$50 for 31 Minutes? Surreal Parking on Schuylkill Avenue

I stumbled onto the opening day of the new CHOP building next to the South Street bridge - March 20 - and then I hadn't been back until today. Progress, of a sort, had been made. There's an open-air parking lot on Schuylkill Avenue that is apparently open to the public. The first 30 minutes are free. Then 30 minutes to 24 hours cost $50.

Okay.

Who are these people?

Stop, Bill. Just report.

Here's a picture of the main building. I rather like it.

And here's the entrance to the garage that opens onto the South Street bridge.

It was open on March 20, but when I went by today, April 2, it was closed.

Not sure what's up with that. Here's what I think is the Schuylkill Avenue entrance.

If it's open, I think you get to it by going through the same entrance that gets you to the open-air lot.

Just to round out the story, here's some of the retail up on the bridge.

Here are the switch-back ramps on CHOP's version of the Spanish Steps. I think it will look nice when it's done. Have no idea how people will use it.

And here's the bridge across the railroad tracks to the Schuylkill Banks.

Here's a shot of the interior of the bridge.

And here's a view of the Schuylkill Banks extension under construction.

And that's what I have so far.