Many working remotely still have to pay full monthly rate for uptown parking

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Andrew Gadson is a banker. He usually works Uptown. He told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke he pays about $140 each month for a space close to his office.

But, like so many, he's been working remotely during the pandemic so he doesn't need the space.

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So Gadson asked the company which owns the lot -- Preferred Parking -- if it would give customers a break.

“It’s a tough situation for everyone. I believe, I think it would be fair if they try to do some type of discount, prorate your rate possibly which kind of eases the burden on individuals to pay for parking and it would still help [the parking lot businesses] have an income so to speak or revenue stream coming in,” he said.

But, he said, the company told him no and sent him an email, saying it’s still “business as usual.”

Other people who work Uptown told Stoogenke similar stories involving Preferred Parking and other companies. One said he pays $165 each month, hasn’t used the lot since early March, and the company won’t give discounts or refunds either.

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They can always stop paying and hope they get a space later -- when they come back to work Uptown -- but it’s a gamble. "You can be on a waiting list for over two years. It just depends," Gadson said.

Obviously, the companies have employees, expenses and a right to make money.

Stoogenke reached out to a few of the main ones Uptown. They didn’t respond by 2 p.m. Thursday.

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