Modern society often assumes infrastructure like traffic signals and fuel stops has always existed to support automobiles. Parking garages represent another common solution in busy urban areas, shopping centers, and event venues. Yet the notion of multi-story facilities actually emerged before the Ford Model T sparked widespread car ownership. There was an era when such structures and extensive road networks were absent.

New York adapted old horse stables for automobiles around 1900, but London pursued purpose-designed buildings. The initial multi-story garage opened in May 1901 at 6 Denman Street near Piccadilly Circus. The National Motor Museum notes only 800 cars existed across Great Britain then, making the idea of storing one-eighth of the national fleet in one spot seem improbable.

The British Parking Association records that the seven-story building stored 100 vehicles and relied on an electric lift to shift cars between levels. Electric operation stood out because the facility came from the City and Suburban Electric Carriage Company.

City and Suburban served a notable royal client with its electric models

The firm mainly imported chassis from Columbia, an electric-car maker based in Connecticut. It added custom bodies, sold the completed cars, and supplied recharging along with driver services. The Autocar reported that Queen Alexandra purchased a two-seat Columbia victoriette from the company in the same month the garage debuted. That model offered a 40-mile range and a top speed of 20 mph. The publication noted she operated it personally and praised its simple controls. Such royal endorsements helped British firms promote products in the early 1900s.

For an emerging electric-car business, the garage served as more than a repair shop. With scant charging options elsewhere, nearly every sold vehicle returned there for power. Owners, including the Queen, could leave cars at the Denman Street site and request delivery by telephone when needed, providing reliable access similar to modern remote features.

Electric vehicles have existed nearly as long as gasoline models. Once fuel stations enabled longer trips for internal-combustion cars, early makers shifted focus to urban buyers. Limited battery range mattered less for short city use, while quiet and clean operation appealed especially to women drivers of that period.