RTC Manager Open to 'Discounted Validation' for Merchants in Lease Negotiations

RESTON, VA — Boston Properties, the manager of Reston Town Center, is open to providing "discounted validation" to merchants during lease and renewal negotiations, a spokeswoman for the developer told Patch.

One of the chief complaints among merchants about the introduction of paid parking at RTC is that either the customers or the merchants must foot the bill for parking even though BP claims that paid parking is mainly targeted at Metro commuters who park there all day. Merchants, who met recently at Vapiano to discuss possible legal action, said that BP should offer two or three hours of free parking, which would answer the concern about all-day parking while still allowing shoppers to park free.

BP doesn't appear ready to offer that, but suggested the possibility of some sort of discount for retailers. Kathy Walsh of the Fallston Group, which represents BP, said in an email that "during lease and renewal negotiations, all retailers are eligible for discounted validation."

Walsh also confirmed that the majority -- but not all -- of the leases at RTC state that while the landlord didn't charge for parking at the time, they reserved the right to do so in the future.

Walsh claims that the paid parking system is having positive results on the capacity of the garages.

"For instance, prior to the onset of paid parking, the Blue garage was frequently at nearly 100% capacity by 10:30 a.m.; since the start of paid parking, it’s just 26.1% occupied by that time of day, allowing for more RTC visitors to utilize the garage," she said. "As the RTC Metro station becomes operational, the state-of-the-art ParkRTC system will ensure that both office workers and RTC patrons are able to not only find a parking spot, but do so quickly with enhanced wayfinding; locate their cars in a timely manner at the conclusion of their stay through the Find My Car feature; and quickly and efficiently enter and exit the garage without the hindrances of potential gate arm or ticket malfunctions."

BP has spent a lot of money on the garages, Walsh claims, investing more than $12.3 million in structural repairs, paint, elevator modernization, lighting updates, pedestrian safety measures, car charging stations and more.

Despite threats of mass merchant departures and customer boycotts, Walsh claims there's no indication that merchants are abandoning RTC.

"Not only is no one leaving due to paid parking, but tenants are renewing their leases at RTC," she said. "In 2016, 13 retailers renewed leases, and so far in 2017 two retailers have renewed and four new retail leases are in progress."

Image: Patch staff