Where should I park my car during Hurricane Irma? | Miami Herald

In a reversal, Marlins Park has opened its Home Plate parking garage for Hurricane Irma.

On Thursday, the baseball stadium’s four parking structures were closed to the public. Two of the garages were open to shelter emergency vehicles, while the other two were closed.

On Friday afternoon, that changed.

“We were able to do it because we had security people there,” said the Miami Parking Authority’s CEO Art Noriega, which oversees the Marlins Park garages. “We said: ‘Let’s just open it up because we had so many inquiries, we might as well.’”

The garage, the one behind home plate at Marlins Park, 501 Marlins Way, can hold up to 900 cars. The free parking will available to all people on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Other places where you can park your car in a municipal garage during the storm:

Miami Beach still had three parking garages with spaces, as of Friday afternoon. Those include:

▪ Seventh Street & Collins Ave. Garage

▪ 13th Street & Collins Ave. Garage

▪ 16th Street & Collins Ave. Garage

Miami-Dade County opened several Metrorail garages this week. As of 5:30 p.m. Friday, there were three garages that still had spaces:

▪ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (6205 Northwest 27th Ave.)

▪ Brownsville (5200 Northwest 27th Ave.)

▪ Santa Clara (2050 Northwest 12th Ave.)

Coral Gables opened all of its city-owned garages, and though it is unclear which still have availability, the map of those garages is here.

Other free parking garages, though availability is uncertain, that The Miami Herald has confirmed are open include:

Hollywood city garages

In Doral, city officials say you can park in street parking spots at downtown Doral. They do not have meters. Doral does not have municipal garages.

You cannot park at Doral CityPlace. IKEA was letting people park in its parking lots. Anywhere else you are at risk of being towed because its private property, according to Doral police.

Keep in mind that most of these parking garages won’t be responsible for any damage, theft, or vandalism that occurs. One parking garage in Hollywood was already packed two to three rows deep by Friday afternoon, making it nearly impossible to get in or out of the garage.

Miami Herald Staff Writers Joey Flechas, Doug Hanks, Alex Harris, Monique O. Madan and David Smiley contributed to this report.

If you know of a garage that is open, email spereira@miamiherald.com.