ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Parking Commission recently voted unanimously to raise parking rates for monthly, hourly and event parking at several city-run downtown garages.
The St. Louis Treasurer’s Office said the rate increases will boost security, improve customer service and upgrade technology, like security cameras, in garages.
The parking commission projected the rate increases will bring in roughly $700,000.
The hourly rate to park at these garages went up by about $1:
- 9 North Garage (includes Buckingham Garage and Park East Garage)
- Argyle Garage
- Cupples Station Garage
- Justice Center Garage
- Kiel Center Garage
- Seventh and Pine Garage
The monthly rate for people who park in these garages went up an additional $20 dollars per month:
- 9 North Garage (includes Buckingham Garage and Park East Garage)
- Argyle Garage
- Cupples Station Garage
- Justice Center Garage
- Seventh and Pine Garage
Event parking across the board at all city-run lots is now $20 in some places; it used to be only $10.
Some people who park in the Cupples Station Garage said security is the biggest issue as cars have been stolen and dozens have been broken into.
Jake Brown said his car was stolen out of the garage in downtown St. Louis just a few months ago.
“(I) came out to the garage after my shift, and it just wasn’t here. There was footage of the people who stole in, and I even ended up having the phone numbers and addresses of these people. But no officers were sent out
"Nothing was done, and two months later I'm still paying $100 just to park here,” Brown said.
Another downtown worker, Sam Wood, said he’s not sure if parking downtown in these garages is worth it anymore.
"Commuting 30 minutes to work and then having to pay $100 a month to park ... it makes it not very enticing to work downtown but you gotta do what you gotta do,” he said.
The St. Louis Parking Commission said these new rates will go into effect July 1. The last increase in parking rates was in 2015.