Iona Students Deliver Parking Solutions to Mamaroneck Through City Labs Collaboration

A fruitful collaboration between the Westchester Innovation Network’s (WIN) City Labs initiative and Iona University’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation culminated in the delivery of student-led recommendations to address parking challenges in the Village of Mamaroneck’s bustling downtown.

Following an eight-week immersion into the Mamaroneck community, students from the Hynes Institute presented their findings on May 8 and proposed solutions to village officials and members of the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce.

This initiative—a key component of the Business Council of Westchester’s WIN program—is the seventh City Labs project in which students actively engaged with a local community.

Among the key proposals put forth by the Iona students were the development of a user-friendly, innovative, and state-of-the-art parking application to guide drivers to available spaces, the implementation of clearer signage directing motorists to municipal parking lots, and the designation of short-term parking zones to facilitate quick errands. Recognizing the importance of walkability, the students also suggested sidewalk widening and the introduction of a shared restaurant valet parking to ease congestion. To address traffic flow and prevent illegal turns, they further recommended the installation of a vegetated median on Mamaroneck Avenue.

“Village officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce attended the presentation and were impressed with the professional and insightful work of the students,” said Mamaroneck Village Manager Kathleen Gill. “I intend to bring the recommendations to the Village Board of Trustees for their consideration.”

Through extensive interviews and survey responses, the students gathered valuable data from business owners, shoppers, and residents.

“We aim to meld theory with practice in everything we teach. We train our students not to leap at the first solution that comes to mind, but to step back and empathize—see the world through each stakeholder’s eyes, talk to them, observe and experience their challenges firsthand, and build a nuanced understanding of the problem before crafting innovative solutions,” said Aakash Sapru, assistant professor of design thinking and innovation at the Hynes Institute.

This collaboration exemplifies the Business Council of Westchester’s efforts to connect academic expertise with real-world challenges, offering fresh perspectives and potentially paving the way for tangible improvements in the Village of Mamaroneck.

“The Business Council of Westchester is committed to fostering innovation and translating fresh ideas into tangible community benefits. The collaboration between our WIN City Labs, Iona University’s Hynes Institute, and the Village of Mamaroneck perfectly exemplifies this commitment,” said BCW president and CEO Marsha Gordon. “The Iona students have brought invaluable fresh perspectives to a long-standing challenge, and their thoughtful recommendations hold the promise of creating lasting improvements that will serve not only current residents but also future generations.”