The driveway entrance to the Shops at Sumner Place off of Sangamore Road has reopened to traffic after a lengthy closure. A joint in the pavement was replaced, according to the property manager. Some, knowing that 3000 additional employees are being added to the federal intelligence installation across the street, grew suspicious that the venerable "Little Falls Mall" was about to add parking gates - and possibly charge or validate tickets for parking. That would likely give Regency Centers a precedent to do the same at its future Westwood Center on Westbard Avenue, so such a move would likely produce a firestorm of community criticism.
"A joint in the pavement was replaced, according to the property manager."
ReplyDeleteThe must-read blog for breaking Bethesda news, when you want to be the first to know.
7:55: You're absolutely correct - where else did you find out why the entrance to a major retail center was closed for several months with no public explanation. Thanks for the marketing blurb.
ReplyDeleteBoth Sumner Place and Westwood shopping centers provide parking for customers; there's no problem, I believe, if they provide 1-2 hours of free parking and then charge after that. Already I see a few people parking their cars in the Westwood center and walking to the bus stop. Free parking for them. It's a matter of scale; a few don't have an impact but if the ridiculous number of new apartments get built the parking will certainly be a problem.
ReplyDelete9:47: Well, it's tricky because both shopping centers have multi-tasking patrons. People drop off dry cleaning, use the ATM, stop at Starbucks for a while, then go grocery shopping. 1 hour wouldn't be enough, and if people get towed or have to pay, they'll revolt. And Regency Centers will lose traffic and profits.
ReplyDelete"1 hour wouldn't be enough [to] drop off dry cleaning, use the ATM, stop at Starbucks for a while, then go grocery shopping, and if people get towed or have to pay, they'll revolt."
ReplyDelete#FirstWorldProblems
But two hours should be enough. Calm down.
ReplyDeleteRobert Trump and Donald Dyer seem more and more similar with each passing day.
ReplyDelete"the entrance to a major retail center"
ReplyDeleteIt's not "the" entrance and it's not a "major retail center".
I worked at Sumner Place, that entrance is not the main one. That's what people use coming up from MacArthur Boulevard, sure, but everyone else uses the other entrance on Sentinel.
ReplyDeleteSimple solution. Ticketing system where you get 2 hours free without any validation. If you go to any shops, they can validate and then you get 4 hours free.
ReplyDelete