By Jason Islas
Staff Writer

December 20, 2013 -- Eight stories above the bustling streets of Downtown Santa Monica, visitors can get a glimpse of sweeping ocean vistas and panoramic urban scenes.

That isn’t the view from the observation deck of an exclusive, high-rise luxury hotel. It’s the view that greets visitors to the bayside city after they park their cars at the top of Santa Monica’s newest parking structure.

“It’s parking with a future,” declared Mayor Pam O’Connor Thursday before cutting the red ribbon in a ceremony officially reopening Parking Structure 6 after 10 months of construction.

Ribbon cutting of Santa Monica Parking Structure 6.( Mayor Pam O'Connor and city staff and officials) , Photos by Jason Islas.

She was talking about the structure’s 30 electric vehicle charging stations, with room for as many as 130 more stations as demand grows, and space for 72 bikes.

O’Connor spoke at the foot of a winding, staircase resembling a Tetris block that rose from 2nd Street near Broadway and crisscrossed the new building’s orange, red and white façade, covered in surfboard fin-like fixtures.

“It’s one of the most attractive parking structures I’ve ever seen,” said Director of Public Works Martin Pastucha.

It is certainly more distinctive than the four-story, all-white structure the City demolished to make way for the new building.

Aside from having half the number of parking spaces, the old structure was squat and cars were not hidden from the street.
 
After the mayor cut the ribbon Thursday, cars began filling up the new building. A crowd that included City Manager Rod Gould and local Peace Activist Jerry Rubin climbed the zigzagging staircase to the roof.

Along the way, members of the Morely Builders team, which handled much of the construction, stopped to point out the various features, including painted pedestrian paths.

The vibrant colors and clear signage got the seal of approval from the arts community.

Local artist and Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. Boardmember Bruria Finkel agreed with Pastucha that it was a handsome building.

Gould stood surveying the city as he looked eastward. Rubin stood closely to his left as the two chatted.

“We’ve made the most of this valuable Downtown space,” Gould said Thursday. S ee more photos