The Westfield UTC mall will begin to charge customers and employees for parking after the first two hours, starting January 30.
According to the Westfield UTC Parking Services, the new parking fees were designed to free up parking, because hundreds of individuals take up spots even if they are not visiting the shopping center. Many local residents use the parking at the Westfield UTC center to run errands and make trips to facilities outside of the mall complex. Westfield UTC Parking Services is justifying these changes through research that suggests that 85 percent of its customers finish their visit within two hours.
The new parking changes will not only apply to customers but employees as well. Employees of UTC will be required to purchase monthly or daily passes if employers do not pay for them.
Guests will subsequently be charged $2 for each additional hour of parking after the first two free hours. Customers will also have the option to pay a $15 daily maximum for visits longer than nine hours.
Patrons of the Arclight Cinemas, 24-Hour Fitness, and the UTC Ice Sport Center will be able to receive validations for free parking if they exceed the first two free hours.
The Westfield UTC Parking Services states that it believes these changes will be more convenient for guests in the long run.
Jeremy Jaquinod is a Staff Writer for The Triton. You can follow him @JJaquinod