A Pentagon City parking lot is jacking up some of its monthly rates, and some residents fear that Amazon鈥檚 in the neighborhood is to blame.
Residents of the聽 (1400 S. Joyce Street) were recently informed by their landlords that their monthly parking rates were about to jump substantially if they park their cars in the nearby . Starting Jan. 1, anyone from the apartment complex parking there will pay $100 month per space, up from $65.
The parking managed by Colonial Parking, not JBG Smith (RiverHouse鈥檚 owner, the area鈥檚 dominant real estate developer and a in bringing Amazon to the area). Accordingly, RiverHouse management lamented in a letter to residents, provided to ARLnow, that it isn鈥檛 able to control such a change.
鈥淧lease rest assured that this increase was just as much a surprise to us as this is to you,鈥� General Manager Joe Mettee wrote.
Colonial Parking did not respond to a request for comment on what prompted the sudden increase. But Megan Niewold, a RiverHouse resident set to see her parking rates skyrocket, told ARLnow that she has her suspicions about their motivations.
鈥淲hen I spoke to my garage attendant, he said they were notified because they want to prepare 鈥楴ational Landing鈥� for an influx of parking needs in the future,鈥� Niewold wrote in an email. 鈥淚t sure seems like they鈥檙e rising prices for Amazon鈥檚 arrival super early, which sucks because it鈥檚 making this place unaffordable for nonprofit workers/teachers/etc.鈥�
Concerns over how the tech giant鈥檚 new headquarters, and its promised 25,000 workers, are certainly nothing new.
The company鈥檚 selection of Arlington for half a new headquarters has already spurred development activity in both and , and other such changes are surely on the way in the coming months. Though county officials are hoping a will encourage Amazon employees to opt for public transit instead, neighbors fear that the area is already facing a parking crunch, which will only be exacerbated by similar price increases.
鈥淭he belief is that because so many people take public transportation that it won鈥檛 be a problem; but for people who already live here, there鈥檚 already a problem,鈥� Crystal City Civic Association President Carol Fuller said during a town hall focused on Amazon this week.鈥滿ost of the spaces we have are only available at cost, and some street parking will disappear due to the .鈥�
The good news for people like Niewold, at least, is there are some other options. RiverHouse added in its letter that it鈥檚 knocking down some of its own parking prices for anyone frustrated with the Pentagon Row increases.
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