[phoenixwillrise]

Originally Posted by PHX31

Most if not all of these have ground floor retail or some sort of lobby space on the ground floor. I can't think of one that has the parking portion on the ground floor up against the street (perhaps on a side street or alley). I don't think unless someone looks up above the first or second floor that any difference is apparent between a building with a parking podium or underground parking. Certainly no one would feel less safe or be dissuaded from walking if there was a parking podium 2 stories up rather than not when both have similar ground floors. They aren't great looking from slightly afar compared to a building without a podium, but it's not that big of a deal. And the tradeoff is height (and other cost factors).

Central Station will certainly look nice without a parking podium. But I may trade the look with underground parking for a podium if it were to push the building over 400 feet (again, the ground floor or two would look the same either way)...

Concur.