What Makes Icon Parking Different?

icon parking Of all major U.S. cities, New York City has the highest population density. Every square mile packs more than 27,000 people. As you can imagine, that means finding a parking spot in the Big Apple can be a daunting task, even on a good day.

At Icon Parking, their goal is to change that. Learn what sets Icon Parking apart from the competition.

Parking That Celebrates With You

June is Pride Month, and Icon Parking is celebrating that with daily, nightly, and even weekend discounts. In addition to celebrating special occasions, Icon Parking routinely offers monthly discounts and discounts for select personnel, like New York City’s first responders.

Keep an eye on their website for special event- or group-specific parking rates.

Convenient, Hassle-Free Parking in Top Locations

When parking in NYC, some things are non-negotiable. Parking needs to be accessible, convenient, and easy to reserve and pay for. Icon Parking checks all of these boxes, allowing customers to browse available parking ahead of time. Simply visit their website, browse parking by location, and book your spot for your desired time. You can also make parking reservations by downloading their application from the App Store or Google Play.

Even better, Icon Parking has available spots in some of the top locations in NYC. That means, instead of parking in a spot that isn’t even that close to where you ultimately want to be, you will be able to pick and choose from parking spots located right there in NYC’s most coveted locations.

Corporate Options Available

Too often, public parking focuses on individual parking spaces, not on group or corporate parking. Icon Parking is the exception. Icon Parking works with some of the most lucrative businesses around the world, including Google, Amazon, Bloomberg, NBC, Morgan Stanley, Whole Foods, BMW, Hyatt, and more, to provide convenient and reliable parking to their employees. Their company offers short-term as well as long-term parking for corporate offices.

Of course, being an internationally recognized company is not a requirement! Talk to a representative at Icon Parking about your business and your business needs today. They can accommodate you whether you have a small, medium, or large business.

Without some planning, parking in New York City can be a disaster. Contact Icon Parking about your needs, or log onto the mobile app and find convenient parking in top locations all over the city.

Returning to Work After Covid? Use These Parking Tips

In 2020, most offices closed or reduced the number of employees working from the office. Most people worked from home; however, employers are starting to call their employees to work from the office again this year. Of course, returning to the office means the return of the nightmare of finding parking near your workplace.

Parking Spaces Are Very Limited

Pre-covid, American drivers spent about 17 hours per year driving around to find parking spots. The wasted time, fuel, and emissions add up quickly. It was estimated that those 17 hours lose drivers $345 each year. That is just for a normal gas car. If you own an EV or hybrid car and need a charge point for your car while at work, the parking options are even more limited. Most of the time, parking in the street is not an option, especially in New York City, where space is limited. You may have to move your car a couple of times a day to allow for street cleaning and avoid a fine. Alternatively, you can park your car in a parking garage. There are many parking garages available, but the services they provide differ.

Choose a Parking Garage

Working in an office forces you to use a parking space every day, so you need to make sure that the parking garage you choose has the necessary facilities, for example, an EV charging station. The place should also be serious about preventing the spread of COVID-19 infections. Once you start coming to the office again, the last thing you need is to get infected with COVID-19 through contact with contaminated surfaces at a parking garage. To ensure your safety while at work, choose a reputable garage company, like Icon Parking.

Icon Parking Is a Parking Solution

There are more than 60 sites in New York City where you can find an Icon Parking facility. We are equipped to handle electric and hybrid vehicles with safe and clean charging stations. Our new contact-less app helps you book a spot, so it’s available when you need it and limits the need to touch anything other than your car. But if you need to touch a surface, you can be sure it is sanitized by our mask-wearing crew that cleans and disinfects surfaces inside the garage many times each day. So, book your monthly spot with our contact-less app to ensure your parking spot is ready for when you come back to the office.

Important Things to Know About Owning an Electric Vehicle in NYC

ev charging stations

 

Electric vehicles (EVs) have, over the years, become the norm in New York City. With over 16,500 EVs in the city as of 2017, this state boasts the largest number of EVs in all of America. This doesn’t come as a surprise, seeing as NYC has the highest population density of any major city in the United States.

With more than 27,000 people per square mile, you are bound to find more electric vehicles there than anywhere else. If you are an aspiring electric vehicle owner or already have one, read on to find out the essential things you should know about owning an electric vehicle in NYC.

You Get Rewarded for Charging Your Car

For the NYC municipality to better manage its electrical grid, SmartCharge Rewards are awarded to electric vehicle drivers each month. These rewards are given to drivers who charge their vehicles during off-peak hours. Additionally, those participating in this program are given a connectable car device. This device can help you check:

  • Energy consumption
  • Journey information
  • Battery health
  • Driving efficiency
  • Admission into EV drivers communities

What About Charging?

So, suppose I buy an EV, where do I charge it? If you reside in a stand-alone home, you can easily install a charging station in your garage. Otherwise, you can find EV charging stations at any of the following:

  • Apartment buildings that have charging ports in their parking bays
  • Thousands of charging stations spread throughout the city,
  • Public parking garages.

Please note that to charge your car at the above-mentioned EV charging stations, you will probably be required to pay a small fee.

Electric Vehicle Maintenance

Electric vehicles are pretty easy to maintain. As you might have guessed from their name, electric cars do not need gas. All you need is to charge it fully, and you can go for an average of about 181 miles, depending on the make and model. Additionally, you will not need to change the oil as frequently as you would for a regular car.

There are many other interesting facts about owning an electric vehicle in NYC. For instance, it’s now possible to share electric vehicles. Also, you can get incentives for purchasing and owning one. It’s truly an exciting time for electric cars in New York City.

How to Avoid Getting a Parking Ticket in New York City

parking garage

 

Owning a car can provide you with a newfound sense of freedom. But if you live or work in a bustling metropolis, having a car can sometimes feel like a burden. After all, drivers spend an average of 17 hours per year just searching for parking spots. And in a crowded city, guaranteed parking is hard to come by.

 

Of course, finding an open spot won’t be your only challenge. You’ll also need to make sure you can legally park in that spot — or else, you might risk getting a parking ticket. Since New York City parking tickets can often cost hundreds of dollars, you’ll want to avoid them at all costs. But whether you’re born-and-bred in one of the five boroughs or you’ve recently relocated to the Big Apple, how can you make sure you won’t be fined for a parking violation?

 

    • Don’t Forget the Meter: In New York City and elsewhere, you’ll want to pay close attention to your meter when you opt for street parking. Don’t assume that a broken meter means you don’t have to pay, either. If the meter’s faulty, you’ll need to pay for parking at the next closest meter. And if the meter is functional, you’ll want to calculate the time you’ve paid for down to the second. Set an alarm on your phone if you know you’re likely to forget to add money for extra time. Be sure to place your meter receipt face-up on your car’s dashboard, as well.
    • Learn to Read the Signs: If you’ve been waiting for a sign… just read the ones on the street. You’ll want to learn the difference between “no parking,” “no stopping,” and “no standing,” as well as familiarize yourself with the rules of alternate side parking. If there are multiple signs posted within the same general area, you’ll want to defer to the sign with the strictest rules. And whenever you’re in doubt about whether or not you’re allowed to park somewhere due to signage, it’s a good idea to find another spot.
    • Make Sure You’re Parked Correctly: This might sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. You may be subject to severe fines if you’re parked too close to a fire hydrant or you’re blocking any part of a crosswalk or bike lane. Before you head off to your final destination on foot, give your parking job a good once-over to ensure driveways, crosswalks, and fire hydrants can be easily accessed.
    • Opt For Alternate Transportation: A good way to avoid this problem completely is to forgo driving your car altogether. Fortunately, New York City provides access to all kinds of public transit, including buses, subways, and trains. You could also ride your bike around the city instead of relying on your car, though that can come with its own set of dangers. If you don’t have reliable access to a parking garage in the city, you may want to explore alternative transit to avoid tickets and get where you need to go. However, it’s important to note you won’t have nearly as much control over your schedule if you’re relying on public transit.
    • Explore Monthly Parking Solutions: If you depend on your car to get around the city, you’ll want to consider availability in NYC parking garages in the area. You can often join monthly parking programs that will grant you unlimited access to parking garages in your neighborhood or any area of your choice. Using a parking garage can allow you to completely avoid the possibility of getting a ticket on the street while ensuring your vehicle remains protected from vandalism, theft, and other damage. Ultimately, your choice in parking garage can save you time, money, and frustration while promoting overall safety.

 

Navigating New York City can be difficult even under ideal circumstances. By taking steps to avoid a ticket, you’ll thank yourself later. For more information on securing monthly parking in one of our safe and convenient locations, please contact Icon Parking today.

Monthly Parking Solutions Help New Yorkers Avoid Public Transit

monthly parking solution

 

Public transit is ubiquitous in New York City. Even for those who have cars, buses and subways make it easy and affordable to get around. That said, these mass transportation options do have their drawbacks.

Although COVID-19 vaccinations are now widely available, many New Yorkers would rather be safe than sorry. As a result, you may want to forgo the use of public transit — like so many others have during the pandemic — in favor of using your own vehicle more frequently.

Of course, this option can come with its challenges, as well. Although you’ll limit your exposure to other people, finding guaranteed parking in such a densely populated city is no easy feat. In fact, New York City drivers spend around 107 hours per year just looking for parking spots! You deserve to have access to a safe monthly parking option that allows you to use your car as needed.

Monthly Parking Solutions Ease Stress and Promote Safety

Data does show that public transit ridership has decreased significantly during the pandemic. This has allowed those who continue to use mass transportation to spread out, rather than stay tightly packed into crowded cars or buses. What’s more, these transit systems often contain high-quality ventilation systems, which can keep users safe. Since mask mandates are still in effect on mass transit in New York State until further notice, some may feel perfectly safe taking the bus or subway during this time.

However, we’ve learned during the past year that every person has a different comfort level when it comes to health and safety decisions. Any choice to leave your home and go out into the world comes with an inherent risk, no matter how small. Because you probably won’t ever know the vaccination status of strangers with whom you share a subway car or how clean the station really is, you may feel uncomfortable with the idea of taking mass transit for now.

Undoubtedly, relying on your own vehicle will decrease your potential contact with others outside your household. Owning a car can provide you with the freedom to come and go as you please, often with lower risk levels than those who depend on public transportation. But if you’re using your vehicle for work, for running errands, or for day trips with your family this summer, you’ll want to be sure you have a monthly parking solution that can eliminate frustration and promote safety guidelines.

At Icon Parking, we have monthly parking garage availability across the city. We even run specials for many of our monthly parking solutions, allowing you to access convenient parking for an affordable price. And with our Parksafe option, you’ll benefit from ongoing features to keep you safe. We offer contactless reservations and payments, natural sanitizing stations, and staff members who follow all health and safety recommendations to protect your well-being.

Whether you’re immunocompromised or you simply want to err on the side of caution, our monthly parking solutions can make your life easier and safer during the ongoing pandemic. For more information on monthly parking in NYC, please contact us today.

What Does Safe Parking Look Like During COVID-19?

sanitized parking

The COVID-19 pandemic can make traveling safely a challenge. This is especially true in New York City where the population density is that of around 27,000 people per square mile.

So, when you have to travel, how do you travel safely? It starts with where you park.

Requiring Masks

One way our monthly parking garages at Icon Parking are making parking in NYC that much safer is by requiring face masks on all parking members and guests. Not only is mask-wearing mandated in the state of New York but it’s also one of the best ways to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to other people. Each and every one of our employees is also required to wear a mask to ensure the safety of everyone in our lots.

Improved Sanitation

Monthly parking garages have many high-touch surfaces. That’s why Icon Parking has made it our duty to reduce the number of surfaces our customers are required to touch to enter and exit our parking garages. Use our contactless app to book a spot and check in to your parking garage. You can use the same app to check out so you don’t need to touch anything but the inside of your car.

We also offer sanitized parking by using heavy-duty cleaning products throughout our monthly parking garages. Even with contactless parking, parking lots and garages tend to have a lot of surfaces that you may need to touch. Our team properly sanitizes each of these surfaces routinely throughout the day to help mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19. We also make sure to sanitize electric vehicle chargers as well.

If you’re looking for sanitized parking in New York City, Icon Parking Systems has you covered. Book a monthly parking spot with us today using our contactless app!

What Are the Benefits of Having a Car in NYC?

monthly parking

Did you know that over two-fifths of New York state’s population is gathered in New York City? The city is packed, which is one reason why it can be difficult for NYC residents to feel as if they are socially distancing properly in the city, especially when they need to get out and about for daily errands or special, unavoidable appointments.

While public transportation has long been a mainstay of NYC’s culture, in a post-COVID environment it may be better for people to look elsewhere for transportation, even if that means paying for monthly parking fees. Let’s explore the benefits of owning a car in New York City.

1. COVID-19 Awareness

As previously mentioned, right now we all need to be more aware of COVID-19. A lot of New Yorkers are used to taking taxis or riding the subway in order to get around. But methods like these put you in close proximity to strangers, and you can’t be sure about their COVID-19 statuses or how careful they have been regarding the virus. You may not even be able to practice proper social distancing around them. But you can do that when driving your own vehicle.

2. Freedom

It doesn’t matter if you’re calling a traditional cab, using a rideshare app, or taking advantage of the metro system. If you’re using public transportation to get around, you are at the mercy of other drivers or transportation operators and their schedules. When you own your own car, you can get out whenever you need to. While a lot of us aren’t leaving our residences as much as we once did, a car can ensure your long-term freedom and can make it easier for you to get out in order to execute important tasks like doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping.

3. Storage

It’s simply easier for you to get out and about, gathering what you need in as few trips as possible (with as little exposure to others as possible) when you own your own car. Rather than taking three separate trips to different stores, you can pack your car with items you need. This cuts down on time wasted, and while the pandemic is still a factor, ensures that you’re a lot safer in the long term.

If you have a vehicle in New York City and you need a safe place to park your car, we’ve got you covered. Contact Icon Parking today to learn more about our contactless parking options.

3 Reasons to Consider a Monthly Parking Garage

monthly parking garage

Parking your car in Manhattan can be challenging due to the limited street parking available. Parking challenges are a major reason that drivers opt out of attending events outside of their homes. In fact, more than 60% of 6,000 surveyed American drivers listed parking difficulties as one of the reasons they avoiding driving to sports centers, airports, shopping centers, and leisure centers. Providing corporate parking for your employees can help make it easier for them to get to and from work safely.

Safe parking is vital for the following reasons:

Alternate Side Parking Can be Risky

Parking a vehicle on the street typically means that it has to be moved every few days, due to New York City’s alternate side parking regulations. This can be both inconvenient and dangerous, leading to drivers circling the block at odd hours trying to find a parking spot. Leaving their vehicle in one location for too long guarantees them a ticket, so often New Yorkers can be seen getting up early in an effort to move their vehicle before heading out to work, or moving their car late at night after getting home. This is not the safest time to be out on the streets in an urban area.

Street Parking Is Less Secure

Street parking is also less secure than parking in a garage. The spots are left unattended, and it’s easier for a car to be broken into or tampered with. This can be inconvenient or even dangerous. Drivers may find that their car has been damaged, items have been stolen, or their cars have been vandalized during the night. A monthly parking garage is a far safer option, providing drivers with off-street parking.

Searching for a Spot Wastes Time

Circling the block near a driver’s work or home in an effort to find a spot wastes time, is frustrating, and can lead to distracted driving. Drivers would much rather park their car in a safe location and then spend time with their family and friends. Circling the block for an hour or more in order to find a safe parking spot is exhausting and can lead to these individuals opting to take public transit options instead.

Corporate parking spaces are an excellent benefit to offer employees, providing them with a safe place to put their vehicles while they work onsite. Safe corporate parking lots provide drivers with a secure location to park their cars so that they can work without worrying about the car being damaged or towed. If you’re interested in investing in a corporate parking plan using one of our quality monthly parking garages, contact Icon Parking today.

3 Common Parking Mistakes and What You Can Do to Fix Them

It’s no secret that finding on-street parking can be a nightmare, especially when you’re navigating the streets of Manhattan. Nationwide, the average driver spends about 17 hours a year looking for a parking spot, but in New York City the average driver spends 107 hours looking for a spot to park in a single year.

The good news is that there a few ways you can make finding a parking spot in a metropolitan area a little bit easier. Here are three of the most common mistakes drivers make when parking in NYC and what you can do to keep from making those mistakes yourself.

Mistake #1: Hoping for the Best

As of 2019, there are 1.632 million people living in Manhattan. That means when you get into your car and hope that you’ll find on-street parking when you enter the city, you’re competing with at least a million other drivers hoping for the same thing. It’s never a good idea to wing it when it comes to parking in Manhattan. Remember that time is money, especially when driving a vehicle (gas isn’t cheap).

A great way to make sure you have somewhere to park when you get into the city is by renting a parking spot at a monthly parking garage. With monthly parking plans, you never have to sweat over how you’ll sandwich your car into a tight spot because you’ll always have a spot waiting for you.

Mistake #2: Trusting a Meter Is Clean

City living isn’t always the cleanest, and finding sanitized parking during a pandemic can feel impossible. Consider how many people have found the same parking space that you have and how many hands have touched that parking meter you’re now touching. While hand sanitizer and sanitary wipes may be able to keep you covered until you can wash your hands, you don’t want to run the risk of accidentally touching your face until you can give your hands a good scrub.

Icon Parking Systems offers sanitized parking solutions you can rely on during COVID-19. Icon Parking’s monthly parking garages offer contact-less check-ins and check-outs, require all members and visitors to wear masks, and also come equipped with sanitizing stations that use CDC-approved cleaning products.

Mistake #3: Relying on Apps to Find EV Charging Stations

Many New Yorkers are making the switch over to electric vehicles to help reduce their carbon emissions in the city. Unfortunately, it isn’t exactly easy to find EV charging stations when you need them most. While there are apps available to find EV charging stations near you, those apps don’t necessarily tell you whether that charging station also offers EV parking.

Icon Parking Systems has over 60 locations across New York City that offer rentable parking spaces with EV charging stations. When you choose to park with Icon Parking, you can trust that your vehicle will be able to charge without having to keep the vehicle running.

Looking for sanitized parking, EV charging stations, and convenient parking spots? Icon Parking has you covered. Contact us to learn more about our monthly parking solutions today.

Where Can I Find EV Charging Stations in NYC?

The sales of electric vehicles have been steadily growing since 2011. It’s no surprise why: electric vehicles are better for the environment and produce fewer carbon emissions into the air compared to gas-powered vehicles. This is especially good for larger metropolitan areas like New York City where drivers waste fuel every year just looking for a parking space.

What’s more, while electric vehicles may be a more expensive investment initially, motorists don’t need to worry about paying for changing gas prices depending on which area of the city they’re in. Instead, they can plug their vehicles into EV charging stations and fuel up as they park. Of course, finding EV charging stations isn’t always easy. It can be nearly impossible to find off-street parking on its own.

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can find a place in the Big Apple to refuel your car and one key place where you can both charge and park your vehicle.

Use EV charging applications

Certain phone apps can help you locate electric vehicle charging stations nearby. Three of the most commonly used apps include:

  • Open Charge Map: Open Charge Map is an open-source map listing EV charging stations provided by companies and nonprofits.
  • Alternative Fueling Stations: This mapping app is run by the U.S. Department of Energy and can help to find local EV charging locations in your area.
  • PlugShare: PlugShare is an app available both for Android and iOS while also being available online. The app allows users to find EV charging stations, connect with other EV drivers, and leave reviews. The app also has filters so you can narrow down what kind of EV charging station you’re looking for.

Of course, it’s one thing to find an EV charging station and another to find a parking space that lets you charge your vehicle while you’re parked. That’s where Icon Parking Systems comes in.

Rent a parking space with Icon Parking Systems

Icon Parking is a high-quality, COVID-safe monthly parking garage. We have a variety of garages located around New York City so you can rent a space in a garage that’s convenient for you to access. Icon Parking also provides customers with convenient access to EV charging stations so you never have to worry about locating a station on an app.

Icon Parking offers EV charging stations equipped with Tesla chargers at over 60 Icon and Quik Park facilities and EV charging stations equipped with universal chargers at over 50 locations.

Ready to find a convenient EV charging station in NYC? Contact Icon Parking to learn more about our monthly parking solutions today.