The Great New Retail Parking Battle

TUSTIN, CA—As tenants with increased parking needs—like health clubs, medical office and restaurants—pick up slack in retail centers, issues over parking emerge, experts tell GlobeSt.com. And the issues get hairier as municipalities get involved over the fight for available parking spaces within a center. In Part 1 of this two-part story, GlobeSt.com explores the growing pains retail has been experiencing with parking as it evolves. In Part II, which will appear at a later date, we explore the experts’ solutions.

Matt Hammond, director of retail brokerage for Coreland Cos., tells GlobeSt.com, “We’re dealing with a center in Laguna Hills where we’re trying to include a restaurant and an urgent-care facility in a shopping center zoned for regular retail. Cities are amending their parking regulations to allow higher-use tenants in there because that’s the trend.”