Keep Parking Free at Reston Town Center

[Anonymous]

Seriously who would pay $5 to eat at Big Bowl or to grab a beer at World of Beer? Or to run into Sephora? No way would we go anymore. I can shop and eat out at the million other places that are out here in the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the perks of suburban living is free and easy parking for errands and for going to work. It's all about people's expectations.

Perhaps not consistent with a walkable urban place like RTC, especially close to metrorail. If the suburbs are going to get urban amenities like these, they will also get aspects of a more urban lifestyle.

Though with parking still free on weekends, it is not like it is going to impact errand goers that much, will it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the perks of suburban living is free and easy parking for errands and for going to work. It's all about people's expectations.

I don't know if I'd call it a perk, since acres and acres of parking lots create their own problems in a suburbanite's daily life, but yes, it certainly is one of the expected aspects of suburban living.

On the other hand, Reston Town Center is arguably urban (or urban-ish), not suburban.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the perks of suburban living is free and easy parking for errands and for going to work. It's all about people's expectations.

Perhaps not consistent with a walkable urban place like RTC, especially close to metrorail. If the suburbs are going to get urban amenities like these, they will also get aspects of a more urban lifestyle.

Though with parking still free on weekends, it is not like it is going to impact errand goers that much, will it?

I would say that Reston gets LOTS of happy hour and weekday dinner traffic. They wouldn't get either if parking weren't free.

[Anonymous]

Yep, cross RTC off our list. Won't pay for parking. This is one of the perks of the maligned burbs. If I have to live out here, at least I want the free parking!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously who would pay $5 to eat at Big Bowl or to grab a beer at World of Beer? Or to run into Sephora? No way would we go anymore. I can shop and eat out at the million other places that are out here in the suburbs.

How much do you pay at Sephora, when you run in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the perks of suburban living is free and easy parking for errands and for going to work. It's all about people's expectations.

Perhaps not consistent with a walkable urban place like RTC, especially close to metrorail. If the suburbs are going to get urban amenities like these, they will also get aspects of a more urban lifestyle.

Though with parking still free on weekends, it is not like it is going to impact errand goers that much, will it?

I would say that Reston gets LOTS of happy hour and weekday dinner traffic. They wouldn't get either if parking weren't free.

I assume Monday Properties has a reasonable idea of the likely impact of this on retail vacancies and retail rents (retailers can presumably validate, but will have to pay for the privilege). Seeing as most of the restaurants there are either high end or chains, I would guess that the rents are fairly high.

[Anonymous]

Will parking still be free up near the Harris Teeter? Which is what, a half mile walk from the heart of RTC? I keep forgetting that not walking from your car is also a suburban perk.

[Anonymous]

I would say that Reston gets LOTS of happy hour

I mean we wouldn't want people to have to walk 15 minutes back to their car right after having a drink at happy hour, now would we?

[Anonymous]

Can't RTC figure out a way to keep parking free for patrons but avoid metro parking? I mean, Tysons Corner figured it out - they added gates which stay down on the mall parking lots until 10 am so commuters can't park there. And it's actually connected to metro, so a lot more convenient for metro goers. (I don't work there, but I believe employees have a card that can open the gates to park.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will parking still be free up near the Harris Teeter? Which is what, a half mile walk from the heart of RTC? I keep forgetting that not walking from your car is also a suburban perk.

Yup. It's not just free parking that's a suburbanite's right. It's free parking right in front of your destination. If nature had intended me to walk, nature wouldn't have provided 8 parking spaces per car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't RTC figure out a way to keep parking free for patrons but avoid metro parking? I mean, Tysons Corner figured it out - they added gates which stay down on the mall parking lots until 10 am so commuters can't park there. And it's actually connected to metro, so a lot more convenient for metro goers. (I don't work there, but I believe employees have a card that can open the gates to park.)

Yep. That sounds good. And only allowing free parking for 4 hours or 6 hours would be great and stop metro freeloaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say that Reston gets LOTS of happy hour

I mean we wouldn't want people to have to walk 15 minutes back to their car right after having a drink at happy hour, now would we?

Pretty sure NO ONE is drunk after having one drink at happy hour, or even two. Lots of people also go out to dinner at RTC after happy hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say that Reston gets LOTS of happy hour

I mean we wouldn't want people to have to walk 15 minutes back to their car right after having a drink at happy hour, now would we?

Pretty sure NO ONE is drunk after having one drink at happy hour, or even two. Lots of people also go out to dinner at RTC after happy hour.

I would rather, all other things being equal, that the drivers around me who have had two drinks have also had a 15 minute walk before getting in their cars. "Drunk" or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't RTC figure out a way to keep parking free for patrons but avoid metro parking? I mean, Tysons Corner figured it out - they added gates which stay down on the mall parking lots until 10 am so commuters can't park there. And it's actually connected to metro, so a lot more convenient for metro goers. (I don't work there, but I believe employees have a card that can open the gates to park.)

Tysons doe not let anyone other than mall employees in until 10AM. Because it is a mall and the businesses there do not open until 10 AM (and other than elderly mall walkers, I doubt many people want to be in the mall before the stores open). I am not sure RTC works the same way in terms of time.