Where to park near Barclays Center

Since it opened to the public in September 2012, Barclays Center has fast become one of New York City’s busiest venues. Not only does it serve as the home of the Brooklyn Nets, but it also offers a variety of entertainment choices, from family-friendly shows to popular music concerts (Jay Z has been known to show up from time to time). Unfortunately, what it lacks is parking.

Barclays Center at night. via hogophotoNY.

According to Barclays Center’s website, parking is very limited and taking public transportation is strongly recommended. The city has expanded the adjacent Atlantic Avenue stop, and heavily promoted the 11 different subways lines that stop beneath the arena.

Barclays Center was originally intended to have twice as many onsite parking spaces as it does, but they were slashed from 1,000 to just 541 in May 2012. (The decision to cut parking was done with the explicit purpose of discouraging driving to events at Barclays Center, which was expected to lead to cars circling the area looking for parking and causing traffic.) Of the 541 on-site spaces, 150 are reserved for VIPs. So for a venue that holds over 18,000 people, 541 parking spaces means there could be a lot of displaced vehicles on the night of an event.

Nonetheless, Barclays Center has partnered with Click and Park, software that allows visitors to pre-purchase their parking permits online. The parking permits purchased are for spaces within a “comfortable walking distance,” estimated to be no further than 10 minutes from of Barclays Center.  A carpool discount is offered to cars with proof of three or more Barclays Center ticket-holders.

While public transportation is the most convenient in this situation, here’s what you should know if you’re attending an event at Barclays Center and need to park your car.

• The venue’s partner, Click and Park, offers parking spots ranging from .3 miles to .8 miles away at rates anywhere from $10 to over $60 (flat rate). Click and Park spaces are available for online purchase based on which event you’re attending and how far away from Barclays Center you’d like to park. HOVs, or high occupancy vehicles, are given a 20% discount. Rates vary between standard automobiles, HOVs, and SUVs. Click and Park spaces are generally available two hours prior to the start of Barclays events. You can have your permit emailed or mailed to you.
• Parkme.com lists the cheapest parking lot nearby as 297 Pacific Street, which charges a maximum of $10 per day and remains open 24 hours. This option might save you some money, but it’ll leave you nearly a mile from the venue. The site’s pro tip: park your car at Armory Parking at 172 Vanderbilt Avenue for $7-$10, then either hoof it back to Barclays, or take the C from Clinton-Washington one stop to Lafayette – almost on the stadium’s front door.
• Parkwhiz.com offers parking during Barclays Center events, ranging from $5.50-$7.00 per hour and 1.05 miles to .25 miles away.
• You can try to find street parking in nearby neighborhoods. There is free on-street parking on 4^th Avenue and surrounding side streets excluding certain weekday mornings and afternoons during street sweeping. Here is a street sweeping map for the Park Slope neighborhood.
• There are metered spots on 5^th Avenue with a 2-hour limit, and they’re free after 7 PM. Parking meters don’t need feeding on Sunday (but good luck finding a free spot on a Sunday in Park Slope).
• Some parking lots in the area have flat rates for parking during Barclays events. The lot across from the Brooklyn Academy of Music between Ashland Place and Flatbush Avenue charges $35 for basketball games and $40 for concerts or playoff games. The lot on State Street near Flatbush Avenue offers the same rates.

Some of the 11 subway lines that run to Barclays Center. via Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York.

There are an estimated 1,400 available parking spots within a half-mile of the venue in private garages, as well as 9,395 street parking spots also within a half-mile radius, but this neighborhood has always been busy, and today, traffic is through the roof. When looking for Barclays Center parking, expect to either pay more than you’re used to, or walk farther than you’d like. It takes a lot of luck to avoid both.

Tags: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, parking

Category: Regulations