WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach County commissioners are considering a plan that would take nearly 400 general parking spots in CityPlace and turn them into valet space for the new Hilton being built at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
Originally, the hotel’s developers planned to build a 630 car parking garage on-site. But now planners say they would like to save the space for potentially adding on more rooms in the future.
Developers are asking the county to allow them to instead provide 255 valet spots in a surface lot where the parking garage would have been and use 375 spots in CityPlace’s Hibiscus Garage for overflow valet parking as well.
Business owners in CityPlace say they’re excited for the new customers the hotel will likely bring in.
“It is a very, very convenient, strategic, fantastic idea of having a hotel right in the heart of CityPlace,” says salon and spa owner Anushka.
But people who already shop and eat at CityPlace say finding parking there is hard enough without having to share spots with hotel guests.
“It’s a pain,” says Emily Shotland.
The shopper says if parking becomes harder to find, she’ll stop going to CityPlace.
“They’re not going to have as much business if people can’t park there,” Shotland says.
Palm Beach County’s assistant administrator and a spokesman from CityPlace’s Community Development District say the Hibiscus Garage is not being used at capacity and has room for more vehicles.
A spokeswoman for Hilton says planners don’t foresee the need to use the garage every day. She says the hotel plans to only have an overflow of parking during special events. The hotel would call ahead and have spaces held for its valet service for certain days only. The spokeswoman says the spots would not be blocked off for the hotel every day.
Portofino South 3800 