I just read an article in the Honolulu Advertiser that the Comp USA parking lot in Kaka’ako had towed more than 100 cars in two weeks.  This is due to people who had been parking in the Comp USA lot but not actually going into Comp USA.  I’ve heard that Comp USA tows cars, but that’s a staggering number of cars.

The general manager of Comp USA noted that this was a last resort measure because customers were complaining that there was no parking and that the lot was always so full.  People ended up having to pay over a hundred dollars to get their cars out of the tow yard.

Some of those people who got towed actually were Comp USA customers, and 18 of them filed a complaint.  Comp USA paid the towing charge for those people who’s stories were legit.  One customer actually was planning on purchasing some earphones at the store, but when she arrived, the store had not opened yet.  So she went across the street to get some coffee, and when she came back, her car was towed.  She actually ended up going to Waipahu to pick up her car…I can see how Comp USA was trying to make a point there by sending their car REALLY far away…especially since there are two tow yards literally a mile away.

So why all this commotion for parking in Kaka’ako.  As many of you know, there have been a slew of new condominiums in the area along with a bunch of new stores opening.  And with the Ward Centers receiving a lot of traffic, parking is a hassle sometimes to get to where you need to go.  To make matters worse, more stores will be opening soon such as the Ward Village Shops, and no new parking spaces are being provided.

And let’s not only talk about stores.  Kaka’ako is also emerging as the new area for biotechnology with some biotech firms opening up in the area along with the new University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine.  The Cancer Research Center is also planning to build on top of the parking lot of the School of Medicine…good going guys…give people even LESS parking.

Now that it is becoming harder and harder to find parking places, would-be customers could find themselves going to a tow yard to pick up their cars.  Bottomline, if you are going to build more stores, buildings, etc., make sure you build more PARKING!

• T-Mobile Seeking to Build Another Tower at Kualoa Ranch
• Target Store to Open in Kapolei
• Whole Foods Market to Open in Kahala Mall

               
RSS 2.0 You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.