86 parking spaces
500 Walnut
Challenge:
SDC was looking to improve its list of high-end amenities for 500 Walnut by implementing an automated parking garage. SDC was seeking an automated parking system vendor who would be able to provide full support services such as 24/7 remote support and be able to be on site within a very short timeframe should the need arise, as well as a required solid track record in delivering automated systems.
Solution:
SDC selected Westfalia Technologies, Inc. to install their state-of-the-art 86-space automated parking system located in the building’s basement. Westfalia worked closely with SDC and the project architect, Cecil Baker + Partners, to ensure the parking system efficiently integrated with the building structure and maintained the ultra-luxury aesthetics where the residents interacted with the parking system in the two transfer areas located on the first floor. Opened in early 2018, 500 Walnut was the first project in the United States to utilize Westfalia’s new palletless parking system that collects vehicles directly from the two basement levels of concrete floor, allowing a high throughput when compared with pallet-based parking systems.
Fitted with Westfalia’s palletless parking system, SDC offers 500 Walnut residents a level of convenience that they cannot experience anywhere else in the city. Residents are able to drive directly up to the front door of the building without anyone ever having to get into their car, meaning no muddy shoes, nicks in doors from opening them in tight spaces and residents can safely leave their personal belongings in the car without the fear of tampering.
The palletless parking system uses Westfalia's Satellite® technology that can adjust to the length of the car's wheelbase, allowing the system to handle multiple car sizes. Drivers position the vehicle in the transfer cabin and then they, along with any passengers, answer questions on the touchscreen located immediately outside the transfer area. Once the questions are answered, the system scans the transfer area to ensure there are no people present and then lowers the vehicle to a basement level where the Satellite drives under the vehicle, clamps its wheels and transports it onto the Transfer Car (T-Car). Unlike pallet-supported systems, the system transports vehicles into the parking garage and positions them directly on a concrete deck. Building construction can be based on concrete or steel, depending on location and construction costs.
“We were drawn to Westfalia because of the positive attitude of the company and we saw that they are into an automated delivery of beverages for Fortune 500 companies. It’s very essential for those types of production lines to work, so I know that culturally they are prepared to keep a system running. In my mind, those were factors that really differentiated Westfalia from any other company and made me want to work with them,” said Tom Scannapieco, president, Scannapieco Development Corporation.
The Results
In order to deliver a system with the functionality SDC required, Westfalia adapted software, added equipment and customized various specifications within the system. The parking system at 500 Walnut is equipped with two levels and two individual T-Cars that can move within an aisle to store and retrieve a vehicle. If there is a problem with one of the T-Cars, Westfalia’s system can transfer the working T-Car from the other level to park and retrieve vehicles.
Scannapieco said, “The Westfalia team was great to work with because we felt that they were all extremely knowledgeable. I felt like I was working with programmers and engineers, rather than just sales people. Their team could directly respond to our concerns rather than having to interpret it and pass it on to the engineering department. The whole team really understood the system and its limitations and they all had the expertise to have in-depth discussions which was important to us.”
“Westfalia’s service is incomparable. One of the biggest factors in choosing an automated parking vendor for 500 Walnut was finding someone who could be on site quickly should an emergency arise. This level of availability ensures that we are never down for an extended period of time and they have been tremendous at showing up when we need them. Most of the time they don’t even need to be on site and are able to remotely solve our problems, which has been essential to this project,” Scannapieco added.
About the Customer:
Scannapieco Development Corporation (SDC), one of the Philadelphia region’s most renowned and respected developers, is widely credited for introducing a completely new level of luxury residences to Philadelphia. Targeting the ultra-high-end residential market, SDC has had the ongoing record for the past 10 years of the highest condominium sale in the city. SDC’s recent project was 500 Walnut, a 26-story tower in Philadelphia located at the corner of 5th and Walnut. The skinny, angular tower was designed by Cecil Baker + Partners and features just 35 condominium residences and an impressive list of high-end amenities that make it one of the city’s most exclusive, luxurious residential projects to date.
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