The disruption of mobility will affect parking space in a big way. I would like to explore the ramifications on multi-story parking structures in city centers. Would anyone like to share conceptualizing about this topic?
Who's interested in the re-purposing of indoor parking structures in metro areas?
One person thinks this is smart
Just saw this wonderful article on ReGen Village (below) , that demonstrates the Netherlands are leading the way! Extremely impressive packaging of the best planning. It reflects the transport disruption and also the plight of cities we've been discussing. Wish I were as close as you to see it all firsthand.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90207375/the-worlds-first-high-tech-eco-village-will-reinvent-suburbs
Robin it would certainly be the best solution for some cities and Amsterdam must be in the same condition as San Francisco, where costs have caused something of a crisis- it has become unlivable for the community that's sustained it for so long.
Two more thoughts about this; Seba says he did the numbers and when 80% of parking is unneeded (his projection), that will open enough space in Los Angeles to fit 3 San Franciscos. In LA I don't know if there's enough demand to lower the existing costs or not.
The concrete or asphalt could be left intact, but plumbing and sewage would have to be laid in. One crying need here is for accommodating tiny homes. The concept is compelling for students etc but there a real scarcity of plausible sites. Some cities are passing ordinances to allow back yard sites, but the water services still need addressing. We need dedicated parks or villages where the wide variety of tiny home designs would form a community, perhaps with a theme, like artist's colonies.
How about the seemably obvious one: housing? With the overheating of the housing market (not the only thing overheating, given our current heat strike in the Netherlands), and the fact that not enough is being (planned to be) newly built, this seems quite logical right? Or are there problems with that which I don't oversee?
There certainly are good environmental reasons for re-purposing parking lots. Stormwater runoff is dirty, and it's mitigation is an expensive component of development. It's concrete that causes "heat islands" raising city temperatures up to 10 degrees F. higher than surroundings, a fact that will have increasing importance henceforth. And although the damage is already done, the cement in concrete causes from 3-8% of all GHG. If you remove them, the chunks resulting from crushing, unfortunately, can only be recycled as the aggregate in more concrete.
So what do we do with them?
Arpad Hello,
Have to admit that since I started this thread I've lost hope for aquaponics as re-purposing for downtown parking structures- the floor space is just too valuable. But after reading about CEA, think it might be plausible for the vast real estate now devoted to parking in suburban areas. CEA operation also would be less costly to build than a facility housing extensive fish tanks.
If you had large paved areas available affordably, could translucent inflatable structures allow enough environmental control to serve for CEA purposes?
Hey Jackson,
We are developing urban real estate into vertical farms. Current research shows that aquaponics will not provide a stable business model yet, but CEA (controlled environment agriculture) is. Please contact me at OneFarm if you would like to discuss. Warmest, Arpad
Lotte thank you for the referrals. I think, rather than bother people with a conceptual issue, I should wait until more concrete proposals come to light. Seba has many followers and is himself updating his projections regularly. This forum seems a valuable space to test ideas and I appreciate your interest very much, Best to you.
@jacksoncoleman I am not an expert on this issue, but I would love to see more aquaponics systems in the city, and to see a better use of empty buildings. So I see a future there. However, I think you should talk to people who are involved in aquaponics in Amsterdam to find out their vision and plans! In A LAB there is a system, @arpadgerecsey0 knows more about it! And I think @timdebroekert might be a good person to talk to too.
Lotte I can't tell if my earlier response got through to you. Sorry if this is a duplication.
I'm just interested in any possible connection between a challenge thrown down by Tony Seba- that massive parking spaces may open up over the next 12 years- and the possible use of downtown parking buildings for hybrid hydroponic/aquaculture food production as described here:
https://inhabitat.com/can-vertical-farming-feed-the-world-and-change-the-agriculture-industry/
Problem: granted that released parking space is 90% open lots at shopping malls etc. So urban buildings will be few and expensive.
But the simplistic comparison of projections is- "Aquaponics should grow" and "Major real estate will become available". Could those two scenarios aid one another?
Thanks for your question.
@arpadgerecsey0 are you planning to expand the verticle farming project maybe?