Business

PAID PARKING BATTLE IN RESTON IMPACTING ASHBURN

The Reston Town Center is getting push back for its new paid parking policy.

reston town center

For years, Ashburn residents have headed to the Reston Town Center for a evening out thanks to the many nice restaurants there. Now, there’s an interesting battle brewing over at the RTC over parking, and it could be having an impact here in Ashburn.

Here’s what we have gathered:

  • Back in early January, the Reston Town Center complex started charging for parking in its parking garages. It was a long planned move.
  • Apparently, many feel the system is overly complicated with visitors having to download an app to pay for parking and various restaurants in the center offering parking validation, but only for certain parking ramps.
  • It’s apparently been too much for many regular visitors. Stores in the center are allegedly reporting less foot traffic and drops in sales anywhere from 10 percent to 50 percent since the paid parking started.
  • According to media reports, the merchants at Reston Town Center have a meeting scheduled for today to discuss a possible lawsuit against the owners of the center.
  • Meanwhile, some residents of Reston are also planning a protest against the paid parking, scheduled for March 4.
  • The Ashburn connection: many people on social media have mentioned that they are now opting to head to One Loudoun for dining and shopping instead of Reston Town Center thanks to the free parking at One Loudoun.

It’s a fascinating drama unfolding at a place many of us Ashburn folks visit regularly. Or at least we used to.

Images: Reston Town Center
8 Comments
  1. Andy 7 years ago

    I’m one of those former visitors. I can find almost all the stores somewhere else and places to eat are numerous (One Loudoun is a great example). Even if they reverse the paid parking, I’ve learned too much to default back.

  2. Cherie 7 years ago

    I’m not a huge fan of these high-rise city-like shopping centers because I find them stressful, but the free parking garages were the only reason I was willing to travel to RTC. If they are now charging for parking I will definitely be avoiding this shopping center in the future.

  3. Lana 7 years ago

    I will not be going to the RTC anymore! Thank goodness for One Loudoun!

  4. Erik 7 years ago

    When One Loudoun was approved by the BoS, one of the stipulations was that One Loudoun would not charge for parking, so long as RTC did not charge for it. Therefore, now that RTC is charging, I believe that One Loudoun is allowed to charge accordingly. While One Loudoun may continue to offer free parking for business reasons, I wonder if their policies may change when construction is completed.

  5. Charlie 7 years ago

    I always thought it was interesting that they planned to charge for parking a year after Reston’s founder died. This revenue grab is the antithesis of Mr. Simon’s vision.

  6. Jeddie Busch 7 years ago

    One Loudoun is rapidly becoming a true destination for all of Northern Virginia. I am disappointed to see what is happening at RTC but they did it to themselves. The app is clumsy and complicated.

  7. Tim 7 years ago

    Greed has no limit. I hope the retailers win, sue the shit out of them. Disgusting creeps!

  8. Camillia 6 years ago

    It’s really sad. I remember when RTC was built when I was a kid and all the fun and hustle and bustle. You go during those same times today and it’s like a ghost town. If you go to Jackson’s during lunch time, they have some random employee standing awkwardly in the parking deck behind the restaurant asking anyone leaving the parking deck “Are you going to Jackson’s?. Ok, then you don’t have to pay”. It really catches you off guard. We live in Ashburn but my husband works across from RTC and has stated that many of the employees have lost interest in having lunch over there.
    RTC is a middle ground for meeting my friends who live across the DMV but now we meet in Tysons or One Loudoun; RTC isn’t even discussed as a consideration….it’s really sad.

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