Ulsan opens public parking complex on Design Street

A new public parking complex on Design Street in Ulsan's Samsan area has been completed, with a trial operation period running from Tuesday through July 19 before full service begins July 20. The facility was built to ease chronic parking shortages in Nam-gu, one of the city's most densely developed districts.

The project was ranked the top priority by the city's resident participatory budget committee. Construction began in September 2024 at a total cost of 26.2 billion won ($17 million), expanding an existing 240-space surface lot into a five-story above-ground complex with a total floor area of 13,370 square meters and 471 parking spaces.

The ground floor has been developed as a multipurpose space, housing a local startup complex to support small-business founders as well as Sodam Square, an e-commerce agency providing online sales channel support. Floors 2 through 5 contain the parking facility, which features an advanced parking management system to improve user convenience. An outdoor plaza has also been created on the grounds.

The project is a representative example of a community-driven, everyday-life initiative, shaped by resident participation and local demand.

"The completion of the Design Street public parking complex will go a long way toward relieving the parking crunch in the Samsan-dong area," a city official said. "We will operate it in a way that makes it easy and convenient for residents to use."