SM LEED’s With Green Garage:

The grand opening of the new Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure took place on Tuesday, March 27, with city officials, councilmembers Bob Holbrook and Kevin McKeown, principal architect James Mary O’Connor, his colleagues from Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners and many others in attendance. It is the only Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified parking structure in the US. The design features holistic elements of green building, including sustainable building materials, photovoltaic roof shade canopies which provide all of the building’s energy needs, stormdrain water treatment and high efficiency mechanical systems. The garage has 882 parking spaces, including reserved spaces for public safety vehicles, bicycles and electric vehicle charging stations. The building includes a restaurant on the second level and ground level office space. Colorful glass panels decorate the exterior and sculptures by Mark Lere throughout the structure serve as aesthetic landmarks. photo by Margaret Molloy