Arena Designs - Which do you prefer?

[kawwsu77]

Also too add, most events will be on weekends or evenings and most of these parking lots will be open during those times.

It is just like saying that WSU does not have enough parking they do but people don't realize it.

[engrshock]

When I go to WSU I know where the parking is located and where I will try to park. Notice that there are lots of parking lots specifically for WSU however. Towne East and West have lots of parking and sometimes you do ahve to walk.

I do not mind walking but I do mind driving around from spot to spot to find a parking spot along with 4 or 5000 other cars doing the same thing. Shuttles from Lawrence Dumont would be OK as well. I have never had a problem finding parking for Old Town the few times I have went but but the numbers of people are not nearly the same as if there was a big event. A sure killer for the arena will be people not knowing where they will be able to park. It is time to figure out the parking situation and not just keep saying it will work out..

[The Mad Hatter]

I agree engr. Having parking specifically designated for the arena is a must. Depending upon existing parking garages, etc. causes too much uncertainty. People will not know which parking is appropriate for them to use. In addition I am not confident that existing parking would be adequate for the number of cars that would be on hand for any given event.

[kawwsu77]

I just don't want it to be like the Coliseum where there is 2 huge lots and only 2 exits.

I think if people see where there is parking they will not have to drive everywhere.

I guess I am the only one who thinks parking is not a problem downtown.

[SubGod22]

I don't spend a lot of time downtown, but I've never had a problem with parking. I don't know enough about that area to really chime in here though. I know I was worried when I went to Riverfest a couple of years ago because of the way everyone always talks about parking and traffic. But I was very happy with both and didn't think it was too bad at all.

[rjl]

Some people would rather drive around for 30 minutes trying to find a close spot than park a little bit away and walk 10 minutes to the arena.

If you're that opposed to walking anywhere, maybe "big-city-livin" aint for you.

Personally, I don't find any of the three choices particularly inspiring. If I had to choose, it would be option C. But that would be like having to choose which of three brands of vanilla ice cream I wanted. Sure, it's vanilla ice cream, which is better than nothing.... but it's still just plain 'ol vanilla.

[rjl]

Looking at it more, Option C could be the most architecturally inspiring of the choices. You've just got to imagine it as a pedestrian on the ground, and not a watercolored arial view.

The airfoil inspired shape is reminescent of the Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan, widely renowned as an visual masterpiece.

Maybe not as striking, but something similar would be nice.




I think the problem may be the direction the city council is giving the designers. "Make it blend in with oldtown", which basically says make it look just like the boring red brick blocks and don't take any liberties with the design.

[The Mad Hatter]

I lived in Los Angeles for 7 years, so my opinions on parking are not just from someone unaccustomed to the 'big city'. The worst idea in the world is just to do nothing about parking. If you don't plan these things out, inevitablly there will be problems, and I fear that the council is just crossing their fingers and hoping a) there will be enough parking and b) it will be well marked and clear to visitors where they are supposed to park. If they really have planned it all out, crunched the numbers, etc. and found out that additionaly parking is not needed, then fine. But if they are just leaving it to chance they are begging for problems.

[The Mad Hatter]

Oh, and the difference between this and Riverfest the arrival and depature of cars is spreadout over the course of the day rather than concentrated into a small time frame. Compare the usual congestion at WSU on any given weekday to the congestion of trying to get on or off campus for a men's basketball game.

[rjl]

I lived in Los Angeles for 7 years, so my opinions on parking are not just from someone unaccustomed to the 'big city'. The worst idea in the world is just to do nothing about parking. If you don't plan these things out, inevitablly there will be problems, and I fear that the council is just crossing their fingers and hoping a) there will be enough parking and b) it will be well marked and clear to visitors where they are supposed to park. If they really have planned it all out, crunched the numbers, etc. and found out that additionaly parking is not needed, then fine. But if they are just leaving it to chance they are begging for problems.

I'm not saying that parking shouldn't be planned, but I AM saying if you're looking for parking right by the front door you're going to be looking for a while.

Congestion? 20,000 people work in downtown Wichita and leave every day at 5. Admittedly, their area of departure is more spread out than a single arena point, but the infrastructure already exists to expedite the traffic. By spreading the parking around the area and not centered on two large lots, traffic should be thinned a little more.

[The Mad Hatter]

I lived in Los Angeles for 7 years, so my opinions on parking are not just from someone unaccustomed to the 'big city'. The worst idea in the world is just to do nothing about parking. If you don't plan these things out, inevitablly there will be problems, and I fear that the council is just crossing their fingers and hoping a) there will be enough parking and b) it will be well marked and clear to visitors where they are supposed to park. If they really have planned it all out, crunched the numbers, etc. and found out that additionaly parking is not needed, then fine. But if they are just leaving it to chance they are begging for problems.

I'm not saying that parking shouldn't be planned, but I AM saying if you're looking for parking right by the front door you're going to be looking for a while.

Congestion? 20,000 people work in downtown Wichita and leave every day at 5. Admittedly, their area of departure is more spread out than a single arena point, but the infrastructure already exists to expedite the traffic. By spreading the parking around the area and not centered on two large lots, traffic should be thinned a little more.

Cool, I follow you. I just fear (from how those in charge have talked at times) that they just think that they can just do nothing and parking will work itself out.

[engrshock]

Some people would rather drive around for 30 minutes trying to find a close spot than park a little bit away and walk 10 minutes to the arena.

If you're that opposed to walking anywhere, maybe "big-city-livin" aint for you.

What I don't want is to drive around for an hour to find a parking spot that is 10 minutes hard walk away from the arena. I understand that the hope is that people will park and walk and visit various establishments ontheir way in or out from the arena. Maybe you know where you can park and be able to walk to the arena but I am not familiar with downtown parking other than over by the Exhibtion building, library and CII. If I planned on parking there and walking and arrived to find that the lots were full then what?

Also one of the comments I have heard from a season ticket holder to Thunder games is that he does not want to park and walk a long way to a game in 0 degree weather. His choice would be to stay home. I believe that is the type of attitude that exists in Wichita. The parking is not a side issue it is a critical issue that if not addressed to make it easy to find parking will lead to failure of the arena no matter how it looks.

[shocker07]

I went to the design open house at Exploration Place last weekend, and one of the architects told me the county WILL be examining the parking situation very soon. It might be next on the agenda after finalizing the design. They want to have some kind of plan in place so people know what is available for events and won't be driving around downtown for hours looking for a spot.

It's important in the arena process that when we have concerns we ask someone who has knowledge of the situation instead of worrying or assuming things. I believe the idea of an English street pedestrian mall, which apparently is being considered very seriously, was actually brought up by citizens who went to these arena open houses.

If you have concerns or questions about the arena, please let a county representative or the arena design consortium know them. This is a project that is very sensitive to public input.

[sdshox]

I like B the best, but have one hang-up. For those of you who have made the trip to Omaha, is it just me, or is there a striking similarity to the BlueGays' Qwest Center? I love the downtown arena idea, just don't want to copy anything Creighton, that's all.

[The Mad Hatter]

I went to the design open house at Exploration Place last weekend, and one of the architects told me the county WILL be examining the parking situation very soon. It might be next on the agenda after finalizing the design. They want to have some kind of plan in place so people know what is available for events and won't be driving around downtown for hours looking for a spot.

It's important in the arena process that when we have concerns we ask someone who has knowledge of the situation instead of worrying or assuming things. I believe the idea of an English street pedestrian mall, which apparently is being considered very seriously, was actually brought up by citizens who went to these arena open houses.

If you have concerns or questions about the arena, please let a county representative or the arena design consortium know them. This is a project that is very sensitive to public input.

Thanks for the info. That is good to know.