With the rise of the on-demand economy, the need for parking lots and garages to be a space for nothing more than storing vehicles is beginning to wane. But instead of trying to phase parking lots and garages out completely, REEF Technology, the largest parking network in North America, has unveiled plans to adapt these spaces into tech-forward, urban mobility hubs to deliver on-demand goods and services.
The company, which is supported by SoftBank Vision Fund and Mubadala Investment Company, plans to leverage the high-density, high-activity location of its parking lots and parking structures to create a robust ecosystem to connect people to the goods and services they want.
See Also: Earthquake response system takes the guesswork out of seismic safety
A key component of these logistics hubs is the last-block, delivery-only REEF Kitchens. Restaurants can partner with REEF Kitchens to open and expand their businesses while also providing more food options and faster delivery at a lower cost to customers. The centralized location of the REEF hubs will help extend the reach of restaurants without burdening the restaurants’ main kitchen. Additionally, REEF has partnered with delivery services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, and Grubhub, with couriers on site so deliveries will reach customers more quickly and fresher than before.
A key component of REEF’s urban mobility hub is REEF Kitchens, delivery-only kitchens that can be leased by local restaurants to expand their reach. The hubs will offer a variety of services. REEF Technology.
The kitchens are housed in proprietary containers capable of accommodating one to five restaurant brands or concepts. Restaurants can run operations directly on contract with REEF to stage and prepare delivery-only menu items. REEF Kitchens have successfully launched in Miami and London, with plans to open several hundred more in North America and the U.K.
REEF has also partnered with electric bike and scooter rental companies, on-demand aviation businesses, and peer-to-peer car rentals. Rideshare car buffering zones, where drivers can access services like car detailing and maintenance, will exist within the hub.
REEF claims that its urban mobility hub concept will future-proof its parking structures, while also addressing many of the major obstacles all cities face: congestion, pollution, high costs for businesses to expand, and residents’ growing desire for their goods and services to be delivered quickly.
Not bad for something that, in the past, was just a flat piece of asphalt or concrete for housing vehicles.
Related Stories
Great Solutions | Aug 30, 2019
An ‘Internet of Beings’? Kinetic flooring promises more than just energy generation
Pavegen says its technology delivers a new level of human engagement in sustainability initiatives.
Great Solutions | Aug 7, 2019
Earthquake response system takes the guesswork out of seismic safety
The platform provides real-time monitoring to help avoid unnecessary evacuations and improve emergency response.
Great Solutions | Jul 12, 2019
Smart sensor maintains privacy, enhances safety in sensitive spaces
The HALO IOT sensor is designed for use in places where cameras are not welcome.
Great Solutions | Apr 9, 2019
Raising the roof is cool again
Upbrella allows for floor-by-floor building construction that is, reportedly, safer and more productive than traditional methods.
Great Solutions | Mar 12, 2019
When is wood not really wood?
Inspired by the look and cellular nature of wood, researchers create 3D-printed “digital wood” and “metallic wood” that is as strong as titanium, with the density of water.
Sustainability | Feb 20, 2019
Studio NAB’s Superfarm project creates an entire ecosystem in an urban environment
The Superfarm will go beyond what vertical farms typically produce.
Great Solutions | Feb 7, 2019
An apiary for the sanctuary
A Seattle events venue, The Sanctuary, has a roof that is literally a hive of sustainability.
Great Solutions | Jan 2, 2019
Net zero construction trailer brings health and wellness to the jobsite
As AEC firms scramble to upgrade their offices to maximize occupant wellness and productivity, Pepper Construction asks, What about the jobsite office?
Great Solutions | Dec 12, 2018
A modular, scalable mobile hospital can quickly respond to natural disasters and crises
CallisonRTKL’s design combines artificial intelligence, electric vehicle technology, and the latest in medical equipment.
Great Solutions | Nov 8, 2018
Public canopy system can be reconfigured by drones on the fly
The installation combines cyber-physical building materials constructed from lightweight carbon fiber filament with a collection of autonomous drones.