Unlimited free parking will end next year at Westfield UTC, according to the mall manager.

Ryan Perry told a University of San Diego retail real estate conference last week that shoppers still will get the first two hours free.

Members of 24 Hour Fitness will get a third hour and moviegoers at ArcLight Cinema a fourth.

The only other local Westfield mall that charges for parking is Horton Plaza downtown.


“The biggest reason is others have been the beneficiaries of our 5,000 parking spaces for decades,” Perry said.

He did not give the hourly rates that will go into effect sometime after the first of the year.

“We were shocked at how many friends at the Irvine Co. (offices) are parking on our site,” he said. “P.F. Chang (restaurant) parks in our lot. UCSD students love to park at UTC and go to school. For that reason, we need to control parking and we’re doing it in a thoughtful way.”

Perry said it’s costing as much as $50,000 per space to build new parking structures. Westfield is spending about $600 million in new parking and expansion buildings at the 40-year-old mall.


But the company also is making room for ride-hailing services and valet parking as well as setting aside space for a new trolley and bus station.

RELATED: Westfield UTC to build apartments

× Mall operator Westfield broke ground this week on a $200 million residential development in University City to be completed by 2019.


roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley