MacArthur Center has two large parking garages adjacent to it. These parking garages fit comfortably within the site, adjacent to the mall, because the mall shape allows for these garages.
Broken up plan of MacArthur Center
These garages are built right up against the mall, so there are no large, awkward, pedestrian bridges connecting them. There are entrances to the mall at every level of the parking garage. There are also entrances directly to the city. One of the parking garages is adjacent to a busy road and a large sidewalk, so the architecture of the garage reflects this. At the street front ground floor level, there are glass showcases for sidewalk viewing, hiding the fact that it’s a parking garage.
MacArthur Center
MacArthur Center garage in its context
Not only do these parking garages provide parking for the mall, but they provide parking for those coming to the downtown city as well, as there are only a very few small parking garages downtown. There are some public parking places downtown, but before the MacArthur Center came alone, that parking was not adequate or affordable.
Downtown Norfolk public parking
The MacArthur parking garages provide parking only a few blocks away from the waterfront and the Waterside Marketplace located on the waterfront. These parking garages also help during festivals and holidays (such as Fourth of July) which attract many people downtown. Now that there is adequate parking downtown, there can be larger festvials more often, plus more buildings can pop up. These buildings know that more people will come downtown because of the easily accessibly and affordable parking situation. Currently, there are plans underway to install a monorail since the downtown area is growing so rapidly.
