More public parking is coming San Pedro’s way.
The new owners of the San Pedro Topaz Building, a 293,000-square-foot office tower at 226 W. Sixth St., have agreed to offer a “text to park” system for spaces in its parking garage to the public, a move that downtown supporters believe will help bolster restaurants and other businesses.
Hours will be 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 8 a.m. to midnight Friday; 10:30 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
The cost will be $2 per hour with a daily maximum of $14. Some 600 parking spaces are expected to be available.
Urban Stearns, the new owners of San Pedro’s Topaz Building, a 12-story office tower slated to be converted to housing, has agreed to the arrangement that was formally announced and celebrated by the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and other downtown business representatives. Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker was also on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that was folded into downtown’s monthly First Thursday celebration this week.
The availability of public parking has long been a complaint in San Pedro and the subject is moving to the forefront as the area sees a fairly rapid development of mid-rise residential and mixed-use buildings, along with tourist draws such as the West Harbor waterfront development slated to come online in 2025.
The addition of the new spaces central to the downtown shopping and dining district — and close to the waterfront — will be a big help, McOsker said.
“No longer will you need to circle around the block,” he said, “hoping to find a space or search for spare change with this convenient alternative.”
The system works by using a QR code to scan on an app.
Area restaurants are being apprised of the new parking option so they can make sure their customers know and will make use of it.
The transition work on the Topaz building from office to residential, meanwhile, hasn’t fully launched yet so the public parking arrangement and availability could change over time as that project gets underway and comes online.
But the arrangement, said Alan Johnson, who is heading up a parking study committee for the downtown Business Improvement District, gives the ongoing effort to expand the area’s overall public parking options some breathing room.
The parking entrance will be off of Centre Street between Fifth and Sixth streets and the program was expected to go live on Thursday, Sept. 7.