HOUSTON'S NEW HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER GARAGE : EVENT-STYLE DESIGN MEETS OFFICE PARKING EFFICIENCY

This article details the planning and building of a 1,600 space parking garage in downtown Houston. At the onset of the project, parking space in downtown Houston was relatively scarce, and the successful erection of a multi-level garage was crucial for the revitalization efforts that would bring an estimated 2 million visitors to the area a year. Several building schemes were entertained for the structure to determine what set of specifications would best fit the needs of the users. Eventually, it was decided that a flat floor system interlocked with half-loaded ramp bays in scissors configuration would be best. The finished garage, which successfully negotiated the conflicting needs of the hotel, convention center, and the arena, is touted as having the "advantages of an event-style garage with the efficiencies of a traditional office-building garage."