Say It Ain't So: Abbot Kinney's Free Parking Is No More

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Retail therapy seekers on Abbot Kinney might want to keep that valet stand's addy handy. Construction has finally (and sadly) begun on that dirt parking lot lining Electric Avenue between Santa Clara and California Avenues, where meters will soon replace all of those gratis spots.

Our sister site Curbed first reported the city's move to squeeze more parking tickets money out of Venice shoppers back in 2009; it later noted that work was slated to finish in the fall of 2014. Last we heard, the city planned on converting the lot to 66 metered spots; word on the street is that the meters will be up and running some time this year, but city crew members tell us a finish date has yet to be confirmed.

In the meantime, gaze upon the photographic confirmation above and let us shed a collective tear.