an overnight parking options for nearby residents.
Walker believes the location of this site would not benefit office tenant expansion nearly
as significant as the other sites. 5. City Center parking ramp expansion – Upon meeting with City Center management staff,
Walker learned the City Center parking ramp has the capability of adding construction
for approximately ±90 parking stalls. The additional spaces would be gained by
extending the 3rd floor parking level over the existing uncovered 2nd floor parking level. A reasonable conceptual estimate of project cost for a 400-space, above grade parking ramp
is $7.2 million ($18,000 per space, 400 spaces).
Annual operating expenses are estimated at approximately $600 per space or about $240,000±.
An annual capital repair and maintenance budget set-aside in a sinking fund is recommended
at a minimum of $60 per space or about $24,000 per year.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary xiii
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. The current peak weekday parking demand in downtown Oshkosh does not exceed the
current supply. Approximately 49% of the current parking supply is occupied during peak
weekday conditions (2,414± parked vehicles). Conversely, there are approximately
2,546± unoccupied parking spaces during peak weekday conditions. Development of a
new public parking structure in downtown Oshkosh is not recommended at this time. 2. A future parking surplus is projected to occur under each of the five potential downtown development scenarios. The surplus of unoccupied parking supply is projected to range
between 2,531± spaces for Scenario 1 and 1,476± spaces for Scenario 5. 3. Based on current data and future development scenarios analyzed by Walker, a new parking ramp is not needed to support current or future parking demand in downtown
Oshkosh. 4. While an overall surplus of parking exists today, and a surplus is projected under future development scenarios, there are localized areas with more intense demand patterns
that can be addressed through parking management practices. 5. It is recommended that the City of Oshkosh invest in informing the community on downtown public parking options through the development and implementation of a
sign/wayfinding program, community outreach efforts, and public parking branding
strategy.
6. To more effectively manage the use of public parking resources in downtown Oshkosh,
it is recommended that the City implement an on-street paid parking system in the core
area of downtown. A primary goal of the public parking system is to provide access to
downtown destinations and events. By value pricing the core on-street supply and
offering free off-street and peripheral on-street parking, the City can use price as a tool
to redistribute parking demand and maximize the use of existing resources. Downtown
patrons and employees would be provided a range of parking products to choose from
that best align with personal preferences.
7. While current typical parking conditions do not warrant the construction of a new parking
ramp, we recognize that some stakeholders believe a ramp is desired. The preliminary
estimate of conceptual cost for a 400-space parking ramp is $7.2 million. The Parking
Fund, under current policies and practices, would be unable to support the annual debt
service payment, operating expenses, and capital repair and maintenance associated
with the public parking ramp. Three potential funding options are presented:
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Executive Summary xiv
FUNDING OPTION: 1
• Parking Fund Operating Policy: Subsidy model with no or low-fee permit parking system
• Funding Source: General Obligation Bonds serviced by the General Fund
• Considerations: Funding contingent upon City funding priorities and overall debt
capacity
• Annual Operating Expenses: Sources include Parking Fund, BID and General Fund
• Annual Capital Expenses: Source includes General Fund
FUNDING OPTION: 2 • Parking Fund Operating Policy: Solvency model with value priced parking system
• Funding Source: General Parking Revenue Bonds backed by Parking Fund and General Fund
• Considerations: Parking Fund to issue debt and mitigate impact on City debt capacity • Annual Operating Expenses: Source includes operating revenue from Parking Fund
• Annual Capital Expenses: Source includes operating revenue from Parking Fund
FUNDING OPTION: 3 • Parking Fund Operating Policy: Solvency model with value priced parking system
• Funding Source: Private Investment (Public Private Partnership) • Considerations: Private finance, design, build, lease agreement with City
No impact to City debt capacity Annual lease paid by Parking Fund (permits, on-street, citations)
• Annual Operating Expenses: Included with annual lease paid by Parking Fund
• Annual Capital Expenses: Private Investment Partner(s)
It is recommended that the City pursue a long-term strategy to fund current and future parking
improvements through the implementation of Funding Option 2.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Introduction 1
INTRODUCTION
The City of Oshkosh is in the midst of planning for its future economic development and growth.
As part of its planning effort, Oshkosh engaged Walker Parking Consultants to conduct a parking
study and develop a strategic parking plan for its downtown. The strategic parking plan would
serve as reference material for a comprehensive planning effort that the city also envisions, and
provide the city with a roadmap to address parking-related challenges.
An Oshkosh Area Community Foundation-sponsored survey entitled Oshkosh Vision Survey reported on resident opinions regarding the future of Oshkosh. The foundation’s website states,
“Results showed that the overwhelming majority of residents want to see Oshkosh better utilize its waterfront, allocate more green space, create bicycle-friendly streets, and emphasize
downtown redevelopment. More than 90 percent of the survey respondents said community development should be focused in the downtown area.”
The Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau is working toward bringing additional visitors to the
city to attend meetings and support tourism. The number of visitors to Winnebago County reportedly increased by 5.6 percent in 2013. The CVB has organized a lineup of recreational and
athletic events, coupled with business meetings and conventions, creating additional demand for visitor parking. When parking is “done right,” it can be used as a tool to help encourage
visitors to return to the county and Oshkosh, in particular.
Although not located within the Central Business District, the University Wisconsin-Oshkosh
campus is a significant driver of downtown parking activity as it generates visits from students,
faculty, staff, and campus visitors, many of who need a parking space to access the CBD. The
University of Wisconsin’s Growth Agenda goal is to grow the Oshkosh campus from about 12,500
students today to 16,000 students by 2020.
In addition to some spaces that are available for lease, the City generally offers two types of
parking – permit parking intended for use by longer-term patrons and free parking that is
available at spaces with 90-minute or two-hour durations. The City sells permits for $20 per month
and $220 per year.
PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
Walker understands Oshkosh’s goals for the parking study and strategic parking plan are
summarized as follows:
• To elicit input from residents and community leaders and gain the collective community support that is so vital to the successful implementation of plans;
• To develop and implement a plan that can improve downtown conditions;
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Introduction 2
• To better understand existing and future parking supply and demand conditions and
locations where parking capacity is an issue;
• To identify alternatives for addressing parking challenges, including the optimization of
existing parking resources, the use of technologies that enhance user-friendliness of
parking, and identification of options to increase parking capacity, and the potential for
reducing parking demand through alternatives to the single occupant vehicle;
• To review and develop a plan improving existing parking policies and practices; and
• To develop a financial plan that could be implemented as a method of funding future
parking-related improvements.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Based on the RFP, Walker understands the City’s scope of services is generally organized into
the following key elements:
• Stakeholder Input
• Assessment of Current Parking System Utilization
• Supply/Demand Analysis and Projection of Future Needs
• Development of Potential Solutions
• Evaluation of Parking Policy and the Municipal Parking Program
• Recommendations and Financial Plan for Meeting Future Needs
• Final Presentation
STUDY AREA
The study area is defined for the purpose of this analysis as the geographical area generally
bound by Parkway Avenue to the north; the Fox River to the south; Jackson Street to the west;
and Jefferson Street, Court Street and Broad Street to the east. The 28-block study area includes
the City Center Mall, an 800,000 SF regional shopping center that was originally built in the 1970s
and since has been renamed City Center and partially redeveloped into office space and
specialty shops. Presently the facility advertises 513,000 SF of useable office and retail space.
In addition to the City Center, the study area includes the administrative offices of the
Winnebago County Health Department, the Winnebago County Department of Human
Services, the 18,500 square foot Oshkosh Convention Center and the Leach Amphitheater
offering a 7,500 person capacity. Central to the study area, North Main Street, also U.S. 45, is a major arterial that contains a number of shops and offices located in historic buildings. This
configuration encompasses the wide variety of land uses and captures the unique parking characteristics within downtown Oshkosh.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Introduction 3
The study area is presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 1: Study Area
Source: Study Area provided by the City of Oshkosh; exhibit prepared by Walker Parking Consultants
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Stakeholder Engagement 4
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Walker representatives facilitated a key stakeholder meeting on the afternoon of Wednesday,
August 12th and subsequently met or teleconferenced with additional local stakeholders
unable to attend the initial meeting. In total, Walker met with forty informed stakeholders to
discuss ideas and recommendations for enhancing the public parking system. The meetings
included a diverse representation of downtown stakeholders with unique interest and perceptions. The common themes shared by the stakeholders are summarized in the following
exhibit, by subject and not in any priority order.
SUMMARY OF STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK
Several recurring and key components were identified amidst the list of comments shared in the
group session and individual stakeholder meetings. Of greatest significance, “the parking system needs uniform rules and signage to reduce the amount of confusion with employees and visitors.
A win for the parking system would be to reduce the amount of complaints from the business owners.”
Several of the downtown stakeholders also felt, “Oshkosh needs to build a ramp to
accommodate weekend parking demand from the Oshkosh Convention Center and the Best Western Hotel.” And lastly, Walker heard “charging a fee for parking downtown would chase
small business customers away to suburban big box retailers.”
The following exhibit provides a list of detailed comments provided in no specific order other
than labeled by type:
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Stakeholder Engagement 5
Exhibit 2: Summary of Stakeholder Feedback
Subject Comment
1 Connectivity /
Walkability
Any walking distance beyond a two block walk is too far to walk from parking to
destination. Locals complain about it and prefer not to do it.
2 Connectivity / Walkability The core downtown business buildings are too far apart. Downtown is not a walkable district as businesses are too fragmented.
3 Public Investment Any downtown parking plan should maximize the use of existing parking resources before investing in new and costly parking ramps.
4 Public Investment The City should explore opportunities for public/private partnerships and the integration of
mixed uses if considering building a new parking ramps.
5 Parking Adequacy
People often form perceptions that parking is inadequate based on special event
conditions or on-street parking conditions in a limited geographic area (1 block). These
perceptions do not align with actual parking availability in the downtown area.
6 Parking Adequacy
When the 176 room Best Western Hotel is at capacity, there is no room left in the adjacent
parking ramp for use of 18,000 SF of banquet and meeting space as well as parking for the
Ground Round restaurant.
7 Parking Adequacy Oshkosh does not have a shortage of parking spaces. We need to know if we are efficiently utilizing our inventory.
8 Parking Adequacy The 400 Block West Lot is underutilized in the evening hours. The parking program should be better managed to encourage the use of this parking lot.
9 Off-Street Ramp Oshkosh needs to knock down the existing ramp attached to the Best Western Hotel and construct a more user friendly ramp with more spaces on the same footprint.
10 Off-Street Ramp Oshkosh needs to build a ramp to accommodate weekend parking demand from the
Oshkosh Convention Center and the Best Western Hotel
11 Off-Street Ramp Will the City Center share parking inventory on the weekends?
12 Off-Street Lots The Washington Lot and State Lot are almost always full because authorized permit holders
are not parking in their assigned permit spaces.
13 Off-Street Lots Eliminate the daily parking permit as no one hardly uses it. I didn’t even know it existed.
14 Off-Street Lots Eliminate permit and reserved parking spaces in surface lots with limited inventory.
15 Off-Street Lots During lengthy snow season surface lot parking inventory becomes affected by large snow piles displacing available parking inventory in the lots.
16 Off-Street Lots The Anchor Bank property should be purchased and developed for additional parking inventory.
17 Off- Street Lots Creating 4-hour limit parking spaces would limit turnover and negatively impact monthly
and annual permit sales.
18 Off-Street Lots
It is believed daily permits are purchased by restaurant employers and assigned to
employees to park in surface lots. The $1.50 permit was originally designed for guests of
residents.
19 Off-Street Lots Oshkosh should create employee parking lots during the business day and keep prime
visitor lots open for retail and restaurant patrons.
20 Off-Street Lots Parking north of Washington Street should be simplified and user-friendly so folks don’t receive parking tickets.
21 Off-Street Lots It’s often disappointing when events on Main Street prohibit parking and access to businesses.
22 Off-Street Lots Permit spaces should be removed from the Library Lot.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Stakeholder Engagement 6
Source: Walker Parking group and individual stakeholder meetings
Subject Comment
23 On-Street Maintain consistent enforcement hours for all regulated spaces. 9:00am – 6:00pm, Mon.-
Sat.
24 On-Street Permit spaces in 300 block of Brown Street are seldom used.
25 Enforcement 60% to 70% of business owners and their employees are getting cited for parking beyond
the posted time limits as opposed to visitors. Employees are a big part of the problem.
26 Enforcement Having no enforcement limits on Saturday works well for the Farmer’s Market. Attendees
spend 2-4 hours shopping, dining and visiting the downtown area.
27 Enforcement The amount of time to pay a parking ticket should be extended before a penalty is
applied. Five days to pay a parking ticket is not enough time.
28 Enforcement Residents should not be penalized when downtown events prohibit access to permit
spaces. The city should show some compassion or allow for a grace period.
29 Enforcement Parking enforcement is necessary to maintain downtown public access.
30 Programs
The parking system needs uniform rules and signage to reduce the amount of confusion
with employees and visitors. A win for the parking system would be to reduce the amount of complaints from the business owners.
31 Programs Market and brand the public parking system to educate and communicate the available parking options.
32 Programs There needs to be a mix of long, mid and short term parking.
33 Programs The Parking Utility is constantly changing policies for lot permits to accommodate
residential parking demand.
34 Programs Develop special event parking strategies for small, medium and large events. Communicate these strategies with the community and coordinate implementation with downtown businesses, venues and government agencies.
35 Programs Downtown post office location should relocate to allow for more parking.
36 Programs Charging a fee for parking downtown would chase small business customers away to
suburban big box retailers.
37 Planning Businesses in the 500 block of Main Street could double their employee and patron base if more parking options were available.
38 Planning Permits should offer a tiered pricing solution according to location.
39 Planning Assigned parking designation should be reallocated for greater efficiency.
40 Planning Need a blanket policy for all surface parking lots as each lot has a different dynamic.
41 Planning The city needs to move forward with hiring a special events coordinator to communicate downtown events and work with the community business owners.
42 Planning
Moving the Farmer’s Market to Main Street has increased attendance to 12,000 to 15,000
customers compared to 1,500 attendance, five years ago when it was at City Hall. Patrons
are utilizing the same parking areas, yet the perception is they don’t have to walk several blocks to City Hall.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 7
CURRENT PARKING CONDITIONS
Parking occupancy conditions were recorded Thursday, September 10th, with parking demand
recorded at 10:00 am (mid-morning parking occupancy), 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm (mid-afternoon
parking occupancy), 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm (early dinner and end of work day parking occupancy)
and 8:00 pm. The date and times were selected based on our experience with typical peak
parking patterns in a busy government, commercial retail, restaurant, and office environment. In our experience the mid-morning and mid-afternoons typically represent peak demand due
to the significant presence of downtown employees overlapping with the beginning or end of lunch time, when downtowns typically receive an influx of diners and others coming into
downtown for business or shopping during their lunch time break.
PARKING INVENTORY
A total parking inventory of 4,960± parking spaces are located within the 28-block study area.
The allocation of parking supply is important to understand when considering long-term strategies that aim to improve access to downtown. Approximately 4,361± or 88% of spaces are
located off-street and 599± or 12% of spaces are located on-street in time restricted areas. Approximately 2,473± or 50% of the total supply is designated as public and open to all user
groups, while the remaining 2,487± or 50% of all parking supply is designated for private use with limited or restricted general public access. In locations where parking spaces were unmarked
on-street, the estimated capacities were determined based on industry standard parking space
measurements.
Exhibit 3: Parking Supply Allocation
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
Total Supply Private Off-
Street City Center Public Off-
Street
Public On-
Street
Parking Supply 4,960 987 1,500 1,874 599
Percent of Total 100%20%30%38%12%
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
Pa
r
k
i
n
g
S
p
a
c
e
s
• The City controls 50% of the
downtown parking supply (Public Off-Street + On-Street).
• The City Center controls 30% of the downtown parking
supply.
• The distribution of parking supply by accessibility (public vs. private) is within reasonable standards when
compared to similar size
cities.
• Perceptions of downtown parking adequacy, organization, and safety are
based on both public and private parking facilities.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 8
EFFECTIVE PARKING SUPPLY
When discussing the utilization of a parking system, it is important to consider the concept of
effective supply. Effective supply is the maximum number of parking spaces that can
realistically be used within a given parking system. An effective supply cushion helps to protect
against the inevitable loss of spaces resulting from temporary disturbances such as construction,
incorrectly parked cars, snow removal, etc. This cushion also helps to decrease traffic congestion by minimizing the amount of time visitors must spend looking for an empty space.
For on-street parking, Walker generally recommends an effective supply equal to 85% of the
total capacity. This allows a sizable cushion of spaces so that traffic does not back up on surface streets. Off-street parking requires less of a cushion, generally 90% to 95% of the actual supply,
depending on the type of facility and the anticipated user group. Smaller cushions are calculated for long-term parking locations because long-term parkers (ex: downtown
employees) tend to be familiar with the facilities and spaces. These locations are not as subject to frequent turn over or unfamiliar parkers.
The study area includes an actual total of 4,960± parking spaces before any adjustments are
made to account for an effective supply. After the effective supply factors are applied, the study area’s effective supply is 4,563± spaces, as shown in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 4: Effective Parking Supply
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015 Private (Off-Street) Effective Supply Factor = 95% City Center Effective Supply Factor = 95% Public (Off-Street) Effective Supply Factor = 90%
On-Street Effective Supply Factor = 85% Weighted Average Effective Supply Factor = 92%
Total
Supply
Private
Off-Street City Center Public Off-
Street
Public On-
Street
Actual Supply 4,960 987 1,500 1,874 599
Effective Supply 4,563 938 1,425 1,687 509
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
Pa
r
k
i
n
g
S
p
a
c
e
s
Total Effective Supply Cushion = 389± Spaces
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 9
PARKING OCCUPANCY
The analysis of current parking conditions indicates that peak occupancy of 2,414± vehicles (49%) occurs near the hour of 12:00 pm on a typical Thursday. Conversely, there are
approximately 2,546± unoccupied parking spaces in the study area during peak conditions.
Evening parking conditions are measurably lower with 1,001± parked vehicles (20%) near the hour of 8:00 pm. Conversely, there are approximately 3,959± unoccupied parking spaces in the
study area during typical weekday evening conditions.
The documented parking occupancy is presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 5: Parking Supply Adequacy
Source: Walker Parking Consultants Note: Weather conditions during the observation period were fair with a high of 73°F and low of 59 °F. Although the overall parking conditions indicate adequate supply exists, there are specific city
blocks and streets that routinely exhibit more intense parking utilization patterns. The areas with more intense parking demand can shape overall perceptions of parking adequacy for the
entire study area. Heat maps indicating the observed parking occupancy levels by block and at the designated intervals are presented in the next six exhibits. This information is intended to
help communicate the local parking characteristics during a typical weekday.
10:00 AM 12:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
On Street 134 155 152 140 103 81
Off-Street Public 448 513 506 465 337 270
Off-Street Private 447 447 449 281 230 226
City Center 1,299 1,299 1,297 1,305 728 424
Total 2,328 2,414 2,404 2,191 1,398 1,001
Occupancy %47%49%48%44%28%20%
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
Pa
r
k
e
d
C
a
r
s
Actual Supply = 4,960 Spaces Effective Supply = 4,563 Spaces
Actual Surplus = 2,546 Spaces Effective Surplus = 2,149 Spaces
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 10
Exhibit 6: Weekday Parking Conditions - 10:00 am
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 11
Exhibit 7: Weekday Parking Conditions - 12:00 pm
• Peak parking demand patterns coincide with office, restaurant and retail demand characteristics
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 12
Exhibit 8: Weekday Parking Conditions - 2:00 pm
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 13
Exhibit 9: Weekday Parking Conditions – 4:00 pm
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 14
Exhibit 10: Weekday Parking Conditions – 6:00 pm
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 15
Exhibit11: Weekday Evening Parking Conditions – 8:00 pm
Observations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 16
PARKING ADEQUACY
The observed peak parking occupancy was compared to the actual and effective supply
calculations to determine the current parking adequacy during typical weekday conditions.
The parking adequacy for the total study area is summarized and presented in the following
exhibit.
Exhibit 12: Current Adequacy
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
The data indicates a need for strategic management of public on and off-street parking that
starts with modifications to current parking policies and practices. The challenge before the
City is to encourage a change in parking behavior by providing choices, clear policies, and
improved delivery of parking services. Parking is experiential and everyone forms individual
perceptions of parking conditions based on their unique expectations and experiences. It is our
professional opinion that the lack of supply is not the real parking issue; rather the real issue is a
lack of access to acceptable proximate supply and knowledge of parking options in downtown
Oshkosh. Recommendations for improving access to supply and improving the overall delivery
of parking services will be addressed in the following sections of this report.
EffectiveTypeActual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 1,874 90%1,597 513 27%1,361 1,084
Private Off-Street 987 95%938 447 45%540 491
City Center 1,500 95%1,425 1,299 87%201 126
On-Street 599 85%509 155 26%444 354Total4,960 92%4,469 2,414 50%2,546 2,055
Peak Weekday Occupancy
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 17
ZONE ANALYSIS
The previous section of this report provided an overview of the current parking conditions in
downtown Oshkosh. The data shows an operating surplus during peak weekday conditions in
public off-street, private off-street and on-street supply. To further analyze the local market
conditions and assess adequacy, the study area is divided into seven zones (A, B, C, D, E, F, and
G). The study area zones are provided in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 13: Study Area – Zone Analysis
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Current Parking Conditions 18
Exhibit 14: Parking Adequacy by Zone
• While each zone exhibits unique parking demand patterns and levels of adequacy, all zones
have unoccupied parking supply with peak occupancy rates that range from 15 percent
(Zone D) to 71 percent (Zone A). All zones have a parking surplus.
ZONE A Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 33 90%30 26 79%7 4Private Off-Street 131 95%124 105 80%26 19
On-Street 44 85%37 17 39%27 20Total20892%192 148 71%60 44
ZONE B Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 192 90%173 80 42%112 93Private Off-Street 349 95%332 62 18%287 270
On-Street 71 85%60 5 7%66 55Total61292%565 147 24%465 418
ZONE C Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 392 90%353 195 50%197 158Private Off-Street 149 95%142 99 66%50 43
On-Street 102 85%87 49 48%53 38Total64392%581 343 53%300 238
ZONE D Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 250 90%225 32 13%218 193Private Off-Street 67 95%64 4 6%63 60
On-Street 57 85%48 21 37%36 27
Total 374 92%337 57 15%317 280
ZONE E Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 93 90%84 37 40%56 47Private Off-Street 0 95%0 0 0%0 0
On-Street 154 85%131 29 19%125 102
Total 247 92%215 66 27%181 149
ZONE F Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 318 90%286 87 27%231 199Private Off-Street 291 95%276 177 61%114 99
On-Street 171 85%145 34 20%137 111
Total 780 92%708 298 38%482 410
ZONE G Effective
Type Actual Supply Supply Factor Effective Supply 12:00 PM Occupancy %Actual Surplus Effective Surplus
Public Off-Street 596 90%536 56 9%540 480City Center 1,500 95%1,425 1,299 87%201 126
On-Street 0 85%0 0 0%0 0
Total 2,096 92%1,961 1,355 65%741 606
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
Peak Weekday Occupancy
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 19
FUTURE PARKING CONDITIONS
The methodology for assessing the future parking conditions in downtown Oshkosh incorporates
assumptions with regard to future market conditions, local redevelopment plans, and the
financial impact of constructing a public parking ramp. At this time, there are several possible
redevelopment options under consideration by the Oshkosh community. While public parking is
an important consideration for all the future development options, public parking plans should not lead community development decisions. Rather, the broader community goals and plans
for downtown should be supported by any proposed parking strategy. Therefore, to prepare the City with information on parking options that respond to possible future development, this
planning study includes future market assumptions organized into five (5) scenarios. The purpose for evaluating future parking needs through the lens of multiple scenarios is to provide the City
with a frame of reference for determining possible outcomes. A description of each scenario is presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 15: Future Parking Condition Parking Scenarios
Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Scenario 5
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• No organic market growth Potential New Sources of Demand
• No historic Washington Building Redevelopment
• No First National Bank Building Redevelopment • No Kline Building
Redevelopment
• No Daily Northwestern Building Redevelopment
• No City Center Building Tenant Expansion
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10% Potential New Sources of Demand
• Historic Washington Building Redevelopment 29,100 SF
• First National Bank Building Redevelopment
19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10% Potential New Sources of Demand
• Kline Building Redevelopment 31,000 SF
• Historic Washington Building Redevelopment 29,100 SF
• First National Bank
Building Redevelopment 19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10% Potential New Sources of Demand
• The Daily Northwestern Building Redevelopment 46,080 SF
• Kline Building Redevelopment 31,000 SF
• Historic Washington
Building Redevelopment 29,100 SF
• First National Bank
Building Redevelopment 19,075 SF
Base Conditions
• Current Parking Conditions (As Is)
• Organic market growth of 10% Potential New Sources of Demand
• City Center Building Redevelopment and Tenant Expansion
• The Daily Northwestern Building Redevelopment 46,080 SF
• Kline Building
Redevelopment 31,000 SF • Historic Washington
Building
Redevelopment 29,100 SF • First National Bank Building
Redevelopment 19,075 SF
Source: City of Oshkosh and Individual Property Managers and Owner
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 20
ORGANIC MARKET GROWTH
For the purpose of this analysis, organic market growth refers to the growth in demand for
existing land uses or business services. Expressed another way, organic market growth is the
internal growth or the growth from existing businesses—not from new businesses entering the
market or new development of vacant land or absorption of vacant commercial building
space. In scenarios 2 through 5, Walker applies a 10% organic growth factor. The assumption of a 10% increase in parked cars during peak weekday conditions represents possible growth from
existing businesses.
HISTORIC WASHINGTON BUILDING (105 WASHINGTON AVENUE)
The historic Washington Building is located at 105 Washington Avenue and consists of 29,100 SF
of commercial lease space. Some onsite parking and delivery access is provided and is
accessed from Washington Avenue. Current redevelopment plans include the conversion of
the 29,100 SF space to 22 residential units. The site layout for the redevelopment project is
presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 16: Historic Washington Building Site and Surrounding Area
Source(S): Google Earth; Walker Parking Consultants
Considerations
• 29,100 SF of potential residential space to be converted into 20-22 residential units
• Minimal onsite parking and delivery provided to east and south
• Proximate parking options are needed for leasing ability
• Walker’s Shared Parking Model recommends 1.75
parking spaces per one bedroom condo and .10
guest parking spaces
• Site is proximate to Library and Main Street retail
• Residential parking demand may be served by the
use of the State lot – 79 public spaces
• Redevelopment buildout suggests peak parking
demand is 38± resident spaces and 3± guest
parking spaces during peak utilization
• Peak utilization is anticipated at 10:00 pm
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 21
WASHINGTON BUILDING PARKING REQUIREMENTS
Public parking needs are often a requirement for historic buildings without on-site parking
inventory. Typically, the inventory requirement may be met through a combination of off-street
parking for tenants and on-street parking for short-term visitors. The use of the proximate State
lot for residential parking will sufficiently serve the parking requirements with any visitor parking
demand being met by the adjacent on-street inventory in Zone F.
In addition, residential parking demand characteristics are unique when compared to other downtown destinations. Based on Walker’s experience, car ownership for residents in the upper
Midwest is typically high, due to limited carpooling and reliable methods for alternate transportation. By today’s standards, residential vehicles may remain stationary for longer
periods of time as many urban residents telecommute or even walk to nearby employment opportunities.
The projected parking demand for this property is summarized in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 17: Projected Washington Building Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015; ITE Shared Parking Model
CONCLUSION
• The redeveloped historic Washington Building is projected to need approximately 38±
employee parking spaces to accommodate typical weekday and weekend parking
needs when the building is at 100% occupancy. The State lot can provide 79 parking
spaces to meet this demand.
• Visitor parking demand for this property may be accommodated by proximate on-street
parking on Washington Avenue and State Street.
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 PM Evening Evening 10:00 PM 5:00 PM
Residential Guest 2 100%100%100%100%2 1
Residential Reserved - Condo 23 100%100%100%97%22 22
Residential Unreserved - Condo 16 100%100%100%97%16 13
Total Parking Spaces Required 41 40 36
Weekday
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 PM Evening Evening 10:00 PM 5:00 PM
Residential Guest 3 100%100%100%100%3 1
Residential Reserved - Condo 23 100%100%100%97%22 22
Residential Unreserved - Condo 16 100%100%100%97%16 13
Total Parking Spaces Required 42 41 36
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 22
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING (404 NORTH MAIN STREET)
The First National Building, just across from Opera House Square Park, lies at the very heart of
downtown Oshkosh. The downtown area offers a great variety of restaurants, coffee shops,
shopping, and entertainment venues all within walking distance.
This historic 8 story, 54,500 sq. ft. office building offers office space with spectacular views of Lake Winnebago, the Fox River, and Oshkosh. Upon speaking with building ownership, Walker
understands there is currently approximately 19,075 sq. ft. (35%) of office space available for lease. In addition, the elegant 4,000 sq. ft. atrium is available to all tenants for public and private
functions. Also available to all tenants is the mezzanine level conference room which overlooks the atrium.
In the midst of our stakeholder interviews and data collection effort, Walker has learned Fox
River Development (building ownership) has purchased the vacant Anchor Bank property to the immediate east of the First National Bank Building. As is, the Anchor Bank property supplies
an existing 23± parking spaces.
The conceptual site layout and parking planning considerations are presented in the following exhibit.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 23
Exhibit 18: First National Bank Building and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• Weekday peak parking demand is projected to occur near the hour of 10:00AM
• Plans include the purchase of the Anchor Bank property and subsequent conversion to
additional surface lot parking at Jefferson and Washington Streets
• The addition of the Anchor Bank parcel could provide for 40-45 new parking spaces if
the existing building was removed and the remaining parcel reconfigured.
• Proximate on-street parking supply is located along Washington Street and State Street
• Additional on-street parking supply could serve First National Bank Center patrons during peak hours
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 24
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING PARKING REQUIREMENTS
The anticipated demand for both weekdays and weekends is summarized in the following
exhibits. The projected weekday demand peaks near the hour of 10:00AM with an evening
peak near the hour of 6:00PM.
Exhibit 19: Projected First National Bank Building Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model CONCLUSION
• Demand for approximately 64± parking spaces could be generated during weekday
utilization for employee and visitor parking and approximately 15± spaces for similar use
during the early evening hours.
• A significant portion of the employee parking demand could be accommodated through the conversion of the Anchor Bank property to surface parking. In the event the
Anchor Bank property is not immediately converted into surface lot parking, employee parking permits could be purchased for the remaining 40± spaces at the State lot.
• Shared use of the Anchor Bank parcel for parking could additionally satisfy evening and
weekend parking demand for Zone C retail and restaurant needs.
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 6 100%100%100%100%6 0
Employee 67 100%100%100%87%58 15
Total Parking Spaces Required 73 64 15
Weekday
Demand DemandUnadjMonth Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 1 100%90%100%100%1 0
Employee 7 100%90%100%92%6 0
Total Parking Spaces Required 8 7 0
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 25
KLINE BUILDING (217 NORTH MAIN STREET)
The 4-story Kline Building presently offers 31,000 sq. ft. of leasable office space and 15,000 sq. ft.
of leasable retail space with no accompanying off-street parking. The property is conveniently
located in the heart of downtown Oshkosh and close to many other landmarks such as the
Grand Opera House, Oshkosh Public Library, Oshkosh Public Museum and the newly renovated
Convention Center and more.
A significant contributor to Oshkosh’s downtown walkability, the property provides great high traffic and visibility location with 120 feet of retail frontage on the main level. The site layout for
the redevelopment project is presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 20: Kline Building and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• Weekday peak parking demand is projected to occur near the hour of 2:00PM
• City provides 31± spaces in adjacent surface lot immediately to the south of the property
• Walker’s base parking model requires 103± spaces to meet office space buildout
• Proximate to on-street parking supply is located along Commerce Street and High Avenue
• Additional on-street parking supply could serve the Kline Building patrons during peak hours
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 26
Exhibit 21: Projected Kline Building Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
CONCLUSION
The parking demand for the Kline Building requires the use of nearby off-street and on-street
parking inventory. Walker’s shared parking model suggests a December weekday demand of 46 customer parking spaces for the office and retail spaces combined. In addition, our model
also suggests a minimum of 103 employee parking spaces to meet the demand should the property occupancy achieve 100% utilization.
Walker suggests the purchase of permit parking in the nearby High Avenue surface lot to meet
the employee parking demand and maintain the utilization of the Pearl surface lot and adjacent Commerce Street spaces for short-term visitor parking.
DAILY NORTHWESTERN BUILDING (224 STATE STREET)
The Daily Northwestern property includes a 28,800 sq. ft. office building, a 17,280 sq. ft.
production facility, a garage, as well as two supporting surface parking lots. Walker estimates
the surface parking lots to provide 35± and 13± parking stalls. All parcels are located within the
same block just off Main Street in the heart of downtown Oshkosh.
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio December December
Land Use Demand December 2:00 PM Daytime Daytime 2:00 PM 6:00 PM
Community Shopping Center (<400 ksf)44 100%100%99%87%38 32
Employee 11 100%100%100%82%9 9
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 9 100%100%100%87%8 0
Employee 108 100%100%100%87%94 25
Subtotal Customer 53 46 32
Subtotal Employee 119 103 34
Total Parking Spaces Required 172 149 66
Weekday
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio December December
Land Use Demand December 1:00 PM Daytime Daytime 1:00 PM 6:00 PM
Community Shopping Center (<400 ksf)48 100%95%100%92%42 38
Employee 12 100%100%100%87%10 10
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 1 100%80%100%92%1 0
Employee 11 100%80%100%92%8 1
Subtotal Customer 49 43 38
Subtotal Employee 23 18 11Total Parking Spaces Required 72 61 49
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 27
The Northwestern was owned by the Schwalm and Heaney families until 1998. It has been part
of the Gannett newspaper chain since 2000. The property is available for lease at this time as
less space is needed by the newspaper as a result of operation consolidations. The site layout
for the redevelopment project is presented in the following exhibit.
Exhibit 22: Daily Northwestern Building and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• Weekday peak parking demand is projected to occur near the hour of 10:00 AM
• Property provides for 48± spaces in two surface lots adjacent to the property
• Walker’s base parking model requires 139± spaces to meet office space buildout
• Proximate to on-street parking supply is located along State Street and Wagoo Avenue
• Additional on-street parking supply along Court Street could serve the Daily Northwestern Building patrons during peak hours
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 28
Exhibit 23: Projected Daily Northwestern Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
CONCLUSION
The employee parking demand for the redevelopment of the Daily Northwestern Building into
leasable office space requires a suggested minimum supply of 139 parking spaces. To
accommodate this demand, the property would need to secure an additional 91 spaces
beyond the available 48 provided on site. Walker suggests the purchase of permit parking in the
Ceape lot located one block south of the property.
CITY CENTER BUILDING (334 CITY CENTER)
The City Center originally open in the 1970’s as Park Plaza Mall. The center was over 800,000 square feet in size, including retail anchors and office space, and included a U-shaped hallway
with an impressive multi-level atrium with hanging modern art sculptures, common areas, and large amounts of office space above the mall. The mall had many of the national chain stores
and was a regional draw, bringing in shoppers from Appleton and Neenah-Menasha in the north to Fond Du Lac and the surrounding areas in the south.
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 5 100%100%100%100%5 0
Employee 60 100%100%100%87%52 14
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 9 100%100%100%100%9 0
Employee 100 100%100%100%87%87 23
Subtotal Customer/Guest 14 14 0
Subtotal Employee/Resident 160 139 37Total Parking Spaces Required 174 153 37
Weekday
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January JanuaryLand Use Demand January 11:00 AM Daytime Daytime 11:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 1 100%100%100%100%1 0
Employee 6 100%100%100%92%6 0
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 1 100%100%100%100%1 0
Employee 10 100%100%100%92%9 1
Subtotal Customer/Guest 2 2 0
Subtotal Employee/Resident 16 15 1Total Parking Spaces Required 18 17 1
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 29
In the early 1990’s the retail anchor stores began to vacate the mall and relocate along the U.S.
41 corridor as the big box and strip mall trend began to take shape. During this transition, more
offices moved into the mall, slowly changing the atmosphere from the once thriving mall to
today’s high density office center.
By today’s standard, the City Center property totals 513,000 square feet of leasable space and
is currently at 95% occupancy with 1,900 occupants inhabiting on a daily basis. This occupancy number grows to over 2,100 during the holiday rush season through the addition of seasonal
employees. In addition, City Center management expects some of the major tenants to be adding additional permanent staff over the next few years by as many as 200 employees.
City Center on-site parking allows for 1,150± parking spaces in the 2nd and 3rd level parking ramp.
Additionally, there are also 400 ground level parking spaces for tenants and customers.
Preliminary information shared with Walker indicates the current parking ramp has the capacity
to increase parking inventory by 90± spaces. This may be accomplished by extending the 3rd
level parking area over the uncovered 2nd level parking area. Walker also understands the
probable estimate of construction and restoration costs may outweigh any immediate benefit. Further structural and financial evaluation of this option will be necessary.
The City Center has approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of space yet to develop, but no additional
parking available. The 4imprint tenant space can also be expanded by an additional 3rd floor (50,000 sf), which could hold approximately 210 more employees. The site layout for the
redevelopment project is presented in the following exhibit.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 30
Exhibit 24: City Center Building and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• Weekday peak parking demand is projected to occur near the hour of 10:00AM
• City Center provides 1,150± parking spaces in ramp located on site. Visitor parking needs are met through the use of the 400 surface lot spaces on site
• Walker’s base parking model projects 408± spaces to meet peak weekday employee parking needs for total office space buildout. This amount includes the 3rd floor expansion of 4imprint
• Without the 4imprint 3rd floor expansion, Walker’s model projects 234± parking spaces to meet the employee parking needs of the 20,000 sf space and the 150-200 additional
staff increase over the next few years
• Proximate off-street parking may be shared with the 195 spaces in the Best Western hotel
ramp, but Walker recommends reserving this asset for daytime hotel and convention
center business
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 31
Exhibit 25: Projected City Center Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
The parking demand model in the above exhibit reflects parking demand for all potential phases of occupancy and development mentioned under the considerations section. Because
the seasonal employees are temporary in nature, Walker has not accounted for this fluctuation in our modeling.
The exhibit below demonstrates the parking demand in a phased approach, knowing the
potential for the 4imprint tenant space has yet to be determined.
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 6 100%100%100%87%5 0
Employee 70 100%100%100%87%61 16
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 0 100%100%100%87%0 0
Employee 0 100%100%100%87%0 0
Open Plan/High Density Office 17 100%100%100%87%15 1
Employee 399 100%100%100%87%347 87
Subtotal Customer 23 20 1
Subtotal Employee 469 408 103
Total Parking Spaces Required 492 428 104
Weekday
Demand Demand
Unadj Month Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio January January
Land Use Demand January 11:00 AM Daytime Daytime 11:00 AM 6:00 PM
Office <25,000sq ft 1 100%100%100%92%1 0
Employee 7 100%100%100%92%6 0
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 0 100%100%100%92%0 0
Employee 0 100%100%100%92%0 0
Open Plan/High Density Office 2 100%100%100%92%2 0
Employee 40 100%100%100%92%37 2Subtotal Customer 3 3 0
Subtotal Employee 47 43 2
Total Parking Spaces Required 50 46 2
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 32
Exhibit 26: Projected City Center Parking Demand – Phased Approach
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
With the 4imprint tenant space removed from the model in the phase one approach, the immediate employee parking demand is reduced to 234± spaces. The projected weekend
parking demand in the model above does not account for scheduled employee weekend
shifts. This number may fluctuate depending upon scheduled tenant working hours.
CONCLUSION
The employee parking demand for the increase tenant occupancy and expansion of the City
Center Building into leasable office space requires a suggested minimum supply of 408 parking
spaces over a two-phased development approach. To accommodate this demand, the
property would need to secure spaces beyond the available maximum capacity provided on
site. Walker suggests the purchase of employee parking permits in the Ceape lot and the High
Avenue lots located one block east and one block north of the property. Additionally, the use
of the Riverside Park East lot would be required to meet the additional City Center tenant
parking demand.
Given the fact Walker has already recommended the use of the Ceape and High Avenue
surface lots to support parking demand in Zones E and F, we should expect Zone G to
experience a public parking space deficit when the City Center achieves 100% occupancy
and future potential growth.
OSHKOSH CONVENTION CENTER (2 NORTH MAIN STREET)
The newly renovated Convention Center is one of the many highlights of Downtown Oshkosh.
This outstanding venue sits on a prime waterfront setting overlooking the Fox River and Lake Winnebago. The Convention Center is home to many special events that take place
annually. From trade shows to conventions, weddings and organizational meetings, the Convention Center is the ideal location for any event. Given this introduction and special use
January Weekday
10:00 AM Phase 1 Phase 2
Office <25,000sq ft 5 0
Employee 61 0
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 0 0
Employee 0 0
Open Plan/High Density Office 7 8
Employee 173 174
Subtotal Customer 12 8
Subtotal Employee 234 174Total Demand 246 182
January Weekend11:00 AM Phase 1 Phase 2
Office <25,000sq ft 1 0
Employee 6 0
Office 25k to 100k sq ft 0 0
Employee 0 0
Open Plan/High Density Office 1 1
Employee 18 19
Subtotal Customer 2 1
Subtotal Employee 24 19Total Demand 26 20
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 33
requirement, Walker recognizes the need to maintain sufficient parking for convention center
events and has projected the following demand based on usable square footage.
Exhibit 27: Convention Center and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• Used of the Oshkosh Convention Center is typically per scheduled event or conference
• The nearby Riverside Park Lot provides for 235 public parking spaces and the Ceape Lot provides for an additional 169 public parking spaces.
• Walker has previously suggested the use of the Ceape Lot for Zone F and Zone G permit parking to meet the
weekday employee parking needs of the downtown study area.
• Walker’s Base Parking Model projects the unadjusted parking demand for the 18,500 SF convention Center
to require 5.50 visitor parking spaces/ksf GLA and 0.50 employee parking spaces/ksf GLA. For the purpose of
this explanation GLA may be defined as Gross Leasable Area.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 34
Exhibit 28: Convention Center Unadjusted Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
The unadjusted parking demand model in the above exhibit reflects parking demand for patrons and employees under maximum demand conditions. It is important to recognize the
demand remains consistent regardless of weekday or weekend as use of the center is purely event driven.
The exhibit below demonstrates the adjusted peak parking demand on weekdays and
weekends when drive ratio factors are taken into consideration.
Exhibit 29: Projected Convention Center Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
CONCLUSION
The visitor and employee parking demand for the Oshkosh Convention Center requires the use
of 96± parking spaces in the 235-space Riverside Park Lot. The remaining 139± parking spaces
may be utilized for weekday employee parking privileges.
Given the fact Walker has already recommended the use of the Ceape and High Avenue
surface lots to support parking demand in Zones E and F, we should expect the use of the Riverside Park Lot to accommodate additional employee parking needs from the expansion of
Land Use Quantity Base Ratio Unit Unadj Pkg Sp Base Ratio Units Unadj Pkg Sp
Convention Center 18,500 5.50 /ksf GLA 102 5.50 /ksf GLA 102
Employee 0.50 9 0.50 9
TOTAL 111 111
Weekdays Weekends
Demand DemandUnadjMonth Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio Feb Feb
Land Use Demand Feb 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PM
Convention Center 102 100%100%100%87%89 47 Employee 9 100%100%100%82%7 3Total Parking Spaces Required 111 96 50
Weekday
Demand DemandUnadjMonth Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio Feb Feb
Land Use Demand Feb 10:00 AM Daytime Daytime 10:00 AM 6:00 PMConvention Center 102 100%100%100%92%94 51 Employee 9 100%100%100%87%8 3Total Parking Spaces Required 111 102 54
Weekend
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 35
the City Center Building. Riverside Park Lot spaces closest to the Convention Center should be
signed and designated specifically for the use by Convention Center employees and
attendees. Spaces within the eastern portion of this lot should be designated as permit parking
during weekday business hours and available for public parking on nights and weekends.
BEST WESTERN RIVERSIDE HOTEL (1 NORTH MAIN STREET)
Nestled on the banks of the Fox River in downtown Oshkosh, lies the BEST WESTERN PREMIER
Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center. In May 2013, a major $13 million renovation of the hotel was completed. The hotel features eight floors with 176 guest rooms, most of which have scenic
views of the Fox River and/or Lake Winnebago. Amenities include an indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness center, game room, business center, casual dining and cocktail lounge with outdoor
patio, riverside boardwalk and so much more. The hotel and convention center, combined, provide over 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space with the flexibility of 18 breakout rooms. Convention
meeting space provides beautiful views of the Fox River.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 36
Exhibit 30: Best Western Riverside Hotel and Surrounding Area
Considerations
• The Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel is centrally located in Oshkosh, walking distance from Grand Opera
House and close to Menominee Park. This family-friendly hotel is within close proximity of University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Paine Art Center and Arboretum.
• The Hotel offers 176 rooms for overnight business meetings, conventions and weddings.
• The adjacent Hotel ramp provides for 195 public parking spaces. Presently the surface parking areas adjacent to the ramp and south of the City Center property are reserved for City Center employee parking only. The shared use of this inventory on weekends could help increase the available inventory for special event and conference activities throughout Zone G.
• Walker’s Base Parking Model projects the unadjusted parking demand for the 176 room hotel, and the 216 seat capacity Ground Round Restaurant to require 0.9 guest parking spaces per hotel room and 15.25 restaurant visitor parking spaces/ksf GLA.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 37
Exhibit 31: Best Western Riverside Hotel and Ground Round Unadjusted Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
The unadjusted parking demand model in the above exhibit reflects parking demand for guests
and employees under maximum demand conditions. It is important to recognize the demand
increases slightly on weekends due to travel, leisure and banquet opportunities. For the purpose
of this discussion, Walker assumes the volume of hotel guests will typically be the same
occupants using the hotel banquet and meeting space regardless of weekday or weekend
activity.
The exhibit below demonstrates the adjusted peak parking demand on weekdays and
weekends when drive ratio factors are taken into consideration.
Exhibit 32: Projected Best Western Riverside Hotel and Ground Round Parking Demand
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015, ITE Shared Parking Model
Demand DemandUnadjMonth Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio Aug Jul
Land Use Demand Aug 9:00 PM Evening Evening 9:00 PM 5:00 PM
Fine/Casual Dining 66 99%100%79%92%48 33
Employee 12 100%100%100%87%10 10
Hotel-Leisure 158 100%95%100%100%150 126
Employee 44 100%20%100%87%8 25
Subtotal Customer 224 198 159
Subtotal Employee 56 18 35Total Parking Spaces Required 280 216 194
Weekday
Demand DemandUnadjMonth Adj Pk Hr Adj Non Captive Drive Ratio Aug Jul
Land Use Demand Aug 11:00 PM Evening Evening 11:00 PM 5:00 PMFine/Casual Dining 73 99%90%78%100%51 24 Employee 13 100%85%100%95%10 11
Hotel-Leisure 176 100%100%100%100%176 141
Employee 32 100%45%100%95%14 21Subtotal Customer 249 227 165
Subtotal Employee 45 24 32Total Parking Spaces Required 294 251 197
Weekend
Land Use Quantity
Base
Ratio Unit
Unadj
Pkg Sp
Base
Ratio Units
Unadj Pkg
Sp
Fine/Casual Dining 4,320 15.25 /ksf GLA 66 17.00 /ksf GLA 73
Employee 2.75 12 3.00 13
Hotel-Leisure 176 0.90 /room 158 1.00 /room 176
Employee 176 0.25 /room 44 0.18 /room 32
Subtotal Customer 224 249
Subtotal Employee 56 45
TOTAL 280 294
Weekdays Weekends
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 38
CONCLUSION
The visitor and employee parking demand for the Best Western Riverside Hotel and the Ground
Round Restaurant requires the complete use of the 195-space Hotel Ramp during weekday and
weekend peak activity. Walker’s Shared Parking Model estimates peak activity for the
combined use of these venues requires 216± parking spaces during the weekday and 251±
spaces during weekend peak activity. While peak activity may not occur every week of the year, it remains an important decision to factor in this demand for the optimal success of the
hotel and restaurant.
In effort to lessen the parking demand on the Hotel Ramp during peak activity, Walker suggests the hotel and restaurant reach out to the City Center to arrange a deal for employee parking
within the available surface lot areas adjacent to the hotel. The use of City Center permit spaces during non-peak activity, such as weekends and evenings, will allow greater access to available
parking for hotel guests and restaurant patrons.
In the event an agreement may not be reached with the City Center, the employee parking needs should be directed to public parking opportunities at the Riverside Park Lot and the
Riverside Park East Lot.
The projected future parking adequacy is presented for each scenario and by zone in the next five exhibits.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 39
Exhibit 33: Scenario 1 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
• In Zone A, the projected adequacy for off-street public parking remains a concern with the continued sale of permit parking in the Division Street lot. Walker recommends the removal of permit parking altogether from this 33-space parking lot and creating a demand-price permit in the 400 Block West lot for premium permit holders in the 400 and 500 blocks of North Main Street.
• Zone B offers significant parking adequacy as most of the available inventory is specific-use in nature for private business and church parking. Walker recommends the use of Zone B inventory for the private business parking needs in Zone A and Zone D. Additionally, Walker recommends the use of the 49-space Rec/Gym surface lot be converted into permit parking to support weekday employee parking activity.
• Off-street public parking in Zone C should serve the short-term visitor parking demand for the commercial and retail businesses located in the 400 Block of North Main Street. In this scenario, Walker recognizes the need to redevelop the Anchor Bank property into a public/private parking location to remain consistent with parking adequacy found on the west side of Main Street.
Zone A Supply Occupancy Adequacy Supply+Supply-Adjusted Supply New Demand Projected Adequacy
Public Off-Street 33 27 6 0 0 33 0 6
Private Off-Street 131 96 35 0 0 131 0 35On-Street 44 17 27 0 0 44 0 27Sub-total 208 140 68 0 0 208 0 68
Zone B
Public Off-Street 192 87 105 0 0 192 0 105
Private Off-Street 349 65 284 0 0 349 0 284
On-Street 71 5 66 0 0 71 0 66Sub-total 612 157 455 0 0 612 0 455
Zone C
Public Off-Street 392 205 187 0 0 392 0 187
Private Off-Street 149 122 27 0 0 149 0 27
On-Street 102 69 33 0 0 102 0 33Sub-total 643 396 247 0 0 643 0 247
Zone D
Public Off-Street 250 26 224 0 0 250 0 224
Private Off-Street 67 5 62 0 0 67 0 62
On-Street 57 20 37 0 0 57 0 37Sub-total 374 51 323 0 0 374 0 323
Zone EPublic Off-Street 93 46 47 0 0 93 0 47
Private Off-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
On-Street 154 53 101 0 0 154 0 101Sub-total 247 99 148 0 0 247 0 148
Zone FPublic Off-Street 318 57 261 0 0 318 0 261Private Off-Street 291 140 151 0 0 291 0 151
On-Street 171 34 137 0 0 171 0 137
Sub-total 780 231 549 0 0 780 0 549
Zone GPublic Off-Street 596 58 538 0 0 596 0 538City Center 1,500 1,297 203 0 0 1,500 0 203On-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sub-total 2,096 1,355 741 0 0 2,096 0 741
Total 4,960 2,033 2,284 0 0 4,317 0 2,531
Current Conditions Future Conditions
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 40
• Any private business employee growth in Zone D could be supported by use of available private inventory in Zone D and nearby Zone B.
• Similar to Zone C, parking inventory in Zone E should serve the short-term visitor parking demand for the commercial and retail businesses located in the 100-300 blocks of North Main Street. A collection of three, small off-street public parking locations provide for an approximate 93± spaces. Suitable on-street parking inventory is available in the 200 and 300 blocks of Market, Main and State Streets.
• Under existing conditions, parking adequacy remains significantly adequate in Zones F and G, as portions of this inventory may be designed to serve specific use during conventions and Leach Amphitheater events.
Exhibit 34: Scenario 2 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
• The application of a 10% organic growth rate to current parking conditions, with the increased demand from the First National Bank Building and the redevelopment of the Historic Washington Building, results in an overall parking adequacy of 1,925± spaces in the study area.
Zone A Supply Occupancy Adequacy Supply+Supply-Adjusted Supply New Demand Projected Adequacy
Public Off-Street 33 27 6 0 0 33 3 3Private Off-Street 131 96 35 0 0 131 10 25On-Street 44 17 27 0 0 44 2 25Sub-total 208 140 68 0 0 208 14 54
Zone B
Public Off-Street 192 87 105 0 0 192 9 96
Private Off-Street 349 65 284 0 0 349 7 278On-Street 71 5 66 0 0 71 1 66Sub-total 612 157 455 0 0 612 16 439
Zone C
Public Off-Street 392 205 187 0 0 392 21 167
Private Off-Street 149 122 27 45 0 194 35 37
On-Street 102 69 33 0 0 102 7 26Sub-total 643 396 247 45 0 688 63 229
Zone D
Public Off-Street 250 26 224 0 0 250 3 221
Private Off-Street 67 5 62 0 0 67 1 62
On-Street 57 20 37 0 0 57 2 35Sub-total 374 51 323 0 0 374 5 318
Zone E
Public Off-Street 93 46 47 0 0 93 5 42
Private Off-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
On-Street 154 53 101 0 0 154 5 96Sub-total 247 99 148 0 0 247 10 138
Zone FPublic Off-Street 318 57 261 0 0 318 79 182
Private Off-Street 291 140 151 0 0 291 14 137
On-Street 171 34 137 0 0 171 3 134Sub-total 780 231 549 0 0 780 96 453
Zone GPublic Off-Street 596 58 538 0 0 596 318 220Private Off-Street 1,500 1,297 203 0 0 1,500 130 73
On-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Sub-total 2,096 1,355 741 0 0 2,096 448 294
Total 4,960 2,429 2,531 45 0 5,005 651 1,925
Current Conditions Future Conditions
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 41
• Specific to Zone C, the redevelopment of the First National Bank Building demonstrates the effect of employee parking growth beyond the use of the existing Anchor Bank parking parcel. Walker estimates the need for an additional 58 employee parking spaces, of which 23 may be satisfied with the existing inventory of the Anchor Bank parking parcel. Should the footprint of the Anchor Bank parcel be redeveloped into a public/private parking lot, Walker estimates the maximum potential for a total of 45 spaces. In the event the Anchor Bank parcel is not immediately developed into a surface parking lot, employee parking would need to be satisfied with remaining permit inventory in the State Lot.
• In Zone F, the redevelopment of the Historic Washington Building creates the potential for an increased employee parking demand of 38± parking spaces during peak weekday and weekend activity periods. This demand should
be offset with the use of the 79-space State Lot.
• Walker also encourages the reduction of the 36 permit parking spaces from the Library parking lot to allow for
future programmatic library growth. Walker understands the present permit base for the Library lot may consist of
a mixture of library employees and nearby residents seeking off-street parking. The Library leadership team should
have a say in which employees may retain parking privileges within the lot, but should be aware of the inventory
impact this may have on visitor access to the Library. Walker suggests negotiating employee parking privileges
with the neighboring Oshkosh Office Center lot with a capacity of 110 spaces.
• In Scenario 2, Zone A continues to remain an area of concern for parking adequacy. As previously shared,
employee growth would need to be offset by inventory from available private inventory in Zones B and D.
• Within this scenario, Walker has added the projected demand for the Best Western Riverside Hotel (216±) spaces during peak weekday activity and the projected demand for the Oshkosh Convention Center (96±) spaces during the same peak weekday activity levels.
• Under Scenario 2, while projected parking adequacy may be positive in all zones, there are localized parking improvements that should be considered for the purposes of improving the delivery of parking services and improving the overall access to downtown. Specifically, attention to permit parking allocation should be considered to reduce the amount, reassign the remaining amount, and create demand-sensitive pricing for privileged parking access within these visitor parking zones.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 42
Exhibit 35: Scenario 3 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
• The application of a 10% organic growth rate to current parking conditions; the addition of scenario 2 demand, and the redevelopment of the Kline Building results in an overall parking surplus of 1,822± spaces in the study area.
• Specific to this scenario, any increased employee parking demand within Zone E would need to be satisfied through the use of inventory in nearby zones. Walker recommends the allocation of the 103± employee parking demand generated by the Kline Building be satisfied through the use of available inventory in the High Avenue lot. Use of this lot is limited by capacity to 199 parking spaces and presently serves the half dozen employee parking needs of the Grand Opera House.
• As revealed through a stakeholder session with the Director of the Grand Opera House, typically 10-12 times per calendar year, the Grand Opera House schedules weekday matinee performances as ticket sale volume supports. Attendee estimates for weekday matinee performances typically account for 250 patrons. With an average of 2.5 patrons per vehicle, Walker estimates the demand for 100± cars. At the present time, parking inventory is available through the use of the High Avenue lot and available on-street parking inventory. Walker
Zone A Supply Occupancy Adequacy Supply+Supply-Adjusted Supply New Demand Projected Adequacy
Public Off-Street 33 27 6 0 0 33 3 3
Private Off-Street 131 96 35 0 0 131 10 25On-Street 44 17 27 0 0 44 2 25Sub-total 208 140 68 0 0 208 14 54
Zone B
Public Off-Street 192 87 105 0 0 192 9 96
Private Off-Street 349 65 284 0 0 349 7 278
On-Street 71 5 66 0 0 71 1 66Sub-total 612 157 455 0 0 612 16 439
Zone C
Public Off-Street 392 205 187 0 0 392 21 167
Private Off-Street 149 122 27 45 0 194 35 37
On-Street 102 69 33 0 0 102 7 26Sub-total 643 396 247 45 0 688 63 229
Zone D
Public Off-Street 250 26 224 0 0 250 106 118
Private Off-Street 67 5 62 0 0 67 1 62
On-Street 57 20 37 0 0 57 2 35Sub-total 374 51 323 0 0 374 108 215
Zone EPublic Off-Street 93 46 47 0 0 93 5 42
Private Off-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
On-Street 154 53 101 0 0 154 5 96Sub-total 247 99 148 0 0 247 10 138
Zone FPublic Off-Street 318 57 261 0 0 318 79 182Private Off-Street 291 140 151 0 0 291 14 137
On-Street 171 34 137 0 0 171 3 134
Sub-total 780 231 549 0 0 780 96 453
Zone GPublic Off-Street 596 58 538 0 0 596 318 220Private Off-Street 1,500 1,297 203 0 0 1,500 130 73On-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sub-total 2,096 1,355 741 0 0 2,096 448 294
Total 4,960 2,429 2,531 45 0 5,005 754 1,822
Current Conditions Future Conditions
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 43
suggests leaving ±90 parking spaces in the High Avenue lot for matinee parking and additional visitor parking needs within zones D and E. Walker recommends the continued discussion with the owner of the unimproved Gunderson Cleaner’s parcel for business expansion needs in Zone D. With the addition of this approximate 40± space parking parcel, weekday employee parking demand may be achieved for smaller office buildings.
Exhibit 36: Scenario 4 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
• The application of a 10% organic growth rate to current parking conditions; the addition of scenario 3 demand; and the redevelopment of the Daily Northwestern property results in an overall parking surplus of 1,696± spaces in the study area.
• The redevelopment of the Daily Northwestern Building impacts the off-street parking inventory in Zone F. Walker’s shared parking model estimates the increase demand for 139± parking spaces to adequately support the employee growth relevant to a fully leased building. While the Daily Northwestern provides for 48± spaces on site, Walker estimates an additional 91± parking spaces will need to be provided through the use of the Ceape lot, approximately 1 block south while continuing on State Street. Presently, the Ceape lot provides for 169 public parking spaces.
Zone A Supply Occupancy Adequacy Supply+Supply-Adjusted Supply New Demand Projected Adequacy
Public Off-Street 33 27 6 0 0 33 3 3
Private Off-Street 131 96 35 0 0 131 10 25
On-Street 44 17 27 0 0 44 2 25Sub-total 208 140 68 0 0 208 14 54
Zone B
Public Off-Street 192 87 105 0 0 192 9 96
Private Off-Street 349 65 284 0 0 349 7 278
On-Street 71 5 66 0 0 71 1 66Sub-total 612 157 455 0 0 612 16 439
Zone CPublic Off-Street 392 205 187 0 0 392 21 167
Private Off-Street 149 122 27 45 0 194 35 37
On-Street 102 69 33 0 0 102 7 26Sub-total 643 396 247 45 0 688 63 229
Zone DPublic Off-Street 250 26 224 0 0 250 106 118Private Off-Street 67 5 62 0 0 67 1 62
On-Street 57 20 37 0 0 57 2 35Sub-total 374 51 323 0 0 374 108 215
Zone EPublic Off-Street 93 46 47 0 0 93 5 42Private Off-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
On-Street 154 53 101 0 0 154 5 96
Sub-total 247 99 148 0 0 247 10 138
Zone F
Public Off-Street 318 57 261 0 0 318 170 91Private Off-Street 291 140 151 13 0 304 62 102On-Street 171 34 137 0 0 171 3 134
Sub-total 780 231 549 13 0 793 235 327
Zone G
Public Off-Street 596 58 538 0 0 596 318 220Private Off-Street 1,500 1,297 203 0 0 1,500 130 73On-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Sub-total 2,096 1,355 741 0 0 2,096 448 294
Total 4,960 2,429 2,531 58 0 5,018 893 1,696
Current Conditions Future Conditions
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 44
Exhibit 37: Scenario 5 – Future Parking Adequacy by Zone
• The application of a 10% organic growth rate to current parking conditions; the addition of scenario 4 demand; the expansion of existing City Center tenants and development of the remaining 20,000 SF within the City Center results in an overall parking surplus of 1,476± spaces in the study area.
• While the total projected parking adequacy in the study area may be positive, there are localized parking improvements that should be considered for the purposes of improving the overall delivery of parking services and access to downtown.
• When Scenario 5 is combined with all other scenarios, overall parking surplus within the study area is significantly
reduced. Walker cautions toward the underutilization of the Hotel Ramp, the Riverside Park Lot and the Riverside
East Lot. The combination of these 3 parking parcels represent 596± parking spaces. Walker recommends
maintaining the use of the Hotel Ramp solely for hotel and restaurant patrons. Employees should be directed to
park elsewhere during peak activity periods. In addition, the Oshkosh Convention Center requires the use of 96±
parking spaces to meet the projected parking demand for employees and conventioneers. The removal of these
numbers from the available parking inventory in Zone G leaves 139± spaces in the Riverside Park Lot and 100% of
Zone A Supply Occupancy Adequacy Supply+Supply-Adjusted Supply New Demand Projected AdequacyPublic Off-Street 33 27 6 0 0 33 3 3Private Off-Street 131 96 35 0 0 131 10 25
On-Street 44 17 27 0 0 44 2 25Sub-total 208 140 68 0 0 208 14 54
Zone BPublic Off-Street 192 87 105 0 0 192 9 96Private Off-Street 349 65 284 0 0 349 7 278
On-Street 71 5 66 0 0 71 1 66
Sub-total 612 157 455 0 0 612 16 439
Zone CPublic Off-Street 392 205 187 0 0 392 21 167Private Off-Street 149 122 27 45 0 194 35 37On-Street 102 69 33 0 0 102 7 26
Sub-total 643 396 247 45 0 688 63 229
Zone D
Public Off-Street 250 26 224 0 0 250 106 118Private Off-Street 67 5 62 0 0 67 1 62On-Street 57 20 37 0 0 57 2 35Sub-total 374 51 323 0 0 374 108 215
Zone E
Public Off-Street 93 46 47 0 0 93 5 42
Private Off-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0On-Street 154 53 101 0 0 154 5 96Sub-total 247 99 148 0 0 247 10 138
Zone F
Public Off-Street 318 57 261 0 0 318 248 13
Private Off-Street 291 140 151 13 0 304 62 102
On-Street 171 34 137 0 0 171 3 134Sub-total 780 231 549 13 0 793 313 249
Zone G
Public Off-Street 596 58 538 0 0 596 460 78
Private Off-Street 1,500 1,297 203 0 0 1,500 130 73
On-Street 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Sub-total 2,096 1,355 741 0 0 2,096 590 151
Total 4,960 2,429 2,531 58 0 5,018 1,113 1,476
Current Conditions Future Conditions
CONCLUSION
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Future Parking Conditions 45
the 166± spaces in the Riverside East Lot. When factoring in the use of these spaces remaining spaces to accommodate the employee expansion parking needs of the City Center and the Daily Northwestern Building, the Public Off-Street supply reflects a surplus of ±78 spaces. These ±78 spaces may be found within the Riverside East surface lot.
• Options for addressing future parking needs are presented in the following section. A comparative summary of the future parking adequacy by scenario is presented in the
following exhibit.
Exhibit 38: Summary of Future Parking Adequacy by Scenario
Future Parking Planning Scenarios Future Parking Assumptions 1 2 3 4 5
BASE PARKING DEMAND
Current Parking Conditions "As Is" x x x x x
Organic Growth in Parking Demand (10%) x x x x
CHANGES TO CURRENT PARKING SUPPLY
Addition of Anchor Bank Parcel x x x x
Addition of Daily Northwestern surface lot x x
NEW PARKING DEMAND
Historic Washington Building (105 Washington Ave.) x x x x
First National Bank Building (404 North Main) x x x x
Kline Building (217 North Main) x x x
Daily Northwestern Building (224 State Street) x x
City Center Building (334 City Center) x
Future Parking Planning Scenarios
Projected Parking Adequacy
Supply 1 % Avail 2 % Avail 3 % Avail 4 % Avail 5 % Avail
Zone A 208 68 33% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26% 54 26%
Zone B 612 455 74% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72% 439 72%
Zone C 643 247 38% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36% 229 36%
Zone D 374 323 86% 318 85% 215 57% 215 57% 215 57%
Zone E 247 148 60% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56% 138 56%
Zone F 780 549 70% 453 58% 453 58% 327 42% 249 32%
Zone G 2096 741 35% 294 14% 294 14% 294 14% 151 7%
TOTAL SURPLUS (DEFICIT) 4,960 2,531 51% 1,925 39% 1,822 37% 1,696 34% 1,476 30%
Scenarios defined by the City of Oshkosh
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 46
POLICIES, PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Prior to building any new public parking in downtown Oshkosh, Walker recommends the City
consider changes to current policies and practices. The proposed changes are intended to
help improve the overall delivery of parking services. These recommendations are based on
input from stakeholders directly impacted by public parking policy and practices. In addition,
the recommendations reflect Walker’s analysis of current and future parking conditions, and assessment of current operations. The recommendations for the public parking system can be
scaled to support the various needs of a growing and active downtown market. The recommendations are organized and presented in the following categories:
• Demand Management
• Brand and Sign Package Program
• Enforcement
• Planning
• Technology
1. DEMAND MANAGEMENT
There are areas within each zone that temporarily experience high levels of demand that strain local parking supply, while at the same time nearby areas experience a parking surplus. Even
though available supply may exist within one or two blocks, these localized
“hot spots‟ form perceptions that parking supply is inadequate. Often the solution includes a
combination of improving access to the unoccupied public and private supply and long-term
consideration for building more proximate supply. It is Walker’s professional opinion that current
parking challenges can be improved with a management solution that is foundational for a
long-range plan that may include replacing and adding structured parking capacity. Many
communities are rethinking how best to address the challenges of parking and pursuing
management solutions before committing to a long-term capital investment. This course of
action may improve perceptions and increase access to available supply. At the very least,
management improvements can help the city mitigate future capital costs by maximizing the
use of existing public resources.
The parking utilization data and market observations indicate that most patrons are parking for
less than two hours and are most likely downtown visitors. The downtown employees are
primarily parking in private lots and utilizing nearby on-street spaces unregulated by time limit
policy. In areas where private parking is unavailable to the downtown employee, employers are
purchasing permit parking in city owned and operated surface lots. For the most part, this
allocation of demand aligns with the locations intended for each user group.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 47
Walker takes exception to the use of the Jefferson lot, the Library lot, the Otter lot and the Division
Street lot as locations for employee and residential permit parking. These four parking locations,
limited by inventory and significant patron usage, should be designated for short-term parking
only. As observed during peak weekday occupancy, each these four surface lots represented
the highest level of usage (54% - 82%) of any city owned and operated lot.
In order to reduce the strain on the short-term parking lots, modifications could help position the Oshkosh Parking Utility to proactively address current and future parking concerns as well as
support economic development. Walker recommends the City consider implementing a formal Downtown Employee Parking Program that provides options for long-term parking at different
price points. To encourage participation in this program, it would be necessary for the City to market the associated benefits to the local businesses.
The employee parking program should offer economic choices that allow employees and
employers to select long-term parking options that align with desired levels of convenience and desired price point. Walker likes the use of the 400 Block West surface lot and the Rec. Gym lot
to accommodate long-term employee parking needs in the 400 and 500 blocks of North Main Street. Because the use of these parking locations remain limited by inventory, Walker believes
a premium permit rate should be establish beyond the present $20 per month or the annual-discounted $210 per year. Employers and employees looking to pay less to park should be
offered the $20 rate to park in the Riverside Park Lot and the Riverside East Lot.
Walker also recommends the City consider offering longer on-street time limits, up to eight hours,
along select roadways where parking turnover is not required to support visitor parking demand.
Such areas could be developed near the Court Street/Otter Avenue intersection and points
along Ceape Avenue. This policy would offer an economic incentive to patrons, mitigate the
risk of receiving a parking citation, and redistribute on-street demand away from congested
areas.
EMPLOYEE PARKING STRATEGY
Walker identified two types of policy measures that can help achieve the broader policy goal
of a Downtown Employee Parking Program. They can be divided simply between “push” and
“pull” efforts applied to long-term parkers parked in spaces designated for visitors or in areas
that are not intended for long-term parking, such as neighborhoods.
“Push” policies are focused directly on the behavior of drivers parked in the on-street spaces.
They include time restrictions on parkers, pricing on-street parking spaces, and related measures
used to enforce compliance of these policies and restrictions. “Pull” policies are essentially
policies put in place in locations away from the on-street spaces, which encourage long-term parkers not to park in the coveted visitor spaces, or not park at all, but instead use other means
to access the downtown, such as the Oshkosh Go Transit system. “Pull” policies may take the form of incentives to park in certain locations, such as relaxed or eliminated time limits and
inexpensive or free parking.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 48
“Push” policies tend to be punitive in nature while “pull” policies are incentives to change
behavior. “Pull” policies attempt to make what initially may be an inconvenient choice into a
more attractive choice. “Push” policies therefore address the issue at the source whereas “pull”
policies tend to work in a more indirect fashion.
Because “push” policies are more targeted, they are nearly always more effective than “pull”
policies though they require often more effort to implement. “Pull” policies are generally easier or more attractive to implement than “push” policies, primarily because they rely on incentives
rather than punishment of drivers who do not follow the desired policies.
The most effective policies to improve parking system performance in the study area will combine “push” and “pull” policies. The strategic implementation of such policies is not only
desirable, but often necessary in order to achieve the desired parking management goals.
Relocating long-term vehicles is a tool. Our goal is to make spaces available for customers and other visitors; not simply relocate vehicles parked in the long term. We therefore note that we
are not necessarily focusing on all employee parkers with these policies.
2. BRANDING AND SIGN PACKAGE PROGRAM
All too often, municipalities struggle with the best way to communicate parking and transit regulations to the consumer. The most common, and typically cost-effective, approach to
regulating both curbside and off-street parking has been through the use of aluminum signs
mounted on U-channel poles. Use of this approach affords the opportunity to sign both
individual spaces and groups of spaces by regulatory need at a manageable cost by the City.
On the flip side, if a municipality isn’t careful, a well-intended sign program can quickly become
confusing to the user and strain a department’s budget with constant maintenance and
replacement costs.
Walker recommends the concept of branding public parking locations with attractive entry
signs that display the owner’s logo, street address, hours of operation, and contact information.
Providing a standard look for public parking will greatly reduce first-time visitor and patron
anxiety when determining suitable locations for short-term parking. In addition, parking locations
reserved for employee parking will easily be identified, eliminating the need for further confusion
and the potential for towing unauthorized vehicles.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 49
To accommodate this recommendation, Walker recommends the City explore the
development of a parking sign ordinance for both private and public parking lot owners to
adhere. Walker estimates an initial capital budget line item for the City to be in the range of $35K to $45K. (18 locations at approximately $2,000 per location) Establishing similar criteria, to
include items such as sign dimension, font and color, will create a unified and consistent look for
the City of Oshkosh.
3. PARKING ENFORCEMENT
The perception of on-street parking ordinance enforcement is often negative. The manner in
which enforcement is presented to the public is often the reason. Enforcement is seen as punitive, which in many cases it is, but that is not the only role. For this reason, Walker
recommends that the City adopt a hospitality-based compliance program for the Downtown area as used successfully in many other cities across the United States. In addition to the
hospitality oriented nature of the program, Parking Ambassadors are still required to enforce parking regulations.
The mission of a downtown Oshkosh Parking
Compliance Program would be to provide hospitality, tourism and public safety services to
local citizens, businesses and visitors, in addition to enforcing parking regulations. The Parking
Ambassadors would be required to complete a
multi-faceted training program in hospitality and
customer service, emergency response and first
aid, public transportation and City services. They
should work directly with local stakeholders and
serve as community advocates.
The primary goals of the program should be to promote the area, resolve concerns, deter
criminal activity, and help make the downtown area a better, safer and friendlier place to live,
visit, shop and conduct business. Parking Ambassadors should initiate personal contacts with
the parking public (known as “touches”), issue more warnings and slightly fewer citations, and
interact with visitors and citizens in a positive manner. The vision of the program is to help
promote a progressive and dynamic downtown experience. The ambassadors may
accomplish these goals while providing parking management by monitoring public safety,
extending a helping hand in emergency situations, and calling on area merchants on a regular
basis.
Beyond enforcing parking regulations, examples of appropriate behaviors of Parking
Ambassadors are:
• To greet visitors and offer customer service
• To give a friendly face to many people’s initial interaction with the City
• To give accurate directions to visitors and direct visitors to destinations
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 50
• To provide information and explain local traffic and parking regulations to seek voluntary
compliance
• To distribute City brochures and maps
• To deter criminal activity by their presence
The program is envisioned to initially operate with two full-time ambassadors, and one part-time
ambassador working 5 days per week (Monday – Friday) and as needed for special events in
the evenings. Initially, the operating times would be business hours (9:00 am – 6:00 pm) however,
depending on the success of such a program the hours could be extended into the evening due to the large demand placed on certain areas of downtown after normal business hours. It
is important that the officer’s uniforms be highly identifiable. The goal is for them to be identifiable and approachable in both how they look and act. Walker estimates the City’s cost per full-time employee with full benefits to be in the range of $16 to $18 per hour or approximately $33K to $37K per year. Part-time employees without benefits would be $11 to $12 per hour or $17K to $19K per year.
4. PARKING PLANNING
There are areas of downtown Oshkosh that temporarily experience high levels of demand that strain local parking supply, while nearby areas experience a substantial parking surplus. Even
though available supply may exist within one or two blocks, these localized challenges form perceptions that parking is inadequate. The community can either address the parking
challenges by building more supply or better managing the existing resources or a measured
combination of both. Many communities are rethinking how best to address the challenges of
parking and are pursuing management solutions before committing to a long-term capital
investments. This course of action is proven to improve perceptions and increase access to
available supply.
The following exhibit provides an overview of how communities are starting to think about
parking planning.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 51
Exhibit 39: Community Approach to Parking Planning
Old Parking Paradigm New Parking Paradigm
• “Parking Problem” means inadequate parking
supply.
There are many types of parking problems
(management, pricing, enforcement, etc.)
• Abundant parking supply is always desirable. Too much supply is as harmful as too little. Public resources should be maximized and sized appropriately.
• Parking should be provided free, funded indirectly, through rents and taxes. Users should pay directly for parking facilities. A coordinated pricing system should value price parking with on-street the highest.
• Innovation faces a high burden of proof and
should only be applied if proven and widely
accepted.
Innovations should be encouraged. Even
unsuccessful experiments often provide useful
information.
• Parking management is a last resort, to be
applied only if increasing supply is infeasible.
Parking management programs should be
applied to prevent parking problems.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MODEL
The City of Oshkosh should consider the implementation of a Continuous Improvement Model
(CIM) for downtown parking. The primary objective of the model is to ensure that adequate
supply of appropriately located parking is available to support the community and economic
development needs. It is important to ensure that the parking needs of the many people who
work and visit the downtown each day are being successfully addressed. The model uses the
market data derived from this annual CIM analysis and tracks key performance measurements
determined by the City. For example, categories to be tracked may include:
• Parking Inventory
• Peak Parking Occupancy
• Parking Adequacy
• Permit Rates
• Future Parking Needs
• Parking Satisfaction Survey
• ADA Compliance and Available Supply
• Annual Citations
• Citation Rates
• Annum Number of Parked Cars
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 52
PARKING PLANNING WORKSHOPS
Public parking is interwoven with many aspects of a vibrant downtown community. There are
some community members who believe public parking should remain free of charge, and other
that believe a public utility should charge market rates. Parking planning workshops, facilitated
by City staff, provide an opportunity for community members with different viewpoints on
parking to come together, learn, and help shape future parking plans. The placement of parking and budget concerns are two of the most examined parking-related topics.
Community members often learn that poorly
thought out pricing policies can encourage overcrowding on-street and drivers circling
during times of peak demand. The outcome is the result of on-street parking that is, at times,
priced too cheaply in relation to parking in the public ramps. The artificially low price drives up
demand for the type of parking that is already hardest to find, short-circuiting the free-market
functionality that would otherwise allow people to make smart choices about where to park. The
result include the scarcity of underpriced on-street parking (near popular destinations),
perceptions of inconvenience among potential
shoppers, and an underutilization of public off-
street ramps and lots. The exhibit to the right
illustrates three outcomes from pricing strategies.
There is a resistance in some communities to charge for parking out of fear that the added cost
will turn customers away. Our research has identified that customers are more concerned with
availability and convenience than having to pay a nominal fee to park their car. A fee-based
parking program serves as a management tool that aims to increase availability on-street, while
offering lower-cost alternatives for long-term patrons. Parking challenges often arise from a
community’s desire to offer free, convenient and available parking at all times. The reality is that
only two of the three objectives in the previous exhibit can be achieved simultaneously.
Walker encourages the City to facilitate annual community workshops on parking to help inform
stakeholders of planning initiatives and improve parking policies. This annual process should be
part of the Continuous Improvement Model for the Oshkosh Parking Utility.
5. TECHNOLOGY
Proven technology advancements in the parking industry can improve the patron experience and financial performance of a public parking system. Outcomes often include more efficient
use of public assets, a higher level of customer service, and reduced direct labor costs.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 53
As the City of Oshkosh considers options for promoting and supporting a healthy Parking Utility,
Walker suggests the exploration of a paid parking environment. A paid parking environment
may involve 100% of the parking inventory or, in the case of a demand management strategy,
incorporate just the peak occupancy areas. Whichever the choice, Walker strongly encourages
off-street parking be less expensive than on-street parking to maintain premium curbside access
to local businesses.
In an effort to assist with the discussion on paid parking alternatives, the following list of options
provide scalable technology improvements that align with strategic initiatives in other comparable cities.
1. Off-Street Lot Pricing with Parking Kiosk Revenue Controls
a. Recommended Strategy: Price parking lots lower per hour than on-street parking to encourage long-term parking off-street and short-term parking on-street.
With new kiosk equipment, consider implementing a graduated rate schedule that is appropriate for the local market, equitable to the patron, and supports the
financial solvency of the public parking utility. Consider the same low rate for the first 2 hours and reach the daily maximum rate after 4 hours. For example:
$1.00 for <2 hours
$1.50 for 2-3 hours
$2.00 for 3-4 hours
$2.50 for 4+ hours
Offer a lower evening and weekend rate. For example: $2.00 from 6:00 pm to 6:00
am Monday – Thursday; $2.00 from Fri 6:00 pm to Saturday 6:00 am; and Sundays
free
2. Provide on-street multi-space kiosks with the following:
a. Coin and credit card processing capabilities (Smart Meters)
b. Cellular (preferred) or Wi-Fi connectivity
c. Web-based back-end software system that can be accessed from any computer
with internet capabilities and the ability to communicate counts (transaction by
area, zone, location, street, block-face, etc.) to external systems (signage, website,
3rd party software application)
d. Solar power option
e. Real-time back-end system connectivity for operational management, support,
maintenance, and reporting
f. Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) validated application
(version 2.0 with a date for their 3.0 validation in 2015)
g. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) certified compliant
(version 2.0 with a date for their 3.0 validation in 2015)
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 54
3. Offer validations to local businesses – enable downtown merchants to offer free parking
to their customers, and help promote off-street parking options.
a. Limit the types of validation offered. Maintain a simple validation program to avoid
confusion and audit challenges. Avoid providing specific businesses with discounts
on validation charges or free validations as this practice can present audit
challenges, revenue loss, and be difficult to manage
4. Offer Mobile Payment Application
a. Implement a mobile payment option for downtown Oshkosh on-street parking that includes:
i. Website, app, phone, and SMS options – mobile payment applications offer a fast and inexpensive way to implement credit card option in the field
b. Pass the transaction fee on to the consumer as a convenience fee ($.25 - $.35 / trans added on to total fee)
c. Consider a pilot program or trial implementation to be paid for by the vendor of choice
i. Install the on-street meter equipment in a highly visible section of Main Street, Commerce Street or within the Jefferson lot and proactively measure and report
the results of the pilot program ii. Market the solution, working with the vendor to refine and promote the payment
option iii. Allocate staff “ambassadors” to patrol the trial location and promote / assist with
the new payment option
d. Ensure Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS) validated application
(version 2.0 with a date for their 3.0 validation in 2015)
e. Ensure Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) certified compliant
(version 2.0 with a date for their 3.0 validation in 2015)
5. Implement Website Improvements
a. Improve the interactive parking map to display all public parking locations, hours of
operation, costs to park, and citation fees - consider occupancy counts and
availability as part of the interactive map
b. Integrate online citation payment option (offered now)
c. Integrate online citation appeals
d. Offer online permit purchasing
e. Prepare and provide online access to Annual Public Parking Report that
communicates Parking Utility mission and goals, operating and financial figures,
current policies, and future plans
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Policies, Practices and Opportunities for Improvement 55
f. Leverage social media presence to announce special event parking plans, policy
changes, marketing promotions, and gather feedback from the public – connect
Oshkosh Public Parking with downtown stakeholders
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Alternative Analysis 56
ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS
PROPOSED PARKING RAMP SITES
Walker has identified four potential sites for the construction of a multi-story ramp. The sites are
listed in no particular order on the map below and have been identified based on their central
location to the downtown area and their ability to satisfy the demand needs identified in nearby zones. Three of the sites identified are located on City owned land, where surface parking
inventory exists today. The fourth site requires the purchase and demolition of any existing privately-owned building coupled with land acquisition costs.
1. High Avenue surface lot – Development of this 99-spaced surface lot would support the
expansion needs of the City Center tenants, both today and in the future should the City Center expand the third floor above the 4Imprint tenant space. The development of this
site would also serve the Grand Opera House patron parking needs. 2. Kline Building – Most likely the most expensive site to develop into a parking ramp, however the most practical to serve the parking demands from all zones within the study
area. With its central location to downtown, this location would support the “park once” campaign suggesting a central location for all visitors to park and walk just two blocks to
most destinations in downtown. 3. Ceape surface lot – Similar to the High Avenue surface lot, this site would serve the
downtown office tenant expansion and meet the seasonal, special event parking
demand specific to destinations in Zone G. During non-special event seasons, this ramp
would serve nothing more than daytime office parking inventory. 4. Jefferson Street surface lot – Solely for the benefit of Main Street destinations in the 400
and 500 block of North Main, this location would meet the short-term visitor demands in
the downtown area as well as offer an overnight parking options for nearby residents.
Walker believes the location of this site would not benefit office tenant expansion nearly
as significant as the other sites.
5. City Center parking ramp expansion – Upon meeting with City Center management staff,
Walker learned the City Center parking ramp has the capability of adding construction
for approximately ±90 parking stalls. The additional spaces would be gained by
extending the 3rd floor parking level over the existing uncovered 2nd floor parking level.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Alternative Analysis 57
Exhibit 40: Proposed Parking Ramp Sites
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 58
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
The following section provides analysis of the Parking Utility Fund and identifies opportunities for
improving the financial solvency of the Fund.
PARKING UTILITY FUND
The Parking Utility Fund is an enterprise fund that is intended to maintain financial solvency and not require financial subsidy from the City’s General Fund. The Utility Fund does not collect any
tax revenue to pay for operating expenditures and debt obligations. Sources of revenue collected by the Fund include the sale of monthly and daily permits, parking citations, and rental
fees. Annual operating expenditures include costs associated with direct and indirect labor, contractual services, utilities, materials and supplies.
The historical financial performance of the Parking Utility Fund is presented in the following
exhibit.
Exhibit 41: Parking Utility Fund – Historical Performance
Source: City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin
The Utility Fund historically receives financial assistance from the General Fund when revenue
collected for parking services are insufficient to pay for associated expenditures.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2015 2016
Actual Actual Actual Actual Estimated Budget
Revenue $133,719 $137,453 $130,082 $141,600 $129,800 $132,100
Expenditures $146,223 $144,564 $159,037 $139,500 $134,800 $110,500
Net Income (12,504)(7,111)(28,955)2,100 (5,000)21,600
$(40,000)
$(20,000)
$-
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 59
SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS
Exhibit 42: Sources and Uses of Funds
Source: City of Oshkosh Department of Finance, 2015
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF PARKING UTILITY FUND
The Parking Utility is designed to be a self-funded operating unit of the local government.
However, the historical performance of the Utility Fund indicates an ongoing challenge to
maintained financial solvency. This ongoing challenge reflects the local market conditions that
exhibit a relatively low level of demand for public parking and a mostly free or low-price parking
system. This operating model does not align with the financial objectives of the Parking Utility
and arguably results in an inequitable system. As a result, the annual deficit is paid from the General Fund rather than directly by individuals who use the parking system.
PAID PARKING SYSTEM
The transition to a paid parking system would likely improve the financial performance of the Parking Utility. A paid parking system may include multi-space meters (MSM) located on- and
off-street in the core downtown area of Oshkosh. Shown in the following two exhibits are financial projections that reflect a transition to a paid parking system with multi-space meter;
on-street only; and on- and off-street combined.
Actual Actual Actual Actual Estimated Budget
Revenues 2012 2013 2014 2015 2015 2016 Average % of Total
Parking Stickers 27,696$ 51,275$ 46,859$ 62,000$ 62,000$ 62,000$ 51,972$ 36%
Forfeitures 32,173 22,812 21,133 23,500 16,000 20,000 22,603 15%
Overnight Permits 14,224 25,443 20,414 19,000 19,000 19,000 19,514 13%
Parking Lot Rentals 41,653 18,910 16,799 14,000 12,000 10,300 18,944 13%
B.I.D. District 15,427 14,436 17,992 18,000 15,000 15,000 15,976 11%
Transfer from TIF 10 #5274 12,041 12,534 12,809 12,300 11,800 11,800 12,214 8%
Meter Fees & Pay Stations 2,546 4,577 6,885 5,100 5,800 5,800 5,118 3%
Total Revenue 145,760$ 149,987$ 142,891$ 153,900$ 141,600$ 143,900$ 146,340$ 100%
Actual Actual Actual Actual Estimated Budget
Expenditures 2012 2013 2014 2015 2015 2016 Average % of Total
Payroll - Direct Labor 34,380$ 35,861$ 36,429$ 36,100$ 36,200$ 37,400$ 36,062$ 24%
Principal on Bank Loans #2270 48,667 48,667 55,876 33,200 27,800 600 35,802 24%
Contractual Services 32,449 27,050 29,996 30,300 30,200 30,500 30,083 20%
Payroll - Indirect Labor 18,855 19,491 22,906 25,800 25,800 26,900 23,292 15%
Utilities 16,409 18,321 20,320 20,700 20,700 21,300 19,625 13%
Interest on Bank Loans #6721 5,660 4,172 3,039 2,000 1,700 1,200 2,962 2%
Material & Supplies 1,088 2,768 2,512 2,900 3,400 3,600 2,711 2%
Fixed Charges 756 768 768 800 800 800 782 1%
Total Expenditures 158,264$ 157,098$ 171,846$ 151,800$ 146,600$ 122,300$ 151,318$ 100%
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 60
Exhibit 43: On-Street Multi-Space Meters – Purchase/Revenue Analysis
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
# of Parking Spaces: 599
Meter to Space Ratio 15 :1
# of Multi-Space Meters: 40
Hours of Operation: i.e. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM 10 Hours/Day
Days of Operation: i.e. Monday-Friday minus 10 holidays: 250 Days/Year
Occupancy: Average of (23% = 2.5) hours/day pd. parking:23%
Estimated cost per multi-space meter, installed:$10,000
Monthly Mgmt/Comm fees per meter, per month:$50
Hourly Hourly
Rate Rate
$0.50 $0.75
Estimated Daily Revenue Per Parking Space $1.15 $1.73
Annual Revenue Per Parking Space $288 $431
Total Annual Revenue Projection $172,213 $258,319
Estimated Machine Cost (Installed)$399,333 $399,333.33
Spare Parts (3% of Machine Cost)$11,980 $11,980
Estimated MSM Signage, installed (2@$150 per MSM)$11,980 $11,980
Estimated Marketing Costs for MSM Program $30,000 $30,000
Total MSM Implementation Cost $453,293 $453,293
Payback Period (# of Months)32 21
Annual Mgmt. Fees $23,960 $23,960
Labor to maintain repair and collect revenue (2 FTE @ $35K each)$70,000 $70,000
Annual CC Processing Fees (i.e. 50% of Revenue x 10%)$8,611 $12,916
Annual Net after Mgmt. Fees $69,642 $151,443
Five Year Net -$105,084 $303,921
Ten Year Net $243,125 $1,061,135
Ten Year Return on Investment 54%234%
PURCHASE/REVENUE ANALYSIS
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 61
Exhibit 44: On- and Off- Street Multi-Space Meters – Purchase/Revenue Analysis
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
# of Parking Spaces: 1,774
Meter to Space Ratio 40 :1
# of Multi-Space Meters: 44
Hours of Operation: i.e. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM 10 Hours/Day
Days of Operation: i.e. Monday-Friday minus 10 holidays: 250 Days/Year
Occupancy: Average of (26% = 2.5) hours/day pd. parking:26%
Estimated cost per multi-space meter, installed:$10,000
Monthly Mgmt/Comm fees per meter, per month:$50
Hourly Hourly
Rate Rate
$0.25 $0.50
Estimated Daily Revenue Per Parking Space $0.65 $1.30
Annual Revenue Per Parking Space $163 $325
Total Annual Revenue Projection $288,275 $576,550
Estimated Machine Cost (Installed)$443,500 $443,500
Spare Parts (3% of Machine Cost)$13,305 $13,305
Estimated MSM Signage, installed (2@$150 per MSM)$13,305 $13,305
Estimated Marketing Costs for MSM Program $30,000 $30,000
Total MSM Implementation Cost $500,110 $500,110
Payback Period (# of Months)21 10
Annual Mgmt. Fees $26,610 $26,610
Labor to maintain repair and collect revenue (2 FTE @ $35K each)$70,000 $70,000
Annual CC Processing Fees (i.e. 50% of Revenue x 10%)$14,414 $28,828
Annual Net after Mgmt. Fees $177,251 $451,113
Five Year Net $386,146 $1,755,453
Ten Year Net $1,272,403 $4,011,015
Ten Year Return on Investment 254%802%
PURCHASE/REVENUE ANALYSIS
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 62
For comparison, three (3) financial pro forma statements are shown that reflect Case 1: Current
Utility Fund; Case 2: On-Street Pricing Strategy; and Case 3: On- and Off-Street Pricing Strategy.
Pro forma results and assumptions are presented in the following three exhibits.
Exhibit 45: Case 1: Current Parking Utility Fund
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
City of Oshkosh Parking Utility Fund 2016 Budget 2017E 2018E 2019E 2020E
OPERATING REVENUE
Parking Stickers 62,000$ 64,000$ 66,000$ 68,000$ 70,000$
Forfeitures 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000 24,000
Overnight Permits 19,000 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000
Parking Lot Rentals 10,300 11,000 11,000 11,000 11,000
B.I.D. District 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000
Transfer from TIF 10 #5274 11,800 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000
Meter Fees & Pay Stations 5,800 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000
Total Potential Gross Revenue (PGR)143,900$ 149,000$ 153,000$ 157,000$ 161,000$
Total Gross Revenue per Space 61 63 64 66 68
OPERATING EXPENSE
Payroll - Direct Labor 37,400 39,000$ 40,000$ 41,000$ 42,000$
Principal on Bank Loans #2270 600 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Contractual Services 30,500 31,000 32,000 33,000 34,000
Payroll - Indirect Labor 26,900 28,000 29,000 30,000 31,000
Utilities 21,300 22,000 23,000 24,000 25,000
Interest on Bank Loans #6721 1,200 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Material & Supplies 3,600 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000
Fixed Charges 800 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES (OPEX)122,300$ 127,000$ 131,000$ 135,000$ 139,000$
Total OPEX per Space 52 54 55 57 59
NET OPERATING INCOME BEFORE REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT 21,600 22,000 22,000 22,000 22,000
Structural Repairs & Replacement (CAPEX Reserve Fund)- - - - -
Estimated Net Operating Income 21,600$ 22,000$ 22,000$ 22,000$ 22,000$
CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE
Principal Amount for New Parking Ramp (400± Spaces)7,200,000$
Term 20
Rate 4%
Average Annual PMT 529,789$ 529,789$ 529,789$ 529,789$ 529,789$
Surplus / (Deficit)(508,189)$ (507,789)$ (507,789)$ (507,789)$ (507,789)$
Estimated Annual Debt Coverage Ratio 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.04
Average Net Operating Income 22,000$
Assumed Debt Coverage Ratio 1.20
New Annual NOI Available for Payment (PMT)18,333$
Tax-Free Bond Coupon Rate (I)4.00%
Amortization Period (n)20
Annual PMT $1.00
Present Value Factor (PV of $1.00 Annual PMT, 20 yr.)$13.59
Amortizable Principle Amount (PMT x PV Factor)249,156$
Rounded 249,000$
Conceptual Estimate of Project Cost 7,200,000$
Projected Funding Surplus / (Deficit) (6,951,000)$
Summary
Financially insolvent Parking Utility Fund that requires an annual subsidy from BID and TIF Sufficient Net Operating Income to Support Future Parking Improvements
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 63
Exhibit 46: Case 2: On-Street Pricing Strategy ($0.50/Hour)
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
City of Oshkosh Parking Utility Fund 2016 Budget 2017E 2018E 2019E 2020E
OPERATING REVENUE
Parking Stickers 62,000$ 64,000$ 66,000$ 68,000$ 70,000$
Forfeitures 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000 24,000
Overnight Permits 19,000 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000
Parking Lot Rentals 10,300 11,000 11,000 11,000 11,000
B.I.D. District 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 15,000
Transfer from TIF 10 #5274 11,800 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000
Meter Fees & Pay Stations 5,800 172,000 177,000 182,000 187,000
Total Potential Gross Revenue (PGR)143,900$ 315,000$ 324,000$ 333,000$ 342,000$
Total Gross Revenue per Space 61 133 137 140 144
OPERATING EXPENSE
Payroll - Direct Labor 37,400 109,000$ 112,000$ 115,000$ 118,000$
Principal on Bank Loans #2270 600 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Contractual Services 30,500 63,571 65,000 67,000 69,000
Payroll - Indirect Labor 26,900 28,000 29,000 30,000 31,000
Utilities 21,300 22,000 23,000 24,000 25,000
Interest on Bank Loans #6721 1,200 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Material & Supplies 3,600 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000
Fixed Charges 800 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES (OPEX)122,300$ 229,571$ 236,000$ 243,000$ 250,000$
Total OPEX per Space 52 97 99 102 105
NET OPERATING INCOME BEFORE REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT 21,600 85,429 88,000 90,000 92,000
Structural Repairs & Replacement (CAPEX Reserve Fund)- - - - -
Estimated Net Operating Income 21,600$ 85,429$ 88,000$ 90,000$ 92,000$
CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE
Principal Amount for New Parking MSM Units (40 Units)453,293$
Term 10
Rate 4%
Average Annual PMT 55,887$ 55,887$ 55,887$ 55,887$ 55,887$
Surplus / (Deficit)(34,287)$ 29,542$ 32,113$ 34,113$ 36,113$
Estimated Annual Debt Coverage Ratio 0.39 1.53 1.57 1.61 1.65
Average Net Operating Income 88,857$
Assumed Debt Coverage Ratio 1.20
New Annual NOI Available for Payment (PMT)74,048$
Tax-Free Bond Coupon Rate (I)4.00%
Amortization Period (n)10
Annual PMT $1.00
Present Value Factor (PV of $1.00 Annual PMT, 20 yr.)$8.11
Amortizable Principle Amount (PMT x PV Factor)600,594$
Rounded 601,000$
Conceptual Estimate of Project Cost 453,293$
Projected Funding Surplus / (Deficit) 147,707$
Summary Financially Solvent Parking Utility Fund No Subsidy from BID or TIF
Sufficient Net Operating Income to Support Future Parking Improvements
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 64
Exhibit 47: Case 3: On-Street ($0.50/Hour) and Off-Street ($0.25/Hour) Pricing Strategy
Source: Walker Parking Consultants 2015
City of Oshkosh Parking Utility Fund 2016 Budget 2017E 2018E 2019E 2020E
OPERATING REVENUE
Parking Stickers 62,000$ 64,000$ 66,000$ 68,000$ 70,000$
Forfeitures 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000 24,000
Overnight Permits 19,000 20,000 21,000 22,000 23,000
Parking Lot Rentals 10,300 11,000 11,000 11,000 11,000
B.I.D. District 15,000 - - - -
Transfer from TIF 10 #5274 11,800 - - - -
Meter Fees & Pay Stations 5,800 834,869 860,000 886,000 913,000
Total Potential Gross Revenue (PGR)143,900$ 950,869$ 980,000$ 1,010,000$ 1,041,000$
Total Gross Revenue per Space 61 401 413 426 439
OPERATING EXPENSE
Payroll - Direct Labor 37,400 109,000$ 112,000$ 115,000$ 118,000$
Principal on Bank Loans #2270 600 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Contractual Services 30,500 123,313 127,000 131,000 135,000
Payroll - Indirect Labor 26,900 28,000 29,000 30,000 31,000
Utilities 21,300 22,000 23,000 24,000 25,000
Interest on Bank Loans #6721 1,200 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Material & Supplies 3,600 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000
Fixed Charges 800 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES (OPEX)122,300$ 289,313$ 298,000$ 307,000$ 316,000$
Total OPEX per Space 52 122 126 129 133
NET OPERATING INCOME BEFORE REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT 21,600 661,555 682,000 703,000 725,000
Structural Repairs & Replacement (CAPEX Reserve Fund)- - - - -
Estimated Net Operating Income 21,600$ 661,555$ 682,000$ 703,000$ 725,000$
CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATE OF ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE
Principal Amount for New Parking MSM Units (84 Units)953,403$
Term 10
Rate 4%
Average Annual PMT 117,546$ 117,546$ 117,546$ 117,546$ 117,546$ Surplus / (Deficit)(95,946)$ 544,009$ 564,454$ 585,454$ 607,454$
Estimated Annual Debt Coverage Ratio 0.18 5.63 5.80 5.98 6.17
Average Net Operating Income 692,889$
Assumed Debt Coverage Ratio 1.10
New Annual NOI Available for Payment (PMT)629,899$
Tax-Free Bond Coupon Rate (I)4.00%
Amortization Period (n)10
Annual PMT $1.00
Present Value Factor (PV of $1.00 Annual PMT, 20 yr.)$8.11
Amortizable Principle Amount (PMT x PV Factor)5,109,045$
Rounded 5,109,000$
Conceptual Estimate of Project Cost 953,403$
Projected Funding Surplus / (Deficit) 4,155,597$
Summary
Financially Solvent Parking Utility Fund No Subsidy from BID or TIF
Sufficient Net Operating Income to Support
Future Parking Improvements
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 65
CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE COST
Walker understands that future parking improvements in the study area may be developed as
a stand-alone parking ramp or incorporated with the design of a future mixed-use building. A
parking facility that is built into a project as either the upper or lower floors of that development,
compared to a stand-alone parking facility, requires in most cases that the garage use short-
span construction. Short-span construction uses an increased number of columns to support the weight of the structural elements above it. In short-span construction, the column grid is
roughly 30 feet on center. The efficiencies of short-span construction are less than long-span construction because of the column projections that interfere with the parking layout. A typical
short-span construction garage has an efficiency in the range of 400-450 square feet per space, depending upon the geometrics of the footprint. If the ramp is a stand-alone structure, the
columns can be located at the front of the parking stalls so that there are no column projections; this is long-span construction. The efficiency of the garage can be increased to an approximate
range of 315 to 350 square feet per space, depending upon the geometrics of the footprint. The increase in efficiency is due to the ability to increase the number of parking spaces inside
the same footprint.
The cost of parking ramps vary greatly based on site location, architectural features, sustainability features, and whether the facility is above or below-grade. A reasonable range
for an above-grade, 400 – 500 space parking facility is $16,000 to $20,000 per space, assuming long-span construction. The cost per space can increase significantly when built below ground.
A reasonable conceptual estimate of project cost for a 400-space, above grade parking ramp is $7.2 million ($18,000 per space, 400 spaces). The cost would increase if levels are built below
grade.
Many communities recognize that parking structures can be architecturally appealing and
enhance a downtown area. If the City decides to build a new parking ramp, Walker
recommends the City consider design options that reflect community preferences.
OPERATING COST
Walker’s 2014 research indicates actual operating expenses that range from $300 to over $1,000
per space annually. The operating costs are lower at facilities that do not maintain revenue
and access controls, and have limited hours of operation. Conversely, operating costs are
higher at facilities that are staffed; monitor access to the property with revenue and access
controls; and operate 24 hours, 7 days a week. A reasonable planning budget is $600 per space
annually for a well maintained and part-time staffed parking facility. This includes labor,
insurances, routine maintenance, utilizes, and supplies. For a 400-space parking ramp, the annual operating expenses are projected at approximately $240,000.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 66
BREAKEVEN PRICING
The following exhibit provides a contextual reference of the revenue needed for a freestanding
parking ramp to breakeven. If we assume a $17,000 to $18,000 range for cost per space and
annual operating expense of $550 to $650 per space, the breakeven monthly income per space
would range from $150 to $165. This table demonstrates why most municipal parking ramps are
financed and operated as part of a larger fee-based parking system. The insolvent parking ramps are often subsidized by more profitable on-street parking or older assets in the portfolio
that no longer have debt obligations. This approach allows for a municipality to charge fees that are below breakeven if lower market rates dictate.
Exhibit 48: Breakeven Considerations – Monthly Income Required to Breakeven
Assume 100% Financed, 20-Year Term, 4.0 Percent
The City of Oshkosh’s current monthly permit rates are $20.00 and the total annual revenue per space collected by the Parking Utility from all revenue sources is approximately $61.
ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE
The current financial position of the Parking Utility is negative and requires a financial subsidy
from non-parking related sources to breakeven. The Parking Utility would not qualify for financing
as an independent utility fund. This is a function of the local volume of daily and monthly
demand, current market parking rates, and current operating policies. A new debt obligation
associated with a 400± space ramp requiring a $7,200,000 bond issuance would further cause
the Parking Utility to be insolvent. The annual debt service payment is estimated at
approximately $530,000.
$300 $350 $400 $450 $500 $550 $600 $650 $700 $750
10,000$ 86 90 95 99 103 107 111 115 120 124
11,000$ 92 97 101 105 109 113 117 122 126 130
12,000$ 99 103 107 111 115 119 124 128 132 136
13,000$ 105 109 113 117 121 126 130 134 138 142
14,000$ 111 115 119 123 128 132 136 140 144 148
15,000$ 117 121 125 129 134 138 142 146 150 154
16,000$ 123 127 131 136 140 144 148 152 156 161
17,000$ 129 133 138 142 146 150 154 158 163 167
18,000$ 135 140 144 148 152 156 160 165 169 173
19,000$ 142 146 150 154 158 162 167 171 175 179
20,000$ 148 152 156 160 164 168 173 177 181 185
21,000$ 154 158 162 166 170 175 179 183 187 191
22,000$ 160 164 168 172 177 181 185 189 193 197
Annual Operating Expense Per SpaceCost per Space
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Financial Considerations 67
STRUCTURAL REPAIR BUDGET
In addition to annual debt service and operating expenses, when considering the construction
of a new parking ramp Walker highly recommends that future funds be set-aside on a regular
basis to cover structural maintenance costs at a minimum of $60 per structured space annually,
to be placed in a sinking fund. Once a sinking fund is established, contributions to this fund
accumulate over time and are available to cover structural maintenance and structural repairs. Even the best designed and constructed parking facility requires structural maintenance. For
example, expansion joints need to be replaced and concrete invariably deteriorates over time and needs to be repaired to ensure safety and to prevent further deterioration. The structural
maintenance cost typically represents the largest portion of the total maintenance budget. Property owners tend to grossly underestimate the structural maintenance cost and do not
budget adequately for timely corrective actions that must be performed to cost effectively extend the service life of the structure. The cost of structural maintenance is relatively small
considering the potential waste of the improvements associated with the failure to perform proper maintenance on a timely basis.
The periodic structural maintenance includes items such as patching concrete spalls and
delaminations in floor slabs, beams, columns, walls, etc. In many instance there are maintenance costs associated with the topping membranes, the routing and sealing of joints
and cracks, and the expansion/construction joint repairs. The cost of these repairs can vary significantly from one structure to another. The factors that will impact the maintenance cost
include, but are not limited to the value the owner places on the maintenance of the facility,
the local climate, and the age of the structure.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
FINAL REPORT DECEMBER 23, 2015
Statement Of Limiting Conditions 68
STATEMENT OF LIMITING CONDITIONS
This report and conclusions are subject to the following limiting conditions:
1. This report is based on some assumptions that are outside the control of Walker Parking
Consultants/Engineers, Inc. (“Walker”) and/or our client. Therefore, Walker does not
guarantee the results.
2. Projections, forecasts, and conclusions presented in this report are dependent on future
events and future projects. Failure to complete these projects as described to Walker
and within the timeframe represented to Walker will have a material impact on the
accuracy of the conclusions of this study and report.
3. The results and conclusions presented in this report may be dependent on future
assumptions regarding the local, national, or international economy. These assumptions
and resultant conclusions may be invalid in the event of war, terrorism, economic recession, rationing, or other events that may cause a significant change in economic
conditions.
4. Walker assumes no responsibility for any events or circumstances that take place or
change subsequent to the date of our report.
5. All information, estimates, and opinions obtained from parties not employed by Walker,
are assumed to be accurate. We assume no liability resulting from information presented by the client or client’s representatives, or received from third-party sources.
6. This report is to be used in whole and not in part. None of the contents of this report may
be reproduced or disseminated in any form for external use by anyone other than our
client without our written permission.
7. The projections presented in the analysis assume responsible ownership and competent
management. Any departure from this assumption may have a negative impact on the
conclusions.
8. Computer models that use and generate precise numbers generate some of the figures
and conclusions presented in this report. The use of seemingly exact numbers is not
intended to suggest a level of accuracy that may not exist. A reasonable margin of error
may be assumed regarding most numerical conclusions. Conversely, some numbers are
rounded and as a result some conclusions may be subject to rounding errors. The model
is intended to offer order of magnitude estimates. This analysis is not intended to be
used for financing purposes.
9. This report was prepared by Walker Parking Consultants, Inc. All opinions,
recommendations, and conclusions expressed during the course of this assignment are
rendered by the staff of Walker Parking Consultants as employees, rather than as
individuals.
10. The financial projections presented in this report are intended for internal planning
purposes and are not intended for the purpose of obtaining third-party financing.