Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority responds to

demand for more parking with an eye to city’s aesthetics

COVINGTON, Ky. – A new parking lot at 212 E. 8th St.. – named the “Green Lot” – will help address the ongoing need for additional parking in Covington, and improve upon the appearance of what was once a crumbling asphalt lot bound by a chain link fence.

The Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority will soon replace the old asphalt with new layers and has already installed three sets of solar lights and planted viburnum, redbud, and dogwood trees along the south side of the lot. Two tulip poplars (Kentucky’s Official State Tree) anchor the north side of the lot and will eventually provide shade.

“The Parking Authority is diligently working to improve the city’s public spaces,” said Kyle Snyder, Executive Director of the Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority. “While we are focused on providing safe and affordable parking options, it is also our goal to ensure that public parking areas are visually attractive consistent with the surrounding neighborhood.”

Snyder said the natural slope of the lot will lend itself to rainwater runoff into the new landscaping.

“This lot will also help to address additional parking needs originating from SparkHaus,” said Snyder, referring to the entrepreneurial hub located at 727 Madison Ave. in the former Sims Building.

In the ongoing effort to create and manage city parking, the Parking Authority recently made a change to parking at the John R. Green building. When the John R. Green Lofts were built three years ago, the City contributed $2.5 million to its construction in return 92 parking spaces are owned by the city now the Parking Authority. The apartment complex would manage the parking and the proceeds would be converted to the City with the revenue repaying the bond for the asset. That agreement didn’t work, and the lot generated no revenue. Now, said Snyder, the Parking Authority will  manage the parking at that location.

“We’re trying to find the right balance, managing parking for the greater good and generating funds to improve and grow our parking assets, all to make Covington an even better place to live, work, and play,” said Snyder.

Green Lot monthly parking permits are available for $30 per month. For more information, call ABM Parking Services at (859) 431-7049 or visit https://covpark.com/#monthly-parking.

# # #