The City of Lancaster continues to see economic and community growth, so much so that parking availability is an ongoing discussion.

The Lancaster Parking Authority owns 3,600 off-street parking spaces in garages and parking lots, and 1,200 on-street parking spaces. About 3,900 are used on a daily basis.

RETTEW is involved with some major development projects downtown, including expansions at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square and Fulton Bank’s headquarters.

As these projects move forward, our staff stays in-tune with ongoing local discussions and needs. The continuing growth of the downtown area, including projects RETTEW is involved with, is projected to cause a shortage of parking. As many as 1,500 more spaces will be needed in the next five years.

To address that need, and to continue improving our community, several steps are being taken:

• The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is studying the possibility of constructing a parking garage at the local Amtrak station.
• The Lancaster Parking Authority has proposed a 300-space garage in Lancaster Square.
• The Authority is also conducting a feasibility study, at the recommendation of the Lancaster Urban Farming Initiative, for the construction of a vertical greenhouse on the Prince Street parking garage wall. This would be the first in the state, and the second in the country.

RETTEW will continue to be involved in local discussions as this economic boom continues, and “good problems” like needing more parking to accommodate revitalization are addressed!