As we entered the residential areas of phases one, two, and three, we found that only fire lanes remained on either side of the roads, with nothing else but public green spaces. Around 11 a.m., the non‑public green areas within the community were packed with private cars—parking in any available space had become the norm.
Current parking situation at Huguangyuan Residential Community.
Parking spaces in Huguangyuan Residential Community.
Parking is hard, residents face difficulties, and property management has it even tougher. Staff explain that fire inspections are now extremely stringent: private vehicles parked in fire lanes create safety hazards—this is one issue; moreover, disputes among neighbors over a single parking space make things even more challenging for the property management company.
“The urgency of constructing the Huguangyuan multi‑level parking garage can be described as ‘imminent,’” said the official. “If we don’t allow residents to park, they’ll be unhappy; and if fire‑safety measures are inadequate, the property management will be held accountable. Ultimately, the root cause is a shortage of parking spaces.”
Conceptual diagram of multi-level parking spaces in Huguangyuan Residential Community.
According to reports, by the end of 2019, once the intention to build a multi‑level parking structure in the community had become fairly clear, staff at the Huguangyuan Service Center split into two teams: one team submitted construction applications to the relevant authorities at each level, while the other went door‑to‑door to engage with residents. However, as of now, construction has yet to commence on the site designated for the planned multi‑level parking spaces.
The higher-ups are paying attention, the property management is willing, but most homeowners are reluctant to sign.
What exactly makes the multi‑storey parking garage at Huguangyuan Residential Community so difficult?
Staff told a reporter from the Henan Business Daily that, despite strong demand from residents for the construction of a multi‑level parking facility, fewer than 30% of homeowners have yet signed off on the project, whereas a 60% approval rate is required.
The official acknowledged that, as a relatively large older residential community, the construction of the multi‑level parking facility at Huguangyuan has received close attention from higher‑level authorities and leadership.
A reporter from the Henan Business Daily conducted random interviews with several homeowners. One homeowner said that the multi‑level parking facility has very few parking spaces, and even after signing the agreement, it may still be of no use to them. Another homeowner added that they’ve heard many people haven’t signed yet and plan to wait and see for now.
According to reports, given the limited available public land in Huguangyuan Residential Community, the planned multi‑level parking structure will be a sunken design. From a design perspective, it is both aesthetically pleasing, preserves the existing greenery and landscape, and conserves land while minimizing noise. The only drawback is that its capacity still falls short of meeting the current parking needs of the community.
“It’s estimated that we’ll be able to build more than 500 parking spaces within the community—this already represents the maximum capacity,” an official said. When reaching out to residents to seek their consent, they were well aware of the concerns: “Everyone has their own worries, and we fully understand them. Five hundred spaces are indeed insufficient, but for now, every bit we can provide is a step forward.” The official added, “Parking is a major issue. We hope that through public awareness campaigns, more residents will recognize the convenience that orderly parking brings. After all, none of us would want to see a situation where fire trucks or ambulances cannot get in.”
On the one hand, there are difficulties in getting construction off the ground; on the other, once built, it is torn down.
While residential communities like Huguangyuan are facing difficulties in building multi‑level parking facilities, in Zhengzhou there are also some multi‑storey parking garages that, despite being completed, have ended up being slated for demolition.
At the end of 2019, a reporter from the Henan Business Daily received complaints from homeowners in Yuhua Garden, Yaxing Jinxiu Shanhe, Erqi District, who alleged that the developer had removed some double‑deck mechanical parking spaces in the underground garage at night, taking advantage of the owners’ absence. The stated reason was to convert these mechanical spaces into conventional surface parking spots for sale, thereby increasing the price of each space by several tens of thousands of yuan. Notably, these mechanical parking spaces had already been factored into the parking‑space allocation provided at the time of property handover.
Multi‑level mechanical parking systems are no longer merely parking solutions; they also serve to meet the required parking‑to‑unit ratio stipulated at property handover.
Ms. Liu, a homeowner in a newly built residential community in Zhengzhou’s Huiji District, said that after taking possession of her unit, she discovered the underground parking garage offers just over 1,000 spaces—far short of the more than 2,000 spaces originally approved by the planning authorities when the developer submitted its application.
On the afternoon of April 15, a reporter from the Henan Business Daily visited the community’s underground garage and found that the complex has only one level of underground parking, with some spaces equipped with double-deck automated parking systems.
In a residential community in Huiji District, there is a multi‑level parking system in the underground garage.
A female homeowner in the group told a reporter from the Henan Business Daily that, at the time of the first batch of handovers at the end of 2018, most of the automated parking spaces in the community’s underground garage had already been dismantled, leaving only the ones currently in use.
However, there were no vehicles parked in the automated parking garage, and the mechanism for operating the second‑level mechanical parking spaces was covered in dust. According to the homeowner, the second‑level mechanical bays are merely decorative and have never been used.
In a residential community in Huiji District, there is a multi‑level parking system in the underground garage.
After the handover of the property, the number of parking spaces suddenly halved, leaving residents struggling to find parking. On March 16, the community’s property management service center posted a friendly reminder stating that residents who have not purchased private parking spaces will be prohibited from entering the underground garage.
In a residential community in Huiji District, the property management has posted notices regarding the administration of the underground parking garage.
“Mechanical parking spaces are useless and aren’t even for sale; surface parking spots are also sold but not rented. Most importantly, the parking‑to‑unit ratio has been drastically reduced—where are residents supposed to park their cars?” one resident questioned. “Then what’s the point of building a multi‑level parking garage?”
Some multi‑storey parking garages that have been completed and put into service are underutilized; industry insiders say it is necessary to raise property owners’ awareness of such facilities.
In Zhengzhou, there are also multi‑storey parking garages that have been completed and put into operation.
In Phase I of the Liuhe Xingfumen residential complex, located in Zhongyuan District, Zhengzhou, there are two distinct north and south sections. Each section accommodates over 600 households, making the community quite densely populated. According to the security staff, the southern section offers only two parking options: a two‑level surface lot with more than 60 mechanical parking spaces, and an open‑air parking area on the rooftops of six commercial buildings at the entrance, capable of accommodating over 100 vehicles.
“There’s hardly any parking space in the community, so making use of the area above the floors does allow us to squeeze in a few more cars.” The security guard then led a Henan Business Daily reporter up in the elevator. The reporter noticed that, under normal circumstances, vehicles can drive directly into a large elevator; passengers ride along with their cars to the top floor, and once the car is parked, the driver takes the elevator back down—making the whole process quite convenient.
Public notice of fees for the multi‑level parking garage at Liuhe Xingfumen Residential Community.
The situation in the North District of Liuhe Xingfumen appears somewhat better, as the community is adjacent to a multi‑level parking garage that stands several dozen meters tall and can accommodate 250 vehicles. The parking facility serves both residents of the community and the general public as a shared, publicly accessible multi‑storey car park.
Liuhe Xingfumen Residential Community, multi-level parking garage.
On the afternoon of April 15, a reporter from the Henan Business Daily visited the multi‑level parking facility. The administrator was bustling with activity, explaining that the complex has five parking bays capable of accommodating both large and small vehicles, though only three are currently in use.
Liuhe Xingfumen Residential Community, multi-level parking garage.
A staff member from Great Wall Property Group Management Co., Ltd., the operator of the automated parking facility, stated that the utilization rate of the multi‑level garage is not particularly high; some parking spaces remain unoccupied, yet the company is still required to pay maintenance fees.
The reporter observed that, although multi‑level parking garages require human operators for manual handling, the user experience remains relatively straightforward. So why is their utilization rate still rather low?
“Some car owners are currently parking on the roadside, reasoning: ‘Since there’s no charge, why bother using a multi‑level parking garage?’” explained the manager of the multi‑level parking facility near Liuhe Xingfumen. An industry insider noted that, beyond pricing concerns, parking habits also play a key role in determining the utilization rate of community‑based multi‑level garages. He added that, before embarking on large‑scale construction of such facilities, it is essential to raise public awareness and understanding of their benefits.
Building in car‑wash facilities and reducing fees for multi‑level parking spaces… leveraging favorable measures to win residents’ support.
On April 8, Xu Liyi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Henan Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Zhengzhou Municipal Party Committee, conducted an inspection of Zhengzhou’s urban management work and visited Erqi District to examine the construction and management of its multi‑storey parking facilities. His visit sent a positive signal to citizens and businesses concerned about the development of such parking infrastructure.
Henan Rongchang Parking Equipment Co., Ltd., the developer of the multi‑level parking garage at Huguangyuan Residential Community, stated to a reporter from Henan Business Daily that, in order to encourage broader acceptance among residents, the company will invest in installing a complementary self‑service car‑wash facility after the garage is completed, providing residents with the added benefit of car washing.
Ji Dongping said, “The monthly pass costs 36 yuan. Within that time period, car owners can wash their vehicles themselves, and the 36 yuan covers only basic utility expenses. By contrast, washing a car outside would certainly cost more than that.”
“Harnessing the power of the sky to bring cars underground”—with public land space limited, Ji Dongping believes that building multi‑level parking garages represents a major future trend. As with any new development, there will inevitably be growing pains; at present, five residential communities in Zhengzhou have expressed interest in constructing such facilities: two each in Zhongyuan District and Erqi District, and one in Guancheng Hui District.
In addition, much like the situation at Huguangyuan Residential Community, Jinxiang Community in Erqi District, Zhengzhou, is also in the process of planning and constructing a multi‑level parking garage. However, progress there has been somewhat slower: “We’ve held discussions with the homeowners’ committee, the property management company, and the local community—four parties in total—and identified two key issues: pricing and safety.”
Ji Dongping said that Jinxiang Community is also an older residential area with relatively modest resident incomes. To accelerate the implementation of the multi‑level parking garage, the company has lowered its quoted price to the minimum: “We’ve strived to offer the most competitive and sincere pricing, hoping that residents will approve the construction of the multi‑level parking facility as soon as possible.”
The Huguangyuan Community, where Huguangyuan is located, and the Sangguanmiao Subdistrict Office have both expressed strong support for constructing a multi‑level parking garage in the residential complex. An official from the subdistrict office stated, “We also hope to step up publicity efforts so that residents can see the necessity and benefits of implementing such a parking system.”
