Black Developers in Chicago Bring Green Movement to Moving Vehicles

Given the frigid temperatures which mark any winter day in the city infamous for winter winds, the climate inside the tent in Chicago’s historic Bucktown community for the ground breaking of the nation’s first Green Park™ Eco Garage, was remarkably comfortable and accommodating. City and state government officials stood side-by-side with business leaders, community developers, and proud residents to usher in a new era of parking technology. “I think this is exactly what we have to do all across the nation, we have to have a green way of acting and a green way of thinking,” said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

Vicki Fuller, CO of VLF Development LLC and the project’s founder, spoke with rolling out about the fully automatic parking system which will make parking not only friendlier to the planet, it will make the process that much friendlier for drivers. Fuller explains how she took the Green Park Eco Garage project from concept to construction. –roz edward

How does parking or the lack of it effect the Bucktown community?

Number one it effects your ability to get home and get to your family. So after driving around and around, really the only option is off-street parking, which means you have to deal with the meters or you park a long way from where you live. But businesses are effected as well. If you wanted to come to Bucktown to eat out and you have to drive around and around, you may just decide to go some where else. … So we hope that the Green Park Eco Garage will make Bucktown a more viable community and that this development will speak to the problem of these life issues. 

How did you decide on this type of new-age facility?

Serendipity is a fascinating thing. We did … another development [Victoria Park] just down the street and … people kept asking us what we were going to do about the parking, so parking was [already] on the brink. So we said, “we are developers and what do we do to make this more than just a gravel lot.” … But, we are always looking to building [structures] that are smart. 

Describe the facility please.

The entire system is monitored with cameras and no human hands touch the car. Parking, payment and retrieving your car can all be handled in about two minutes, and a green roof adds to [efficiency] by collecting and filtering rainwater. Since cars are moved via a robotic system emissions have been completely eliminated. … We are already looking at other sites for green parks and we will continue to develop urban oriented projects …