No parking at San Antonio

[Palmetto]

Thanks for all the observations and input. One thing seems clear, though. Amtrak needs to make things more convenient for passengers at San Antonio. Taxis weren't even present on the night arrived on the Texas Eagle last year. Uber, you say? Not everyone has a smart phone. I have a phone, but it's a dumb phone

 

[ScouseAndy]

Complain to the city, the station isn't owned by Amtrak, it's owned by the local transit authority.

Isn't it in Amtraks best interests to make it easy and as simple as possible for customers to be able to park close to any of its stations to encourage more ridership? Perhaps if more people complained to Amtrak and told them the lack of parking here was stopping them using the train, someone would wake up and do something about it?

 

[BCL]

Complain to the city, the station isn't owned by Amtrak, it's owned by the local transit authority.

Isn't it in Amtraks best interests to make it easy and as simple as possible for customers to be able to park close to any of its stations to encourage more ridership? Perhaps if more people complained to Amtrak and told them the lack of parking here was stopping them using the train, someone would wake up and do something about it?

However, they don't own the station and don't contribute towards the basic infrastructure. It's totally up to the station owner. I'm not aware of any Amtrak-owned stations that have anything more than employee parking that's provided directly by Amtrak.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Complain to the city, the station isn't owned by Amtrak, it's owned by the local transit authority.

Isn't it in Amtraks best interests to make it easy and as simple as possible for customers to be able to park close to any of its stations to encourage more ridership? Perhaps if more people complained to Amtrak and told them the lack of parking here was stopping them using the train, someone would wake up and do something about it?

However, they don't own the station and don't contribute towards the basic infrastructure. It's totally up to the station owner. I'm not aware of any Amtrak-owned stations that have anything more than employee parking that's provided directly by Amtrak.

Wilmington, DE station has lots of parking around it...none of it is owned by Amtrak as far as I know.

 

[BCL]

Wilmington, DE station has lots of parking around it...none of it is owned by Amtrak as far as I know.

The Wikipedia article on the station says it's either parking garages and side streets.

 

[ScouseAndy]

It doesnt need to own it and it doesnt have to be right next to the station, there is nothing stopping them doing a deal with a parking lot offering long term parking and a mini van connecting with the trains in a package.

 

[BCL]

It doesnt need to own it and it doesnt have to be right next to the station, there is nothing stopping them doing a deal with a parking lot offering long term parking and a mini van connecting with the trains in a package.

Definitely. That's what they're doing at Emeryville now that the city has decided to build on what was the parking lot. However, a lot owner is probably going to request some sort of compensation. At EMY it was free for the city-owned lot and was for a time with the private garage. The last time I asked it was $5 per day where the passenger needs the Amtrak parking decal and a validated parking ticket to get that rate.

However, I think a lot of people are thinking of the type of lot that is free and provided by the station owner. Those are pretty common around here.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Amtrak is under no obligation to provide free parking (or even paid parking) at any of its stations. At small town stations, there's usually land around the station building that easily available and not needed for any other purpose. In big cities, parking space is at a premium and is priced accordingly.

 

[ehbowen]

Houston has those ten spaces, but I wouldn't trust any one of them overnight (and unattended).... I either get a lift to the station, or when I worked at the convention center I left our vehicle in the employee parking lot and took a cab to the station.

I've parked at the station for as long as 3 weeks at a time, with no issue. Houston's planning & permit building is co-located, and a large police property facility is right down the street.

I don't drive a BMW, but I've left my 2013 Nissan Altima there for 2 weeks, no issue.

I'm not disputing your experience, but I remember returning from a week-long trip to find another traveler's car with the driver's side window smashed. One of the station agents had taped a plastic garbage bag over the hole. Thoughtful.

 

[JoeBas]

Are you sure it hadn't been driven to the station that way? This IS Houston after all, where finding a wall safe in the traffic lane on I-45 isn't unheard of...

Seriously, I'm sure there's isolated incidents. I live in Clear lake, amongst NASA engineers and other professionals in an up-scale neighborhood, and at least once a month there's a rash of broken windows and stolen stuff somewhere in the area from either kids or "outsiders" with targets of opportunity type theft.

I haven't seen any cars left on blocks around the Amtrak station, that's all I'm saying. That neighborhood isn't the 5th ward, it's right on the edge of downtown, just a few blocks from Allen Landing.

 

[BCL]

Are you sure it hadn't been driven to the station that way? This IS Houston after all, where finding a wall safe in the traffic lane on I-45 isn't unheard of...

Seriously, I'm sure there's isolated incidents. I live in Clear lake, amongst NASA engineers and other professionals in an up-scale neighborhood, and at least once a month there's a rash of broken windows and stolen stuff somewhere in the area from either kids or "outsiders" with targets of opportunity type theft.

I haven't seen any cars left on blocks around the Amtrak station, that's all I'm saying. That neighborhood isn't the 5th ward, it's right on the edge of downtown, just a few blocks from Allen Landing.

It really depends on the area. The busier lots may have fewer issues when potential thieves or vandals are more worried about being seen. The OAC station has had issues with wIndows being smashed. I've read some victims noted that nothing was even stolen even when there was spare change or something of value.

 

[ehbowen]

I have no problems walking in the neighborhood of the Houston Amtrak station, day or night...although I would now avoid the grounds of the largely-abandoned (former) main post office after sunset and would by preference travel by way of Landry's downtown aquarium restaurant. I have no problems with leaving my car in that lot any time during normal station operating hours. But I would not leave it in that lot overnight.

 

[SanAntonioClyde]

Here in San Antonio we will be making the case for improvements to station in the very near future. Parking is high on list. Have gotten same answer from VIA with different answer fromAmtrak. Will keep you advise if any progress is made.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This is what I came up with for the land underneath both the Amtrak building and Sunset Station itself...

Owner Name: VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT
Doing Business As: Null
Property Identification Number:1057861
Geo Identification Number:14082-002-0048
Legal Description: NCB 14082 BLK 2 LOT 4 (EXCEPT S IRR 147.42 FT (.442 A), S IRR 96.39 FT (.236 A) & W IRR 312.5 FT (1.313 A)
State Code: C1
Address: 130 HOEFGEN AVE SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205
Taxing Jurisdictions: 09, 11, 57, CAD, 06, 10, SA011, 21, 08
Appraised Value: $6,430,710.00
Neighborhood: NBHD code11815
Abstract Code: S14082

For the parking areas immediately to the West of the Amtrak building...

Owner Name: SSG HOTEL LLC
Doing Business As: STAYBRIDGE HOTEL PARKING LOT
Property Identification Number:1057859
Geo Identification Number:14082-002-0046
Legal Description: NCB 14082 BLK 2 LOT S IRR 147.42 FT OF 4
State Code: F1
Address: HOEFGEN AVE SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205
Taxing Jurisdictions: 08, 09, 21, 57, CAD, 10, 11, SA011, 06
Appraised Value: $435,570.00
Neighborhood: NBHD code11815
Abstract Code: S14082

Owner Name: SSG HOTEL LLC
Doing Business As: STAYBRIDGE HOTEL PARKING LOT
Property Identification Number:1057860
Geo Identification Number:14082-002-0047
Legal Description: NCB 14082 BLK 2 LOT S IRR 96.39 FT OF 4
State Code: F1
Address: HOEFGEN AVE SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205
Taxing Jurisdictions: 11, 09, 57, 10, 06, CAD, SA011, 08, 21
Appraised Value: $253,770.00
Neighborhood: NBHD code11815
Abstract Code: S14082

Owner Name: EAST COMMERCE PARKING LLC
Doing Business As: Null
Property Identification Number:1087540
Geo Identification Number:14082-002-0049
Legal Description: NCB 14082 BLK 2 LOT W IRR 312.5 FT OF 4
State Code: F3
Address: HOEFGEN AVE SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205
Taxing Jurisdictions: 09, 21, 57, CAD, SA011, 06, 10, 08, 11
Appraised Value: $1,132,550.00
Neighborhood: NBHD code11815
Abstract Code: S14082

For the parking area to the East of the tracks...

Owner Name: CATERING BY ROSEMARY INC
Doing Business As: THE R.K. GROUP
Property Identification Number:106358
Geo Identification Number:00602-000-0220
Legal Description: NCB 602 BLK LOT 22
State Code: F1
Address: 1220 E COMMERCE ST SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205
Taxing Jurisdictions: 57, 09, SA011, 10, 08, 21, 06, 11, CAD
Appraised Value: $3,205,000.00
Neighborhood: NBHD code11815
Abstract Code: S00602

Hope that helps.

 

[Ryan]

That is some high quality detective work right there.

 

[ScouseAndy]

Amtrak is under no obligation to provide free parking (or even paid parking) at any of its stations. At small town stations, there's usually land around the station building that easily available and not needed for any other purpose. In big cities, parking space is at a premium and is priced accordingly.

No business is obligated to provide parking (paid or otherwise) but its good business sense to make it as easy as possible for customers to use their services. You'd never see an airport which didnt have parking available would you.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Amtrak is under no obligation to provide free parking (or even paid parking) at any of its stations. At small town stations, there's usually land around the station building that easily available and not needed for any other purpose. In big cities, parking space is at a premium and is priced accordingly.

No business is obligated to provide parking (paid or otherwise) but its good business sense to make it as easy as possible for customers to use their services. You'd never see an airport which didnt have parking available would you.

Where I live, I'm pretty sure new construction is required to have a certain number of parking places depending on the business & capacity.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

That is some high quality detective work right there.

I had started to try to do a parcel search. And then thought to suggest someone in the area - and therefore more familiar with it than I - do one. DA must have read my mind.

 

[Palmetto]

Thanks to the SA natives for their insights! I think we can all agree that a city the size of San Antonio needs parking at the station.

 

[Lonestar648]

The city the size of San Antonio needs a better station with short and long term parking. Now, that may be the plan with the relocation plan to an existing west side station Via is to remodel into a multi-use facility.