Plaza To Lose Some Parking Spaces; New Lot Will Add More

Construction is expected to start in early 2024 on streets and sidewalks in Snider Plaza, work that will alter the look of the shopping center and the availability of parking. 

As of August, University Park city engineer Katie Barron expects the scope of the work on sidewalks and streets would be limited to an area from Daniel Avenue to Rankin Avenue, Milton Avenue from Snider Plaza back to Hillcrest Road, Rosedale Avenue from Snider Plaza back to the alley, and Daniel Avenue between the two alleys, based on where they have authorization from property owners to work. 

The city also plans to replace an easement in a section of Westminster Avenue between Snider Plaza and Hillcrest. 

Finalized project plans are still in the works, so follow along at peoplenewspapers.com for the latest updates on the project. As project plans take shape, here are some numbers to know:

Parking situation

• 412 – parking spaces in Snider Plaza and surrounding streets pre-project in 2018 

• 390 – parking spaces in Snider Plaza proper and side streets after the proposed project, 22 less than in 2018

• 267 – parking spaces added by the Rankin parking lot and Hilltop garage, increasing the total number of available spaces to 679

• 100 – parking spaces available in the Hilltop garage as part of a program that allows businesses in Snider Plaza to use city-of-University Park-leased spaces in the garage

• 85 – active garage cards the city issued for Hilltop garage in June 2023

• 36 – active garage cards the city issued for Hilltop garage in Oct. 2022

• 34 – parking spaces in and surrounding the shopping center preserved in the plan by doing away with a linear green space along the 3400 block of Rosedale Avenue and gathering space in the intersection of Snider Plaza and Rosedale Avenue that would have crosswalk connections to the Rosedale Green and a paved area

Where do employees park? 

• 232 – employees who said in that survey that they park in the plaza 

• 214 – employees parking behind their building 

• 192 – employees parking in the surrounding neighborhood

• 80 – employees parking in the garage

Parking enforcement

• 301 – citations issued in Snider Plaza for parking in a spot over the two-hour limit in 2022

• 96 – citations issued in Snider Plaza in 2021 for parking in a spot over the two-hour limit

• 9 – citations issued in Snider Plaza for parking in a no-parking zone in 2022

• 2 – citations issued in Snider Plaza for parking in a no-parking zone in 2021 

• 1 – citations issued in Snider Plaza for parking in a spot over a 15-minute time limit in 2022

Source: City of University Park and Snider Plaza parking survey by merchants