Mixed-Use Garage Near New Orleans' French Quarter Increases Revenue by Removing Gates
One Canal Place is a 32-story mixed-use skyscraper located along New Orleans’ bustling Canal Street, connecting the Central Business District and the French Quarter. The high rise boasts spaces such as The Shops at Canal Place, a premier high-end retail mall, the luxurious Westin Hotel, a 9-screen movie theater, and more than 650,000 square feet of class-A office space. With its prime location the One Canal Place parking garage serves a diverse group of users, including office tenants, hotel guests, and visitors attending major New Orleans events such as Mardi Gras and the French Quarter Festival. The high demand for parking in this area made it critical to find a solution that could efficiently accommodate both daily parkers and transient visitors while improving operational efficiency and reducing maintenance costs.
The Problem
The garage previously operated with a traditional gated parking system that required each vehicle to stop upon entry and exit. During peak hours and large-scale events, these delays led to significant traffic congestion both within the garage and spilling out onto surrounding streets. Beyond congestion, the gated equipment itself became a costly burden. Frequent maintenance, hardware malfunctions, and downtime required ongoing service calls and, in some cases, forced management to leave the gates raised, resulting in lost revenue and security concerns. One Canal Place sought a more modern, reliable, and cost-effective parking solution that would streamline operations and enhance customer experience.
The Solution
Seeking to reduce costs and elevate the guest experience, One Canal Place opted for Premium Parking’s Free Flow Parking’s gateless solution. By removing the gates, Premium Parking transformed the garage into an open-access facility supported by its proprietary CameraPay® technology, which replaces outdated ticketing system with an efficient digital alternative solution that allows visitors to pay either by scanning a QR code or via TextPay®, or reserving a space in advance via the Premium Parking Mobile app, a particularly valuable feature during major city events. The removal of mechanical equipment improves the customer experience by eliminating entry delays and minimizing operational costs with the reduction of onsite staffing.
The Results
After going live with Premium in 2016, the One Canal Place’s garage generates more than $10,000 of revenue per space year over year which has amounted to more than half a million dollars annually. With lower overhead expenses, reduced congestion, and a significantly improved guest experience, One Canal Place has been able to reallocate funds toward property enhancements and tenant amenities. By adopting Premium Parking’s Free Flow Parking solution, One Canal Place has not only optimized its operations, but has also set a new standard for efficient, tech-driven parking management in one of New Orleans’ most high-traffic areas.