Case Study

HISTORIC MARKET DISTRICT PARKING ANALYSIS

Complex parking data collected at a market which sees upwards of 45,000 visitors a day.

The Market

Parkalytics, in collaboration with the Eastern Market Development Corporation (EMDC) and Nelson\Nygaard, undertook a comprehensive parking inventory and utilization study of Detroit’s Eastern Market, the largest public market district in the United States. Spanning over 40 acres and attracting an estimated 45,000 visitors on peak Saturdays, Eastern Market presents a uniquely complex operating environment where surface parking lots, city-operated structures, and surrounding neighborhood streets all play a critical role in accommodating demand.

While vehicles circle the market searching for a space, the market adjacent paid parking garage sits at a very low utilization rate. Parkalytics was able to integrate 3rd party data for direct comparison.
While vehicles circle the market searching for a space, the market adjacent paid parking garage sits at a very low utilization rate. Parkalytics was able to integrate 3rd party data for direct comparison.

Drones?

Using drone-based aerial imaging combined with proprietary mapping software, Parkalytics inventoried all delineated stalls and developed capacity estimates for undelineated lots, establishing a reliable baseline of parking supply. Utilization data was collected across multiple days and times, including a peak Saturday market day (6 a.m. to 4 p.m.), a secondary market day, and a non-market weekday, with full counts completed every hour. The early-morning Saturday start underscored the efficiency of drone-based methods in surveying large areas quickly and consistently, even under high-volume arrival conditions.

The combination of utilization overlays with the birds eye view from the drone helps tell the true parking story.
The combination of utilization overlays with the birds eye view from the drone helps tell the true parking story.

The results were delivered through the Parkalytics software platform and dashboards, giving EMDC and Nelson\Nygaard access to time-based parking maps, trend visualizations, and key metrics. The study provided stakeholders with a clear baseline of parking supply and demand patterns to support redevelopment and operational planning. These insights allowed stakeholders to identify when and where parking constraints occurred, recognize areas of under- or over-utilization, and plan circulation and parking management strategies that will support Eastern Market’s long-term redevelopment as a thriving and accessible destination.