The High Cost of Parking 

One of the most common complaints of people in large urban areas, whether tourists, business travelers, or locals, is that there’s a lack of parking. Parking that’s available is often very expensive – ranging anywhere from $25 a day in Chicago to $65 a day. For condo owners, parking spaces can cost a fortune. A Center for Neighborhood Technology report reveals that, in Chicago, the cost to build a personal parking spot can be more than $37,000 – and purchasing a parking space to own can cost over $50,000 in some of Chicago’s high-rise condo garages. Similar situations exist in other large cities such as New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The absurd truth is that parking spaces cost more than some people earn in a year. This means that, in many cities, only the affluent can afford adequate parking.

The exorbitant cost of parking often makes it difficult and impractical to build new parking spaces. Quite simply, many communities can’t afford to provide more parking. One study of 12 American cities found that the average cost to build a parking space is $24,000 for above-ground and $34,000 for below-ground spaces. These prices assume that the owner already owns the land. Because of this, residents ultimately pay the costs of new parking facilities. This is one of the causes of rising rents, even for people who don’t own cars. So-called free parking is not a solution. Access Magazine reports that free parking requirements raise the cost of housing and reduce density. In other words, the cost is invisible but people are still paying it. And according to CNT, the supply of parking in 4 cities (Chicago, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Seattle) far exceeds demand. Buildings offer two spots for every 3 units, and in reality (due to the ~33 percent average vacancy) they only need one for every three.

The Environmental Impact of Parking

When people talk about the environmental costs of automobiles, they’re usually talking about moving vehicles. Parking, however, creates its own environmental problems. For one thing, the current parking model is extremely wasteful. People are paying high fees for spaces they only need during certain hours. The above-cited CNT report found that one-third of off-street residential parking spaces are empty at night. If the average person uses these spaces for work, that means that they only need the space for 40-50 hours per week. In a world where, particularly in large cities, there’s a lack of space for affordable housing, this is a significant issue.

There’s also the fact that free parking encourages people to drive. When downtown areas, for example, provide lots of parking access, people who might otherwise take a bus, tram, or train are more likely to drive. A study by Chris McCahill of the State Smart Transportation Initiative found clear evidence that excessive parking causes more driving. This not only means that people with cars tend to drive more, it also influences people’s decisions to own a car at all. In urban areas with extensive public transportation, owning an automobile is often a choice rather than a necessity. More driving, of course, creates a variety of environmental problems, such as air pollution. There’s also the less measurable factor of stress that accompanies traffic jams, which impacts public health. And according to Donald Shoup’s study released in 2011 titled Free Parking or Free Markets, 30 percent of cars in congested downtown traffic are searching for parking. If these “searches” booked their parking in advance, traffic and pollution would be substantially reduced and time and gas would be saved.

It’s safe to say that the current parking paradigm is outdated and full of serious problems. The solution is not to build more parking garages. It’s similar to the supposed solution of building more roads to control traffic. Evidence shows that more roads lead to more traffic. The same is true for parking. What’s needed is a completely new way of handling parking.

The Parking Alternative

Companies like ParqEx, SPOT and JustPark use the Airbnb model to address the urban parking challenge. The basic idea behind all sharing or collaborative economy platforms is to provide services as needed in a fast and efficient manner, by using technology. Consider the difference between the hotel model and the Airbnb model. A hotel has a static number of rooms, whether anyone is using them or not. Meanwhile, Airbnb lets travelers rent space in people’s homes as an alternative to hotels, motels, and B & Bs. In addition to providing people with cheaper rooms, this reduces the need for more hotels and allows people to make some supplemental income.

One major benefit of this type of arrangement is the convenience for consumers, who simply order services by using an app. With these sharing economy “marketplace” apps, users simply search for a parking space and book the spot directly from the app. Not only does the renter gain access to more affordable and convenient parking, but he/she knows there is a spot waiting for them upon arrival. While companies such as SpotHero and ParkWhiz are primarily aggregators of commercial parking garages in downtown areas, the Airbnb model approach allows for individuals, businesses, churches, schools, anyone with a private parking spot(s) to list them on the app/website by the hour, day, week or month – whenever the spot(s) is available. Not only are parking spot owners making supplemental income from their underutilized parking spots, but they are helping their communities by opening up more parking supply in the neighborhood.

With many private parking spots being located behind garage doors or gates, ParqEx differentiates itself from its competitors with its innovative IoT solution called Access+. The Access+ system allows renters and approved users to open any garage door or gate with a click of a button on their smart phones. Implementing Access+ increases rental opportunities, improves transparency into garage usage, and provides great convenience for both owners and renters.

From a parking spot owner perspective, sharing economy parking apps provide a new source of income. Most owners are renting out spaces they already have, so they’re earning money on space that was previously unused. Owners can set their own prices, however, prices are generally lower than commercial parking lots or garages. This is generally true of Airbnb or other sharing economy models of business (like Uber vs. Taxis). Owners and renters engage with each other directly, eliminating the middleman. Since the service providers are not corporations and are using property (e.g. living space, vehicle, or parking space) that they already own, they can afford to set reasonable prices.

How The “Airbnb Model” is Transforming Parking

There are some significant benefits to society as this Airbnb of parking model becomes more and more mainstream.

Faced with a variety of challenges, urban planners are increasingly looking for ways to create “smart cities.” This involves collecting lots of data and finding innovative solutions to issues such as housing, transportation, crime, and other social issues. In some cases, the best solutions don’t require an expensive, centralized solution. ParqEx, SPOT and JustPark provide a smart parking alternative that only requires owners and renters to install an app. Some of the long-term benefits of using this type of smart parking include:

• More affordable, convenient parking for commuters, travelers, and city residents.
• Less need for additional parking facilities.
• More efficient use of resources may lead to less driving and traffic congestion.
• As more people use the app, even conventional parking options are likely to become easier, with less crowded free parking and lower rates for commercial parking.

The way the public has embraced other sharing economy services suggests that people are eager to find new and innovative solutions. More and more services are disrupting conventional business models. In addition to Uber and Airbnb, there are now collaborative solutions in healthcare, web-based services, and many other industries. It only makes sense that there’s also such an alternative for parking.

The post Make money with these new parking apps appeared first on ParqEx.

On Wednesday, January 25th, Tech in Motion , in conjunction with National Association of Realtors, hosted a panel event: Smart City – IoT in Chicago.

Some of the city’s top technologists will be demoing and then speaking on a panel about their innovative work – with hopes to transform Chicago into a smarter city in the future.

You’ve probably heard of products like Google Home, Amazon Echo and Nest Thermostat, all of which are products that connect to the internet to make life easier and the home a lot smarter. The IoT Smart City Chicago will provide an in-depth look at some of the technology trends inside creating a smarter city: energy efficiency, environmental quality, traffic, safety, increasing return on investment/home value.

For Tickets: Click HERE

Keynote Speaker

Brenna Berman – Chief Information Officer at City of Chicago – Department of Innovation & Technology

Chicago Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) Commissioner and CIO, Brenna Berman joined the Emanuel administration in 2011 as Deputy Budget Director focused on enterprise initiatives and performance management.  After a year in that role, Brenna transitioned to DoIT as 1st Deputy Commissioner to focus on enterprise IT consolidation and operational excellence.

Over the past year at DoIT, Berman has focused transforming the team at DoIT to align with the Mayor’s commitment to an open and data-driven government, building Chicago’s open data program into one of the largest in the country, implemented the ground-breaking “WindyGrid” spatial analytics platform into every level of government, integrating advanced analytics and real-time data-driven decision making across the city, and setting a new standard for government IT.

Berman played a critical role in transforming the team at DoIT to provide the skills and expertise to implement the Mayor’s commitment to leveraging data and technology to create a more efficient, effective and innovative City government. This has meant adding new skills to the team to increase the focus on software engineering and analytics, improving the department’s commercial partnerships to drive savings for the City and identifying ground-breaking civic partnerships, including hosting regular meetings with local female tech startup owners.

Moderator

Chad Curry 

As Managing Director for NAR’s Center for REALTOR® Technology, Chad Curry investigates emerging technologies, educates NAR members & the public through presentations, webinars, blogs and podcasts, and manages the development of products for use by members. He’s presented to REALTORS® on the national, state and local levels. Chad is also a Board Member for the Real Estate Standards Organization, where he works to streamline real estate transaction technology.

Currently, Chad’s work is focused on research and development of smart home devices, iBeacons and wearables as well as renewable energies. Specifically, he is investigating how these trends will impact the real estate industry and benefit members. They’ve set up CRTLabs, focused on testing and developing devices for the home to help improve quality of life.  He is a member of the Internet of Things Council and is part of the Research Workgroup. Chad currently lives in Chicago with his family where he enjoys music, art, soccer and travel.

Panelists

Christopher Coté is a software engineer with a passion for hardware.

He is the Lead Lab Engineer for the National Association of Realtors’ R&D Lab, CRT Labs (https://crtlabs.org)

Prior to joining NAR Chris ran his own software development and consulting company.

He was a lead engineer for the Obama 2012 campaign and has helped found and build several startups around the Chicago area.

Christopher has always found himself driven to create sustainable and efficient systems, whether that’s for massive political campaigns, growing food or controlling and monitoring the built world.

This experience has given him a unique insight into how technology and the built world coexist in society today and will continue to evolve into the future.

Jon Thacker, Ph.D., has been working with embedded networking devices for the past 10 years. Recently he joined SparkMeter as the Director or Research and Development, where he is working on the next generation of communication protocols and hardware for their low-cost metering solution. SparkMeter provides a fully managed electrical metering solution for underserved markets with the goal of providing sufficient, robust, and affordable energy for all. Jon is a contributor to RIOT OS, an open source operating system for IoT. Outside of technology, he spends his time racing and instructing on sailboats.

Douglas Pancoast A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Design and Cranbrook Academy of Art, architect Douglas Pancoast has worked for firms including Richard Meier and Partners, 1100 Architect, BlackBox Studio at SOM, and agency.com. His work has been shown in the Chicago-based exhibitions Art in the Urban Garden, Mystique: Space, Technology, and Craft and Speculative Chicago; and in Scale at the Architectural League of New York and the National Building Museum, Washington, DC. His projects have been featured in Architectural Record, Architecture, A.P.+, and The Architectural Review, and in the book Young Architects: Scale. Pancoast has lectured widely on his own work and on the topic of trans-disciplinary education, and has served as a guest critic at such institutions as Columbia University , Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Parsons School of Design.

Current interests include examining how large, public data sets (economic, environmental, social, cultural, civic) are a context for creative practice. Pancoast is a co-investigator for the NSF grant supported Urban Sciences Research Coordination Network, an award meant to build inter-institutional collaborative research capacity around the subject of “big data” for social benefit. Since 2012 Pancoast has been a frequent co-investigator in the newly established Urban Center for Computation and Data (http://www.urbanccd.org/index.php), specifically providing architectural knowledge, and visualization expertise for a network of associated projects groups in Chicago including Open City (http://opencityapps.org/#about). Recent projects include the Array of Things (https://arrayofthings.github.io/) – a city scaled collection of environmental sensors deployed in Chicago providing data on city conditions for the Chicago Open Data Portal.

Derek Eder  is a civic technologist and one of the leaders of the open government community in Chicago. He is founder and partner at DataMade, a company that tells stories and builds tools with data, co-founder of Open City, a collective that makes civic apps to to improve transparency and understanding of our government, and organizer for the Chi Hack Night, Chicago’s premier weekly event for building civic technology with open data.

Vivek Mehra is the CEO and Founder of ParqEx. He’s a visionary with over 18 years of technical leadership experience as a developer, architect, CTO, Director and Founder. Mehra has earned Masters degrees in Information Systems and Management from University of Illinois-Chicago and University of South Carolina, respectively.

He is particularly strong at introducing proven tools, methodologies and processes that have slashed development times, improved quality and increased internal/external customer satisfaction.

Mehra’s deep technical expertise and and hands-on experience architecting and building technology solutions has lead him to two successful startup exits and high-level positions at Fortune 500 Companies.

Mehra hopes to transform Chicago’s real estate scene with ParqEx’s Private Parking Marketplace, as well as its Access+ technology that can open gates and garage doors directly from a smart phone.

Demo Companies

CRT Labs 

The mission of the National Association of REALTORS’® Center for REALTOR® Technology is to track emerging technologies that will affect real estate, educate its members, advocate for the proper use of technology, and innovate when there is a gap between what is needed and what is available. In 2015, CRT established a lab to investigate smart home/internet of things devices, renewable energy, urban agriculture and building materials, as well as any other emerging technologies as they become evident. CRT is working with NGOs, vendors, national laboratories, universities and government agencies to help promote NAR as an agent for technology research and innovation.

DataMade

DataMade was born out of Chicago’s Open Government community. In 2011, Derek and Forest started working on civic technology as volunteers of Open City. At nights and over weekends, they’ve helped make civic apps like Chicago Lobbyists, Clear Streets, and Second City Zoning.

In 2012, DataMade was founded to deepen and sustain the impact of civic technology.

Members of DataMade continue to prototype civic apps under the Open City banner to allow collaboration on open source projects without money or business getting in the way. When asked to re-deploy one of these apps (like Look at Cook), the work is done by DataMade and kept as open source.

DataMade also acts as the fiscal agent for the Chi Hack Night in addition to being a recurring sponsor.

SparkMeter

SparkMeter offers comprehensive low-cost metering solutions for everything from rural micro-grids to existing urban central grid utilities. Our products help make access to electricity possible in hard-to-reach places and underserved markets.

ParqEx

ParqEx – The Private Parking Marketplace – connects people with underutilized parking spots to people looking for parking in busy neighborhoods. Using ParqEx, parking owners are able to rent their parking spot(s) on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis and earn some extra cash. If you have a parking spot anywhere, you can list it on ParqEx in minutes. It’s like Airbnb for parking!

With many private parking spots being located behind garage doors or gates. ParqEx has also developed an innovative IoT solution called Access+. The Access+ system allows renters and approved users to open any garage door or gate with a click of a button on their smart phones. Implementing Access+ increases rental opportunities, improves transparency into garage usage, and provides great convenience for both owners and renters.

*Much of the information used in this blog is courtesy of Tech in Motion*

The post Tech In Motion: Smart City IoT appeared first on ParqEx.

Trying to decide which February events you should attend? Here are a few of our favorite free options in the area.

Museum “Free Days”

If you have never visited the Museum of Science and Industry, you are missing out on one amazing hall of knowledge.

Don’t miss out on the incredible experience offered by this museum. Instead, take advantage of free admission on any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday in February 2017, and explore some interesting and mind-boggling exhibits you won’t soon forget. This is one event you’ll be glad you took the time for!

Chinese Lunar New Year Parade

The Chinese New Year is a very fun and colorful holiday. Why not get in on the fun yourself by attending the Chinese New Year Parade in Chicago?

The parade will be held on February 5th, 2017 from 12pm–3pm at Archer and Wentworth Ave. It will feature eye-catching floats, live music by marching bands, and some incredible traditional dancing. What better way to start a new year?

“Neighborhoods of the World” Events

A collection of family-friendly celebrations to be presented at Navy Pier, the “Neighborhoods of the World” events are a great way to explore various cultures.

The series will begin with a China-centered event on February 12th, 2017. After that, the celebrations will be held weekly on Saturdays through the final event on March 26th. Each Saturday will focus on a different country and feature live music, traditional dancing, cultural cuisine, and crafts from around the world.

Handmade Market at The Empty Bottle

The local Handmade Market is a fun way to spend an afternoon. The February 2017 market will be held on the 11th at The Empty Bottle. It will feature the work of a number of local artists and craftspeople, all of which will be available for purchase.

While many people won’t be able to attend this adorable market without making a purchase, it can make for a free fun day out if you are able to use self-control. (Then again, what fun is that?)

Polar Adventure Days

Looking for some outdoor fun? You might want to look into the Polar Adventure Days offered by the Parks and Recreation Department.

The February Polar Adventure Day will be held on February 25th, 2017. The event is a winter exploration of the new Northerly Island Natural Area. It includes encounters with live animals, winter-themed craft projects, and free hot chocolate. This is the perfect event for kids of all ages!

Need parking for these events? 

Of course, if you are going to attend these events, you will need to consider parking. While some of the activities mentioned may have private parking available to guests, others leave you to fend for yourself. Make sure you are prepared by putting the ParqEx service to use.

ParqEx allows users to find and rent convenient parking no matter where they roam. The parking options available are owned by individuals, meaning you will receive the one-on-one service you deserve with the security of working through a bigger company.

If you are considering using ParqEx to rent parking in the Chicago area, we encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have. It is our goal to ensure you are well taken care of and have a wonderful experience using our innovative new service.

The post Five Free February Events in Chicago appeared first on ParqEx.

Unfortunately, “peace” and “kiddos” don’t always mix. After all, babies will cry, siblings will fight, and toddlers will somehow unroll the entire roll of toilet paper in the 30 seconds that you are not looking, and none of these things lends themselves well to snuggling on the couch to watch a movie. That said, a nice quiet night in isn’t impossible to find when you think outside the box and take advantage of the thriving sharing economy right here in Chicago.

Here is how to get cozy in a comfy, quiet space while still knowing the kids are happy and cared for.

Get a Sitter — The first concern of any parent is always finding a trustworthy sitter. Luckily, Chime by Sittercity makes it quick and easy to find a babysitter with great credentials and no problems passing a background check. Additionally, the app allows you to read reviews left by parents just like you, making it even easier to feel confident in your sitter selection.

Rent a Room — Step two? Finding a place to have your peaceful night in. Luckily, the sharing economy steps in again with a few different wonderful solutions.

Our personal favorite peer-to-peer room rental service is the ever-popular Airbnb, which truly earns all of the praise thrown its way. Find a nice, clean, and—most importantly—quiet place to have your cozy date night while the kids stay safe and comfortable in the familiar environment of their own home.

Find Parking — Of course, booking a room in the Chicago area does not always mean you will have parking to go along with it. For this reason, it is important to find parking before date night arrives. This will ensure you don’t waste your relaxing evening searching for an acceptable parking place.

If you are having trouble finding a spot, be sure to check out ParqEx. This peer-to-peer parking spot rental service makes finding affordable and convenient parking a simple, smooth process that will take all of the stress out of parking.

Dinner Delivered — Nobody wants to cook during their evening of relaxation, and going out for food doesn’t exactly fit the theme of a relaxing evening in. This is where Door Dash steps in to save the day.

This amazing delivery service will deliver your dinner—and dessert, if you wish—to your door from almost any local restaurant for a small fee. This means whether you are in the mood for Chinese, Mexican, or burgers, you can have exactly what you crave, without having to step one foot out the door. What could be more convenient than that?

Line Up Entertainment — Date night just isn’t complete without a bit of entertainment. Whether you and your partner prefer video games, movies, or board games, you are sure to find some great entertainment options available for rent on Zilok. This website allows individuals to rent out items they don’t use on a regular basis in order to 1) reduce the number of material things being made and bought, and 2) make it easier to afford those items you may only use once or twice.

Clearly, anything is possible with the sharing economy, even spending a night snuggling with your partner without the toddler climbing on top of you.

If you would like to learn more about the various ways these types of peer-to-peer sharing companies can improve your life, feel free to have a look around our blog.

Want to know more? Please contact us today. We are passionate about growing this wonderful thing we call the sharing economy, and we love helping people benefit from all of the amazing peer-to-peer companies out there.

The post A Peaceful Night In with the Sharing Economy appeared first on ParqEx.

ParqEx is pumped to be finalist for 2016’s “50 on Fire!”

We are 1 of just 16 B-to-C companies to make the list out of hundreds of applicants!

Chicago is one of the most diversified economies in the world, with no single industry employing more than 14% of the workforce. And this diversity extends to the city’s innovation economy, with an eclectic mix of startups, categories, entrepreneurs, enterprise tech companies, STEM organizations, universities, and more making up the ecosystem.

50 on Fire is Chicago Inno’s annual awards show, celebrating the individuals and organizations that are heating up Chicago across a variety of industries. It is a reflection of Chicago’s ecosystem at large – a collection of people and organization in a number of different roles, stages, and categories – that are, for lack of a better term, on fire. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire city to build an innovation.

ParqEx is absolutely thrilled to be one of just 16 B2C companies to be included in the prestigious list.

To read the full article, click here.

Hot spots!

Here are a few of our currently featured parking spots. Going to be in the area and need an easy place to park? Click on the spot you want. Book it. You’re a VIP.

• 5051 N Broadway: https://secure.parqex.com/parking?listingId=25498
• 2451 Howard St: https://secure.parqex.com/parking?listingId=25576
• 940 W Wilson Ave: https://secure.parqex.com/parking?listingId=25674

A ParqEx original film

Jeff & Matt: A story about the day two people became friends through parking.

Jeff & Matt were once sad. Jeff drives to the big city every day from the suburbs. Jeff gets lots of headaches figuring out where to park. Matt lives in the big city. Matt has a parking space, but doesn’t always use it.

ParqEx to the rescue! The simple ParqEx app allows Matt to rent his parking space to Jeff. Jeff doesn’t have to worry about where to park anymore. Matt makes some extra money. Jeff and Matt are now friends.

To list or find parking (and maybe a new friend), click here!

ParqEx company news bits:

ParqEx: Always expanding!
This month, Parqex signed deals with Farpoint Development and MO2 Properties.

ParqEx CEO at VentureFWD Summit
ParqEx Founder and CEO Vivek Mehra was one of an esteemed and select group of innovators and leaders to speak at the 2016 Venture for Women & Diversity Summit.

ParqEx is hiring in Chicago and Wisconsin
ParqEx is looking for leaders, including Jr. Account Executives (Sales) in both Madison and Milwaukee. See the full list of opportunities at our great company.

GAME CHANGER: ParqEx Access+

With Access+, residents and approved visitors can open the garage door from their smartphones. Garage owners can simplify management and improve control of the garage.

Interested? Learn more here!

The post In the News with ParqEx appeared first on ParqEx.

Once you decide which of the events listed below you want to attend this weekend, download the ParqEx App on the App Store or Google Play for Android and simply plug in the address of or near the event you’ll be going to. From there, you’ll see all of our parking listings close to the event that you’ll be able to rent for the entire day. It’s easy, convenient, and affordable.

Now that you’re confident with your parking situation (“confident” and “parking” used to be an oxymoron, but not anymore) here’s a list of five events you should check out in Chicago this week:

1.) Rocktober Beer Fest 

Where? West Loop, Randolph and Ogden, 1101 W. Adams St.

When? October 7-9, Friday, 5-11 pm; Saturday, 12 Noon-11 pm; Sunday, 12 Noon-10 pm

I mean, the name alone should make you want to go. There will be beer. There will be rock. There will be brats. What else do you need to know? The Rocktober Beer Fest will play on the traditional theme of an authentic German Oktoberfest. Local bands will be heard, beers will be consumed, brats will be eaten, and I will most certainly be there.

West Loop parking used to be tough; not so much anymore. Reserve a parking spot for the Rocktober Beer Fest now using ParqEx. You shouldn’t spend your weekends worrying about parking, and you won’t anymore.

2.) Chicago Cubs Playoffs 

It’s that time of year again: playoff time. Watch your Chicago Cubs Friday and Saturday at historic Wrigley Field as they face off in games 1 and 2 of the NLDS against the winner of the Giants/Mets wild card game. Yes, ticket prices are steep, so if going to a game this weekend is not in your budget, head to Wrigleyville and experience the hype from the bars. The city is excited for good reason and being in Wrigleyville during Cubs playoff games is a blast. Make sure you wear your comfortable shoes; seating inside the bars will be almost certainly hard to come by!

As you probably already know, parking in Wrigleyville is difficult, but we’re here to make it easier for you. Our private parking platform gives you access to parking spots you never had access to before. Check out our parking inventory by searching “Wrigley Field” on the ParqEx platform and reserve your spot. Don’t let parking get in the way of your Cubs game day experience.

3.) Bank of America Chicago Marathon 

When? Sunday, Oct. 9, 8:00 am

Where? Grant Park

45,000 runners will take center stage this weekend at the annual Chicago Marathon. If you’re one of them, congrats and good luck! If you’re not running, you can still be a part of the fun (because running 26.2 miles is obviously fun…). Don’t hit the snooze button this Sunday morning; head to Grant Park early and watch some of the best runners in the world compete. Have a friend running? Grab a poster, some markers, and your best cheering voice and will them to the finish line.

 4.) Alessia Cara Concert 

When? Friday, October 7, 8:00 pm

Where? Chicago Theatre

There’s a new breed of pop star seizing hold of the world’s airwaves and online—more accurately, a conscious-pop star who’s set to subversively top charts and sway hearts and minds. This enigma embodied is 18-year-old  Alessia Cara, who’s riding the refrains of her ironic anthem, “Here.” Premiered by The Fader, “Here” garnered over 500,000 total streams in it’s first week, resounding praise for its freshness and insight. Check her out this Friday night at the Chicago Theatre. Information courtesy of alessiacara.com

Purchase your tickets by clicking here!

Find parking in advance by using the ParqEx App or by checking out the ParqEx website.

5.) Rosehill Cemetery Crypt 5K Run & Walk

Where? 5800 N. Ravenswood Ave.

When? Saturday, Oct. 8, 7:00 pm

Check out fall’s most ‘spirited’ event! It’s the 5th annual 5K on the grounds of the north side’s historic Rosehill Cemetery. Run or walk on the sprawling 350-acre Victorian-era cemetery that opened in 1864. It’s by far the largest cemetery in the City of Chicago (and second largest in Illinois).

Monuments! Mausoleums! Scenic paths! And then there’s the eternal spirits who reside in Rosehill. Among them: more than 10 Chicago mayors, Oscar Mayer, John G. Shedd, Cubs’ announcer Jack Brickhouse, legendary adman Leo Burnett, Sears founder Julius Rosenwald and scores of Civil War vets are just a few of the souls who call Rosehill home.

In addition, there will also be a post run/walk party. Information courtesy of Chicago Events.

About ParqEx:

ParqEx is a technology company that connects owners of private parking spots to people looking for parking. In urban areas where parking demand is high but available options are scarce or expensive, ParqEx makes additional supply available to the driving public by listing exclusive inventory owned by local residents and businesses.

Using ParqEx, parking owners are able to make some supplemental income from an underutilized asset while renters get access to exclusive inventory in more convenient and hard-to-park locations. The ParqEx support team ensures that the entire process of listing, reserving, parking, and paying is as smooth as possible for all involved.

ParqEx has also developed the revolutionary Access+ Technology. With Access+, residents and approved visitors can open the garage door from their smartphones. Property managers and condo boards can simplify management and improve control of the garage.

Don’t have our parking app yet? Get it now @ParqEx on the App Store and Google Play!

Watch our short video to see the beauty of the ParqEx app!

The post Top 5 Chicago Weekly Events: Week of Oct. 3 2016 appeared first on ParqEx.

Parking spots are usually used for one thing and one thing only: to store a vehicle. But sometimes, people get creative and do other things with them. Like what??? The following may surprise you…

Other things you can do with parking spots besides park:

1.) Design Them: 

Who said kids these days are getting less and less creative? You can’t argue with the creativity of one student who decided to mark her territory by painting her high school parking spot. She didn’t just paint it one solid color, though, she got clever and used Drake to her advantage. She played off of Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late mixtape by painting “If you’re reading this, I’m late” on her parking space in the same font. Here spot went viral on social media.

Click here to check out the design! So cool!

2.) Use them to Create Awareness and Do Good 

It’s often times frustrating to pull into a parking spot, later to see a sign in front of you that reads “Private Parking. Violators Will Be Towed,” or something of that nature. The small town of Warren, Ohio created even more parking spaces that you can’t park in, but for good reason. The Ohio town of just over 40,000 residents has created purple parking spaces that only wounded veterans can park in; wounded veterans who have earned a Purple Heart.

3.) Live in Them

This Google employee, Brandon, moved from Massachusetts to San Francisco and didn’t want to pay for overpriced housing in the Bay Area. Instead, he created a less expensive living situation. According to Business Insider, Brandon said the following, “I realized I was paying an exorbitant amount of money for the apartment I was staying in — and I was almost never home,” he says. “It’s really hard to justify throwing that kind of money away. You’re essentially burning it — you’re not putting equity in anything and you’re not building it up for a future — and that was really hard for me to reconcile.”

4.) Sell Them 

Have a parking spot you’re not always using? List it on the ParqEx platform and make easy money. ParqEx uses the sharing economy to help parking spot owners list their underutilized parking spots – from there, renters can buy your spot either daily, weekly or monthly. Not only are you making money, but you’re providing community members and visitors with available parking that wasn’t previously available. Make money and help the community? Hell yes. It’s a win-win scenario.

About ParqEx:

ParqEx is a technology company that connects owners of private parking spots to people looking for parking. We specialize in hard-to-park neighborhoods like West Loop Parking. In urban areas where parking demand is high but available options are scarce or expensive, ParqEx makes additional supply available to the driving public by listing exclusive inventory owned by local residents and businesses.

Using ParqEx, parking owners are able to make some supplemental income from an underutilized asset while renters get access to exclusive inventory in more convenient and hard-to-park locations. The ParqEx support team ensures that the entire process of listing, reserving, parking, and paying is as smooth as possible for all involved.

ParqEx has also developed the revolutionary Access+ Technology. With Access+, residents and approved visitors can open the garage door from their smartphones. Property managers and condo boards can simplify management and improve control of the garage.

Don’t have our parking app yet? Get it now @ParqEx on the App Store and Google Play!

Watch our short video to see the beauty of the ParqEx app!

The post Parking Isn’t Always Frustrating appeared first on ParqEx.

It’s a lose-lose situation. Staying in the spot leads to worrying whether your car will be there when you return while leaving the spot leads to circling the West Loop for 20 more minutes with no end in sight. Bleh, I’ll pass on both options. This is where ParqEx comes to the rescue (kind of like when Buzz Lightyear saves Woody from an unscrupulous toy collector – a friend helping a friend out of a bad situation).

ParqEx connects owners of private parking spots to people looking for parking which will solve the urban parking problem. The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) further validates ParqEx’s mission. Parking is a problem that can be solved. According to CNT’s journal titled Stalled Out: How Empty Parking Spaces Diminish Neighborhood Affordability, there are more parking spaces available than parking spaces demanded. So if this is the case, why is it so dang hard to find parking? Because many of the spaces available are not accessible to the general public – spaces in private lots that are sitting vacant. According to the journal, parking spaces in Chicago can cost upwards of $37,300 to build, while about 1/3 of these spots are sitting vacant in an indoor residential private parking garage. Someone has to cover the cost of these spots and it’s usually people like me and you — people who rent apartments/condos.

While these spots remain unused, you just spent money on them. Your rent is $1300/month instead of $1150/month because your money is being used to cover the costs of unused spaces. Yeah, I’m not happy about it either. Good news: we can change this, and the folks at ParqEx are doing just that by making these unused parking spaces available to more and more people. By doing so, drivers can more easily find available parking without wasting their time, and building owners generate revenue by listing unused spots on the ParqEx platform. This cycle leads to more affordable neighborhoods and more available parking, turning a lose-lose situation into a win-win.

Now that we have your attention, we’d love for you to read more about the parking problem and how it can be solved. The Center for Neighborhood Technology has written an amazing journal that you can read by clicking HERE!

About ParqEx:

ParqEx is a technology company that connects owners of private parking spots to people looking for parking. In urban areas where parking demand is high but available options are scarce or expensive, ParqEx makes additional supply available to the driving public by listing exclusive inventory owned by local residents and businesses.

Using ParqEx, parking owners are able to make some supplemental income from an underutilized asset while renters get access to exclusive inventory in more convenient and hard-to-park locations. The ParqEx support team ensures that the entire process of listing, reserving, parking, and paying is as smooth as possible for all involved.

ParqEx has also developed the revolutionary Access+ Technology. With Access+, residents and approved visitors can open the garage door from their smartphones. Property managers and condo boards can simplify management and improve control of the garage.

Don’t have our parking app yet? Get it now @ParqEx on the App Store and Google Play!

Watch our short video to see the beauty of the ParqEx app!

The post Unused Parking Spots are Making Your Neighborhood Expensive appeared first on ParqEx.

While the main goal for the season has yet to be achieved, Cubs manager, Joe Maddon, wants his players to celebrate winning the National League Central Division. And why not? Just because you didn’t yet reach your end goal doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate lesser accomplishments along the way; so pop the champagne, boys, you deserve it. And you do too, fan reading this blog, because you’ve devoted many hours to the 2016 regular season.

While the Cubs were hoping to clinch the division by beating Milwaukee last night at Wrigley Field, their comeback effort fell short, and W flags were not flown. Resale ticket values were off the charts before the game, with standing room only tickets selling for upwards of $100 and bleacher seats even more. Unfortunately, Cubs fans who bought tickets at inflated prices in hopes to see a huge Cubs celebration took the el train home feeling a bit unfulfilled. For good reason.

“It would have been wonderful to do that for the fans right there,” Maddon told ESPN. “We were unable to do so. That’s part of the uncontrollable nature of the game.”

But, it didn’t take long before the Cubs clinched the division. The Cardinals lost to the Giants on the west coast last night, which secured the Cubs division title. The Cubs plan to make-up for their lack of celebration last night by celebrating after this afternoon’s game at Wrigley Field. Bring your ponchos, Cubs fans; bubbly is likely to be sprayed into the stands. And knowing the energy, enthusiasm, and spirit of this Cubs team, there will be a lot of it.

If you’re planning on heading to a Cubs playoff game, make sure you download the ParqEx App for all your Wrigleyville parking needs.

ParqEx is a technology company that connects owners of private parking spots to people looking for parking. In urban areas where parking demand is high but available options are scarce or expensive, ParqEx makes additional supply available to the driving public by listing exclusive inventory owned by local residents and businesses.

Using ParqEx, parking owners are able to make some supplemental income from an underutilized asset while renters get access to exclusive inventory in more convenient and hard-to-park locations. The ParqEx support team ensures that the entire process of listing, reserving, parking, and paying is as smooth as possible for all involved.

Watch our short video to see the beauty of the ParqEx app!

The post Chicago Sports Update: Cubs Clinch NL Central appeared first on ParqEx.

• You’ll save money. It’s simple: parking in the city using ParqEx will save you money. We all hate that feeling of spending $20 on something, later to find out that same thing was available for $10. Once you pay that $50 to park outside Wrigley Field, you’re not getting that money back after you realize ParqEx had an available spot even closer to the stadium for half the price. With parking, unfortunately there are no price adjustments or price matching. Why pay more than you should for parking when you can be spending your hard earned money on things you love; like Cubs and Blackhawks tickets. Start spending money the way you want to spend it. It’s more fun that way!

• You’ll make money. There aren’t too many things better than making money while doing nothing. If you’re already making money by sitting on the couch watching the Bears on Monday Night Football, well, here’s a way you can be making more money – and if you’re not yet as lucky as the Bears fan mentioned above, here’s where ParqEx comes to the rescue. It’s as easy as downloading the ParqEx app on your smart phone or tablet or visiting the ParqEx website and listing your parking spot on our platform. It’s like listing your apartment on Airbnb, but doing so with your parking spot. So if you’re working a 9-5 job or going on vacation for a week, list your parking spot on ParqEx daily, weekly, or monthly and start earning the money you deserve.

• You’re caring about your community. Parking can be frustrating. Very frustrating. Why? Because there always seems to be WAAAY more cars looking for parking than parking spots available. ParqEx is solving the parking crisis by making more parking spots readily available, but we can’t do it without your help. By listing your spot on the ParqEx website or app, you can help out your community by making it easier for everyone to park – and in turn, these people can spend more time doing what they want to do in your city.

• Believe it or not, you’ll have fun! We all know the satisfying feeling of finding the perfect parking spot. It’s usually worthy of a fist pump or a high five with the person in the passenger seat. ParqEx makes you feel that way every single time you park. Using ParqEx, you can see all of the spots available near your destination. Try to find the spot that you think is most valuable!

Whether you need a parking space for just a day, a whole week, or an entire month, or are looking to rent your space on our app, check out the rest of our site and familiarize yourself with us! We know you may have further questions, so please give us a call or send us an email if you want to chat!

The post Park Smarter, Live Better appeared first on ParqEx.