Paid parking hours in the downtown Las Vegas Arts District are scheduled to change to accommodate businesses in the area ahead of a new parking garage opening in the fall.
Starting on Oct. 1, free street parking will be available in the Arts District between midnight and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, the city of Las Vegas announced Tuesday.
The change was made after collecting input from area businesses and residents and will replace the three free hours of parking currently being offered during weekday lunch hours.
Paid street parking will be in effect between 1 p.m. and midnight the following day Monday through Friday. Paid parking will be in effect from 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday.
Just ahead of the new on-street hours, the city will open a $25 million, 500-space garage on Sept. 29. Parking in the five-story garage, located at 201 E. Utah Ave., will be $3 per hour, with a $15 daily maximum.
City officials are considering adding a shuttle service to and from the garage, which features 10,000 square feet of leaseable business space and a large mural.
The parking garage was funded by the city of Las Vegas and its redevelopment agency, with $5 million of the $25 million coming from the city’s parking enterprise fund, which is collected from downtown parking meters. In 2022, the city added 64 new parking meters in the Arts District to help raise funds that went toward the construction.
In 2023, city officials estimated that the garage would generate $1.3 million in revenue during its first year.
Monthly parking passes for area residents and employees in the Arts District will be available for the garage at $30 and for $20 for the 10-hour street parking spaces.
The Arts District’s popularity has exploded in recent years, with new bars, restaurants, retail and residential spaces, and parking became an issue. That is especially true during monthly First Friday events.
City officials won’t implement paid street parking in the Arts District north of Charleston Boulevard before January. That decision was made after the city commissioned a parking rate survey for that area, as new businesses and residential developments are planned there. Paid street parking will ensure space turnover for those who frequent the area, city officials said.
“The city’s goal is to balance customer access, business needs and affordable parking options for all, while preserving the unique character that makes the Arts District special,” the city of Las Vegas said in a news release.
Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
