Arlington Campus

 

 

Parking Update 1/22/2008

Due to ARL II construction beginning,
the Arlington surface parking lot & Hazel Hall garage
are closed.

As of early January, School of Law classes have been in session.  On January 22, the balance of Arlington students will return to campus.  The information that follows below is shared to help the Arlington Campus community find alternative parking, as well as, to give direction and assistance during anticipated parking “crunch” times – particularly during the high volume time period between 2pm and 5:30pm.  Individuals using alternative means of transportation (metro, walking, etc) to arrive on campus will experience less frustration and difficulties getting to class.

Arlington Campus Map link below

http://www.gmu.edu /departments/infoservices/ArlingtonMap07.pdf  

ALTERNATIVE PARKING OPTIONS:
GMU Foundation Building
  • A swipe/access card is required to park in the George Mason University Foundation Building (GMUF). If you have a current Arlington parking permit or when you purchase one for Spring semester (permits currently on sale at Parking Services), you can obtain a free swipe/access card from theParking Services Office located on the 1st floor of the Original Building. Arlington’s faculty, staff and student community are entitled to 312 parking spaces in the Foundation Building before 6:00pm, and 550 spaces after 6:00pm.
  • To access the GMUF parking, you can utilize two separate entrances, both off of Washington Blvd. The North entrance is located near the Giant loading dock and the South entrance is located in the alley between the Truland Building and the Foundation Building.
  • Once inside the garage, all the spaces from the B1 level and up belong to GMU except those specifically marked for retail or for a specific business. The spaces belonging to SRA are not accessible by GMU vehicles until 6pm.
  • Should GMU spaces become full before 6pm, Federal Parking  (who operates the garage separately from the University) will be able to stack park approximately another 50-60 cars.  Drivers will have to leave their keys with the parking attendant when having their vehicle stack parked.
  • Federal Parking, in conjunction with SRA, as our partners in the GMU Foundation Building,will allow Mason cars to use empty SRA spaces during the late afternoon, (3:00pm to 5:30pm).This will provide an additional 15 to 20 spaces depending on the SRA work pattern. Federal Parking staff will direct Mason vehicles into available spaces if and when available-please do not go towards this area before 6:00pm unless specifically instructed.

Directions To and From GMUF Parking

For those driving directly to the Foundation Building parking garage it is recommended that you approach the garage from the north on Washington Blvd. so you can make a right turn into the entrances. If you are driving on Fairfax Drive from I-66, you can make a left at Quincy Ave. (the Arlington Funeral Home sign is on the corner) and then make a right onto Washington Blvd. across from Washington and Lee High School. It is best to use the entrance closest to Giant by turning right at the traffic light rather than use the entrance in the alley by the Truland Building.

Pedestrian Access from GMUF to Hazel Hall

For pedestrian access from GMUF to Hazel Hall, one should exit at Washington Blvd (using the exit at the corner closest to Giant and near Mei’s Asian Bistro restaurant), turn right on Washington Blvd and right onto Kirkwood Dr.

Pedestrian Access to Original Bldg.

For those walking to the Original Building, there is a pedestrian bridge, from the GMUF building to the FDIC plaza behind the Original Building (remember there will be no access from the front of the Original Building). From the FDIC plaza one can enter the Original Building at the second floor.

Truland Building Surface and Garage Parking

  • Please note that many of the spaces on the top level of the Truland parking deck will be converted into restricted parking, such as disability/accessible and service/state vehicles. Please pay attention to the signage before parking. Garage parking has also been reconfigured.
  • 24spaces on the top level of the Truland Building deck are signed for exclusive faculty/staff use. The lower level of Truland will also be reserved for faculty/staff and only released to students right before class begins if necessary.

FDIC Building (3501 Fairfax Drive – next to the Original Bldg)

  • Monday- Thursday, after 5:30pm, parking is also available in the FDIC Building until midnight.
  • To park in FDIC Building you need a Mason parking permit as well as a Mason ID - no exceptions will be allowed.
  • Use the entrance off Fairfax Drive to access the FDIC garage. If you are arriving between 5:30pm and 6pm, it is highly recommended that you go directly to the FDIC garage to park.

Disability/Accessible Parking

  • Each of the above locations has designated accessible parking spaces. In addition, accessible parking for Arlington Original will be located in what is now the loading dock area with a new accessible entrance to the ground floor. More information will be available when that entrance nears completion.
  • The parking meters that remain on Fairfax Drive, those closest to Arlington Original and Hazel Hall, will also be designated for disability access only. A state issued disability parking placard is required and you must pay the meter. These are owned and monitored by Arlington.

Limited Visitor Parking

  • Four metered spaces in the Truland Service lot are the only general use visitor parking.
  • Special Guest spaces have been added to the Truland top parking deck.  Prior permission of Arlington Parking Services (703-993-8146) is required. 
  • Fairfax/Prince William permits are not valid at the Arlington campus.
  • Some arrangements will be made in the near future to provide departments from the Fairfax and Prince William campuses with “Arlington Administrative” permits that will let them park in a few spaces in Truland. However, even with these permits, there will be no guarantee of an available space. More information on this and the Special Guest spaces will be made available later in January.
  • The only option now for visitors or those from other campuses is to park elsewhere or use the Metro.

Metro

  • The Virginia Square stop is less than 2 blocks from campus. At the Fairfax campus, one can take the CUE bus or the Mason to Metro Shuttle to the Vienna Metro station and then take the Orange Line to the Virginia Square stop. Check the Mason Shuttles website at http://shuttle.gmu.edu for more information (including the addition of mid-day service and the new Spring semester schedule).

Additional Efforts to Assist the Campus Community

  • Parking Services staff will be on hand to give parkers Arlington campus maps (with each of the parking areas marked) as well as a public transportation information map.Additional University police and other management staff will also be on site to manage the first weeks of the semester.
  • Parking & Transportation representatives will once again be on hand to distribute Metro fare cards to students during week one and two to promote the use of Metro as opposed to driving to campus.
  • Faculty/staff can always access their Commuter Choice/Metro Check benefit which allows reimbursement up to $115/month for the use of alternative transportation. For more information, please contact transportation@gmu.edu.
  • Supervisors will be once again encouraged to permit flex time schedules that will allow staff to leave campus by 4:00pm. Human Resources will also work with the Arlington Campus on promoting teleworking and condensed work schedules to lessen the parking demand.
  • No new events will be scheduled that conflict with the late afternoon parking lot use.

                  

Via these actions, the university has added as many as 120 additional parking spaces during the 3:00-6:00pm “crunch” period the first two weeks of class. All projections indicate that, while parking remains tight, sufficient space should be available all other times during the academic week.  However, the use of alternative transportation to arrive at the Arlington campus is highly encouraged through the use of Metro, bicycling, walking, and carpooling.

The Arlington parking situation is an institutional priority and will be monitored by senior management continuously.  Your cooperation and understanding is much appreciated as the university deals with the impact of the construction of Arlington II, which will upgrade all of the programs on the Arlington Campus substantially.

The Arlington Campus website http://www.gmu.edu/arlington/ provides information about the Arlington II construction as it progresses. If you have any questions about parking at the Arlington Campus, please contact the Arlington Parking Services office at 3-8146 or email parking@gmu.edu.