Friday, March 02, 2007

More Mistakes by 3CDC—Parking Garage Confusion Abounds!

Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati

How many mistakes before we have a problem?

Photo courtesy of here.

An engineer’s job, on the one hand, is to understand basic interfacing and usability.  A good parking garage, for example, is one designed to maximize a driver’s ability to find the car easily upon returning to the garage.  This simple premise, however, seems to be totally foreign to the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC)—as can be demonstrated through an analysis of their overlooked details.

After our recent series on leaks at the Fountain Square Parking Garage, The Cincinnati Beacon’s own Michael Earl Patton went down to see the tragedy for himself.  But in addition to the leaks, Patton (a degreed engineer), made some new discoveries.

Consider the picture above.  If you had parked your car, and started walking toward the elevators, you would notice that you had parked on red “Level 3” at the Fifth Street side.

Now, imagine you are returning to the garage after conducting your downtown business.  You would enter the elevator, thinking that you should return to “Level 3” so you could find your car.  Here is what you would find when you went to push a button:

Photo courtesy of here.

What button would you choose to return to red level 3?  Would you choose “CD,” because it is the third button down?  What about “BC,” since “C” is the third level of the alphabet?

Some will dismiss this as being too picky—but how is mind of an engineer is supposed to work?  There is no reason to cause confusion for users because of a basic inability to match labeled parking levels to elevator buttons.

Additionally, 3CDC has not made sure that every parking space has clearly labeled numbers.  While some of the spaces have numbers in faint, white paint—many more do not, like this one:

Photo courtesy of here.

Providing these small details maximizes usability for all customers.  Someone may remember a parking space number, without remembering a level.  Why not provide that simple service?  Someone may get confused about where to take the elevator given the mismatching labels.

For the amount of money and the amount of hype surrounding 3CDC, these simple and basic details should have already been addressed.  That they have been overlooked begs an obvious question:  what other details has 3CDC overlooked?

What sorts of development can we expect from an organization with poor attention to details?

I suppose 3CDC can issue a statement saying that new elevator button labels will be installed within the next month, but that is such an easy fix it should have happened before opening the allegedly renovated garage to the public.

Socializer!

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Norwood Woman says:
02 Mar 2007  at  12:42 pm | #

Ok, I give up.  Which elevator button for “level 3?” I would’ve picked “CD” because it’s the third down.  Right or wrong?

says:
02 Mar 2007  at  03:01 pm | #

Going to the elevator should not have to be a game!

Norwood Woman says:
02 Mar 2007  at  07:32 pm | #

That was the PERFECT answer, Mr. Dean.  I can’t stop laughing!  Hell, no, going to the elevator shouldn’t a game. These 3CDC people ought be run out of town on a rail.

says:
02 Mar 2007  at  08:10 pm | #

To answer the Norwood Woman’s question:

You are right, it is “CD.” Being consistent with what one calls things is a basic rule for clarity, especially if one is dealing with people who are unfamiliar with the situation and even more so if they are unfamiliar with the language. 

I was struck by these examples within a few minutes of seeing the garage for the first time.  The first person I met asked me how to get to the Westin.  He had been to the old garage but was having trouble finding his way around in the newly remodeled one.  He also told me—without any prompting by me!—he missed having the parking numbers in the spaces.  I have used these numbers in the past to find my car.  They are especially helpful if one leaves by one entrance and returns by another.

Yet 3CDC says that the new square is much more inviting.  But add the above parking garage examples to the standing water problems and the hidden machines for those who want to pay cash, reported earlier in the Beacon.  I wonder if 3CDC understands the term “user-friendly” at all.  And that’s not even touching the problems with the new square.

Anon says:
02 Mar 2007  at  09:19 pm | #

The whole existance of 3CDC is a game. Three shells and no pea. We the people are getting scammed and our city leaders have sold us out. We place our trust in thieves and wonder why we have to beg for crumbs every year at budget time. How much has 3CDC been given in the last three years? $4 Million* for FSQ, $16 Million* for Gateway II. That is $20 Million for 3CDC and $4.5 Million for Health and Human Services. Shows where the priorities are.

* just two published amounts. there are more

3CDC says:
02 Mar 2007  at  09:41 pm | #

When it rains it pours!

“No problem”. At least we got new lighting and in a few years we might add that new water feature we promised. We’re rolling this opening this grand opening out over a few decades.

Anon says:
02 Mar 2007  at  11:24 pm | #

So what you’re saying 3CDC is the grand opening was like the president’s mission accomplished?

Wow says:
03 Mar 2007  at  12:09 am | #

Oh my gosh, the elevator buttons are confusing. Well that must mean that 3CDC should be “run out of town on a rail.” I’m amazed at the clear logic here. The Beacon and your readers are simply brilliant. wow!

says:
03 Mar 2007  at  08:00 am | #

Commenter #8:  What’s funny is that you only showed up last week to make pro-3CDC comments.  Who are you, Stephen Leeper or one of his paid staff?

says:
03 Mar 2007  at  09:39 am | #

Hello Dean,
Great story, but go here for more BS from 3CDC!

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/NEWS02/703030344

says:
03 Mar 2007  at  10:31 am | #

Thank you, I have just opened another strand about The Post article!

Freedom Fighters says:
03 Mar 2007  at  11:00 am | #

Great post.

The garage is a mixed used building and fun for the whole family.

The kids get to play “inspector gadget” and the “wetplay” area is fantastic !

Now, come on kiddies enough time in the water, let’s play find the family minivan.

David E. Gallaher says:
03 Mar 2007  at  07:25 pm | #

I hope everyone saw this string of mine in the Blower:

Friday afternoon, when the winds were at their peak, he happened to be in the Palomino bar with a wonderful view of the devastation and tackiness that is the already-Grand-Opened-Fountain Square. It’s a good thing all the continuing construction and port-o-lets, and the rare nutcases actually skating there have kept traffic and population density to a minimum, because a large metal panel from just below the gaudy TV screen (above Palomino’s) crashed down to the street below:  No human nor automobile was hit. Does anybody detect a pattern of shoddiness? Remember the leakage in the parking garage underneath Fountain Square we previously reported?

Norwood Woman says:
03 Mar 2007  at  08:10 pm | #

#8:  SURELY you didn’t think the badly conceived elevator game was the ONLY reason I suggested the folks at 3CDC ought to be run out of town on a rail. What, you missed the Beacon’s well documented stories about the garage?  Now that I’ve read the 3/3/07 Cincinnati Post article above, I’m going to take it one step further: it should be done RIGHT...THIS...MINUTE!

Grrrrr....

Clarification says:
03 Mar 2007  at  08:28 pm | #

Correct me if I’m wrong, but they didn’t change the ‘Westin’ elevator of which you’re refering to in this story. The pictures above describe the old naming system for the garage before renovation. Because that elevator was not touched it would follow then that it still has all the old buttons. If you ride the other “new” elevators you will see the new buttons up there. I have no idea why they did’t touch that south elevator, but I know they didn’t. Maybe the Westin owns it. Good journalism here btw. Way to investigate the story and pull out all the details. You wouldn’t want to have all the facts first. That would make too much sense.

says:
03 Mar 2007  at  11:09 pm | #

Dearest “Clarification,”

If 3CDC is going to coordinate huge development projects in the City, then they should be able to coordinate details.

I noticed that the elevator you think belongs to the Westin sits off a hallway that is painted the same colors as the garage outside the hallway.  The hallway is adorned with 3CDC signs.

If they are coordinating that much, can’t they check the buttons?

By the way, what facts are we missing?  The bottom line is this:  3CDC’s parking garage is confusing.  And if they did not lease the south hallway and elevator from the City, then we should ask WHY they didn’t.

Could it be that the South hallway does not generate revenue?  As such, could it be that the elevator there was just a liability?  One they would rather leave with the City?

Great job, 3CDC.  Way to be good corporate citizens.

By the way, “Clarification,” your message sounds a lot like an email I received earlier this evening.

Hmm…

Clarification says:
03 Mar 2007  at  11:52 pm | #

I don’t have your email address, but I would love to carry on this conversation via email if you like. No emails from me earlier today btw. I stick to the blog.

The only thing that really changed with the garage by the way is the paint job. They patched lots of concrete, repaired the roof, waterproofed, bought new equipment, got new elevators, etc...but the layout is exactly the same. My point is, the garage has ALWAYS been confusing even before 3CDC got their hands on it. I actually think the color coding paint job helps people remember what floor they parked on. It helps me at least...at not because I support the project, but because my mind associates better with bright colors.

Anon says:
04 Mar 2007  at  08:59 am | #

colorful clarification,

What we are witnessing here is a pattern that has been consistent throughout the FSQ project. From the deception through the press about the costs to the hurry up nature with which it was started and crammed down everyone?s throat with little or no public input. 3CDC holds public input sessions to inform us about what they have decided to do.

Where the hell is the city planning department?
What is city hall doing to correct this mess?
What is the press doing to inform the public?
Why do we have to rely on blogs to get anywhere close to the truth? 3CDC should close by opening day.

Nemo Wolfe says:
05 Mar 2007  at  11:52 am | #

How in the name of God can any sane Cincinnatian still be asking “Where is the City Planning Commission?” The City Planning Commission, still mourned by the Charter Party, was every bit as inept and useless as the Human Relations Commission.  They hadn’t a clue about preservation.  They hadn’t a clue about urbanism.  They were a joke.

The garage needs better signage and one of those talkative machines at the south entrance, and everything will be just fine and everybody can go back to sleep until they discover that automation is coming to Fountain Square South where they always had friendlier staff than FSG.

No Accountability! says:
05 Mar 2007  at  03:15 pm | #

3CDC is obviously inept and they’ve captured our garage revenue for the next 39 years. They’ve wasted money, they have huge cost over runs and they can’t finish their projects on time.