Release Date: Monday, October 11th 2010

Post-Gazette: Parking perks would outweigh price hike, CEO says

Friday, October 08, 2010
By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Alan B. Lazowski isn't waiting for local businesses to call him with their concerns about his company's proposed takeover of a big chunk of Downtown Pittsburgh parking.

The chairman and CEO of LAZ Parking, which would manage 12 garages and 8,000 street meters citywide under a proposed 50-year lease, is going to the corporate community to pre-empt any complaints, brandishing a package of enhanced services meant to take the pain out of inevitable jumps in parking prices.

"We're leaders in initiating programs like park-shop-and-dine, shuttle operations, discount cards, state-of-the-art technology that makes it easier for business owners," said Mr. Lazowski. He rattled off a list of local corporations with whose leaders he has met during a marathon tour in preparation for city council consideration of the proposed lease. "We'd work to understand [business owners'] needs."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10281/1093461-53.stm#ixzz123Srf0sO