“Green” Parking Garage in Chicago. Oxymoron?

Yes.

Next question.

Another "Green" building, this has unfortunately lost its favor as the first response put it very well. However a parking garage is a key element in creating an urban setting; bringing people in to the city, removing cars from the road and people to the street or transit. And most all if this is a successful venture it proves to be a win-win for capitalist developers and urbanist who should be happy to see a consolidation of parking lots into a multi-layered structure.

Here's an interesting article by Don Boudreaux about "green":

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/...

What do you think?

I wouldn't say a garage needs to offset environmental effects of the driver. A garage is a garage. It doesn't use much energy, although the cars it stores do.

If the demand for parking tells Mr. Friedman to build a garage, why not?... But, to claim a garage is "green" is a stretch.

Why should a garage need to offset "environmental effects", or for that matter, serve any purpose other than a place to park your car? Sure, it might be "green" -- or it might be "low carbs" or "organic" or what have you, but that's a marketing gimmick to appeal to (unfortunate) popular tastes.

Parking is difficult in that area (at least by non-NYC standards), so now it will be a little more competitive with other areas in (and around) Chicago. If you like to see people in the city center, then they had better be able to park -- or you won't see them there at all.

Especially in Chicago, where any overlap between subway stations and active/desirable areas is strictly coincidental.

I would definitely chalk it up to a marketing gimmick, since I would argue that a genuinely green person would walk or bike to work.

The real news may be that green sells, regardless if it's really environmentally friendly.

Hm. It seems that "green" has morphed from a scientific argument/debate to a religion to a way of life to a marketing gimmick. Seems that the enviro crowd would rather park their Priuses (is that the correct pluralization?) in a "green" parking lot than one of another color. And, in an upscale urban neighborhood "green" is hip.

"Mr. Friedman said going green seemed the right thing to do for a neighborhood known for its youthful spirit."

Perhaps it's more about that than anything else.

But, you're absolutely right - green parking garages do indeed seem like an oxymoron. But, hey - you can plug in your electric car there, so all is well!

Thanks for your post!