Architecture Blog Calls Birmingham Parking Garage 'Lovely'

Despite the recent frustration of public transportation advocates — whether it was the , or federal transportation secretary Ray LaHood pulling the plug on the Woodward Light Rail system — one architecture and urban development blog is finding something to cheer about in Birmingham.

Curbed Detroit achitecture critic Kelly Ellsworth writes about parking garages in her latest column, published Tuesday. According to Ellsworth, parking garages are rarely pleasing design-wise, "most being constructed of pre-fabricated concrete panels to create the most generic of buildings."

However, Ellsworth calls Birmingham's the "lovely" noting the way the building blends in with the city's pedestrian-scaled landscape.

"The deck seems human-scale (despite its mass), organic and light," she says. "Things to love: the setback, cantilevered decks, the lanscaping. And your first two hours are free!"

The Pierce Street Garage was designed by architect Carl Luckenbach in the 1960's.

Other parking garages of note in Ellsworth post include the Henry Ford Hospital garage, the Jefferson Avenue garage in downtown Detroit and the Comerica Building at Cass and Fort.

• For more: All Riled Up Over the Most Generic Buildings: Parking Garages