Design/Consulting – Walker Consultants

NYC Local Law 55 & Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

Walker Consultants — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:17:36 +0000

Helping You Stay Ahead of Compliance

New York City’s Local Law 55 introduces major changes to parking facilities. Whether you’re planning a new garage or updating an existing one, Walker Consultants can help you understand what’s required and how to prepare—starting now.

Who Must Comply?

New or significantly renovated parking garages and open lots.
Existing public parking facilities with 10 or more spaces licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), by January 1, 2035.

What’s Required?

Owners must:

Install EV chargers or EVSE-ready infrastructure in a percentage of parking spaces.
Submit a report of compliance to renew their DCWP license (for existing facilities).
Ensure up to 60% of spaces are capable of supporting EVSE in the future.

In some cases, waivers may be granted for structural or financial constraints.

Key Dates

April 6, 2024	Law enacted by NYC Council
April 18, 2024	Signed into law by the NYC Mayor
June 30, 2026	Required City Report
June 1, 2035	Retrofit requirements must be met

What Walker Can Do

From feasibility studies to full compliance support, our experts make it easy to meet LL55 requirements—on time and on budget.

We help clients:

Conduct EV readiness assessments and structural evaluations.
Create and submit your EV compliance report.
Provide design recommendations, layout coordination, and load management strategies.
Navigate complex codes and agency expectations with clarity.

Start Now

The sooner we’re involved, the more flexibility and cost control you’ll have. Contact our team to start your EV strategy today.

Nicholas Frezza, AIA, NCARB
Director of Consulting Services

Contact Nicholas

Be Ready for Today and Tomorrow with EVCS

Walker Consultants — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:36:21 +0000

Embracing the future of transportation, offering electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) at your parking facility adds to its level of service and represents a forward-thinking commitment to sustainability and customer satisfaction. As you consider the integration of EVCS into your facilities, Walker Consultants is ready to guide you towards a greener, more efficient tomorrow.

Understanding EVCS and the Components

EVCS are essential for powering up the increasing number of electric vehicles hitting our roads. From level 1 and level 2 chargers providing standard charging options to the rapid power of DC fast chargers, selecting the appropriate charging solution is critical for catering to your needs.

Customization: Decisions and Directions

Determining the ideal mix of chargers for your parking structure involves a deep dive into your specific requirements and the electric vehicle trends among your clientele. Whether the need is in long-term parking or specialized spots for taxis and rideshares, deciding on the quantity and location of chargers requires strategic insight. We’ll help you plan for the right system, supporting your facility from inception to implementation.

Partner with us for Your EVCS Implementation

With a proven track record of assisting clients with the seamless installation of EVCS, we will lead you through this transition. Our expertise spans from evaluating your garage’s charging demands to meeting ADA standards, positioning you to lead in the adoption of green technology.

Electric vehicle charging stations are not just infrastructure improvements; they are a statement to travelers about your dedication to innovation and environmental responsibility.

Embark on this electrifying journey with us! Contact Erik Nelson, PCIP or Geoffrey Posluszny, CPP today to discuss how we can facilitate your successful adoption of EVCS.

Check out some of our EVCS projects below.

Walker Teams with Envision Architects for New Ellis Hospital Garage

Walker Consultants — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 18:20:58 +0000

Walker’s David Vander Wal was recently quoted in an article in the Daily Gazette about the construction of Ellis Medicine’s new parking garage in Schenectady, NY. The new garage will provide increased access and a safe way for everybody to approach the hospital as well as increase overall parking capacity. The New York City office is teamed with Envision Architects for this project, with Walker’s Nilay Patel as Project Manager and Vander Wal as Principal. Read The Daily Gazette’s article here. Photo: Envision Architects

Walker is Columbus, Ohio’s Healthcare Parking Expert

Walker Consultants — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:50:30 +0000

Walker Consultants is proud to work with vital healthcare providers like Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Mount Carmel Health System, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, and The Ohio State University.

Over the past 27 years, Walker has completed 36 healthcare projects in Columbus, including 10,183 spaces of parking design and restoration, as well as 17 studies of parking and mobility. Key highlights are below.

Walker’s expertise can save you time and money, and allows your patients to access the care they need as efficiently as possible.

Please give us a call to discuss your needs.

Todd Lohman, PE
Senior Vice President/Managing Director
317.842.6890
tlohman@walkerconsultants.com

Featured Projects

OhioHealth Riverside Memorial Hospital Red Garage

Now featuring a total of 1,633 spaces, the expanded Red Garage has separate ramp systems for visitor and employee areas. Walker’s services included prime design; parking planning; functional design; structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering; access and revenue control system consulting; and signage consulting.

Learn more about the Red Garage >>

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Walker designed multiple garages for Nationwide Children’s in a seven-year expansion project, including an award-winning underground garage.

Mount Carmel Health System

Walker has provided parking planning; functional design; and structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering for several structures for Mount Carmel Health System.

Walker Presents at IPMI

Walker Consultants — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 22:37:51 +0000

Geoffrey Posluszny, CPP a member of the CPMS Group located in Walker’s Charlotte office presented a webinar to the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI) on Wednesday, December 9^th: “The American Dream – A Case study – Implementing the latest Technology and the Effects of Covid-19 on PARCS”.

The presentation touched on the latest technologies including a fully automated pay-on-foot system, level-by-level parking guidance, license plate recognition, integrated valet, on-line reservations, and integration with Ticketmaster. Geoffrey discussed how the technology was selected, the RFP process, construction, installation, testing, and implementation; and explored how COVID-19 impacted the project, and how most of the contactless technologies had already been selected which can help combat the pandemic for the user.

Thanks to Geoffrey for your participation and IPMI for the opportunity.

Airport Improvement Highlights Bozeman Yellowstone International

Walker Consultants — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 16:37:04 +0000

Walker’s parking consulting for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport was recently featured in Airport Improvement magazine. “Based on the airport and rental car agencies’ needs, we evaluated multiple parking layouts before landing at the preferred alternatives,” says Kirk Taylor, director of Design in Walker’s Denver office. Read the article to learn why Taylor recommended an express ramp design for the airport’s new rental car parking structure.

Springfield Town Center Garage Renovation

Walker Consultants — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 10:00:54 +0000

THE REDEVELOPMENT OF SPRINGFIELD TOWN CENTER, Springfield, Va., posed multiple challenges: Not only did the mall need to stay open during an extensive renovation, but its aging parking garages needed to… Read more here.

The Future of Parking

Walker Consultants — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 19:32:49 +0000

No one can know what the future holds, but I am optimistic parking will play a meaningful role and not be buried somewhere with all of the buggy whips… Read more here.

Charlotte Happenings – Exciting New Projects!

Walker Consultants — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 18:54:51 +0000

There are so many exciting projects coming out of our Charlotte office. Here is glimpse at some of them!

East Carolina University

Rendering courtesy of Perkins + Will Architects

Walker is currently working for East Carolina University on three new parking structures. A 700 space parking structure for the Student Union Center is under construction and expected to open January 2018. Advanced planning is also now complete on the two additional parking structures on the ECU campus at both the Student Services center and Life Sciences center. The Student Services Parking Structure will have 560 spaces and will be located on the north side of campus. The Life Sciences Parking Structure will have 500 spaces and will be located on the south side of campus. Both projects will begin schematic design in early 2017.

Rendering Courtesy of SFCS Architects

Virginia Western Community College

Walker will start the design in February of a new 515 space campus parking structure at Virginia Western Community College. Walker had previously completed a feasibility study in early 2016. This will be the first parking structure at VWCC and will feature a unique radial shape.

Glenwood Development

Walker is the parking consultant and structural engineer of a 750-space parking structure for the One Glenwood development, a mixed-use building with hotel, office building, and street-level retail space. The parking structure is expected to be 12 levels due to site restraints.

Rendering Courtesy of Ratio Architects

Museum of Life & Science

Walker is the prime designer of a new parking structure for Museum of Life & Science in Durham, NC, located on the southwest portion of the campus adjacent to the picnic dome area. Preliminary designs are for a 390 spaces 4-level 2-bay parking structure with angled parking and has an estimated construction completion in 2017.

Rendering Courtesy of Liollio Architects

Medical University of South Carolina

Design developments have been completed for the MUSC Cannon Street Garage in Charleston, SC. It will be a 1,400 space parking structure with a 10,000 SF Public Safety Office on the ground level. Construction is estimated to be completed in early 2018.

The Dos and Don’ts of Specifying Expansion Joints in a Structure

Walker Consultants — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 16:07:10 +0000

Why Use Joints? Because Structures Want to Move!

Expansion joints are separations between structures, simply gaps, to allow them to move and reduce stresses that may occur. Often, these gaps are filled with an Expansion Joint System to fill in the void to ensure walkability, a complete building enclosure, waterproofing, and general serviceability of the structure. There are many reasons expansion joints are required such as:

Structure Size / Length
Structure Shape or Irregularities
Isolation of Dissimilar Building Classifications
Fire Separation
Thermal Movement

Joint Locations

What you need to know!

There are many different types of systems for accommodating movement gaps in structures. Expansion joints occur through all parts of a structure to provide complete separation – through floors, walls, ceilings, and roofs (interior & exterior).

Floor-to-floor
Floor-to-wall
Wall-to-wall
Ceiling-to-ceiling
Ceiling-to-wall
Roof-to-roof
Roof-to-wall
Joints are generally not required at on-grade floors
Systems may or may not be waterproof

The size of the gap should be as small as possible to fit the design movement, and the size of the expansion joint system needs to accommodate the full range of expected movements. For example, a gap may grow and shrink seasonally due to temperature changes; the joint system needs to stretch to fill the widest opening but it also must not buckle when the system closes to its smallest size. Expansion joint systems also may need cover or protect fire-stopping systems.

So, Who will help you?

How will you decide on the type and size of joint that is right for your structure? Here is the breakdown of key roles and responsibilities of your team. Engineer

Provide the expected movement
Be clear in expectations

Contractor

Engage supplier/manufacturer
Prepare joint’s blockout
Communicate when installation will happen

Supplier

Inspect the conditions
Review engineer’s data
Size joint based on data and install time

There are numerous steps to coordinate in this process so it’s important to understand clearly who will perform which tasks in this process. The entire project team needs to work together to ensure success. To start, the lead Architect or Engineer determines the style of joint system and the Structural Engineer determines locations of gaps. The Structural Engineer then provides the anticipated movements and minimum gap sizes to the construction team. Often, a full range of movements for an installation temperature need to be provided on the Construction Documents to clearly express the requirements of the system’s movements. The Contractor then reviews this information and engages the joint system manufacturer or vendor to recommend the size of system appropriate for the expected movements. It’s often helpful to have the Engineer verify the selected system for conformance with movement needs. Once a system is selected, the Contractor needs to provide an appropriate substrate for the system’s installation, but also have the system manufacturer confirm that the location is adequately prepared for installation. If everything is ready, a qualified Contractor will then install the system and it will perform well for many years. After assembling your team where should you start?

The Dos and the Don’ts…

After taking all of these items into consideration you will be well on your way to successfully incorporating expansion joints into your design! About the Author: Carl Schneeman, PE is the Director of Operations in Walker’s Minneapolis office. He has an extensive background in structural design, testing and construction. With Walker, he has led many successful new design and restoration projects ranging in size from under $100,000 to over 40 million dollars in construction cost.