City Will Replace Outdated Parking Garage Elevators

You've fought downtown traffic, zeroed in on a garage that isn't full and clambered to the top floor to claim one of the last available spaces only to discover the elevator is out of service.

Parking in downtown can sometimes make you reach for Ibuprofen. So, down with the 1960s elevators that move at a snail's pace—if they're even working at all.

The city is gearing up to replace the outdated lifts in parking structures 2, on Second Street between Wilshire Boulevard and Arizona Avenue; 4, on Second between Arizona and Santa Monica Boulevard; and 5, on Fourth Street between Santa Monica and Broadway.

These were targeted for replacement because of "age, frequent service outages, high maintenance costs and lack of code compliance," according to the Public Works Department.

On the City Council's agenda Tuesday night is a $191,840 design contract with IDS Group to draw up nine new sustainably-built elevators. The city wants them to be highly durable, resistant to vandalism and easy to maintain in the seaside climate.

Public Works Director Martin Pastucha said he expects construction to begin in 2014.

In the meantime, if you find yourself atop one of the garages without elevator service, do as one of our Facebook friends suggests: just enjoy the ocean view.

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