Facility Overview
Situated in the historic heart of Old Town Alexandria, the HB Parking facility at 300 N Lee St (with main vehicular ingress located at 231 Queen St) offers open-air surface parking just moments away from the scenic Potomac River waterfront. Unlike the tight subterranean decks and multi-level parking structures typical of historic Alexandria, this facility is a spacious, uncovered surface lot. Because it features an open-air design with no overhead decks, pipes, or clearance crossbeams, standard passenger sedans, oversized SUVs (such as Chevy Suburbans and Ford Expeditions), pickup trucks (such as Ford F-150s), and commercial work vans can park with ease without the clearance anxieties that plague other local parking garages.
The lot operates in a dual-capacity model: it accommodates commercial office permits during daytime business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM) and opens up entirely to public evening and weekend parkers. Visitors entering during public operational hours are free to utilize numbered bays—even those marked 'Reserved' on the asphalt—providing valuable off-street space in an area notorious for tight curbside parallel parking.
Prime Location & Nearby Attractions
The 300 N Lee Street lot serves as an ideal gateway for dining, cultural tourism, and waterfront recreation in Old Town Alexandria. Key destinations within a relaxed walking distance include:
- Torpedo Factory Art Center: Located along the waterfront just 3 blocks southeast (approx. 5 to 6 minutes on foot), featuring three floors of working artist studios and galleries.
- King Street Historic Corridor: Two blocks south (approx. 4-minute walk), offering over 200 independent boutiques, specialty shops, and celebrated restaurants such as Landini Brothers, Il Porto, The Fish Market, and Virtue Feed & Grain.
- Alexandria Waterfront Park & Marina: A pleasant 6-minute stroll (0.3 miles) to riverfront promenades, Potomac Water Taxi boarding docks, and seasonal festival grounds.
- Market Square & City Hall: Just 2 blocks away (approx. 4-minute walk), home to the historic Alexandria Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
- Historic Landmarks: Steps from Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Carlyle House Historic Park, the Lee-Fendall House Museum, and the Boyhood Home of Robert E. Lee.
- Oronoco Bay Park & Founders Park: Less than 7 minutes walking distance to expansive riverfront green space hosting outdoor concerts and cultural festivals throughout the year.
Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity
The facility is accessed directly from Queen Street (between North Lee Street and North Fairfax Street) at 231 Queen Street. Drivers can identify the entry point by the dedicated attendant kiosk and clear blue parking signage. Queen Street offers an easy, low-stress ingress compared to the heavy pedestrian foot traffic along King Street. Exiting the lot provides immediate access to North Lee or North Fairfax Streets, leading swiftly toward major regional thoroughfares including George Washington Memorial Parkway, Route 1 (Richmond Highway), and Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) for quick routes into Washington, D.C. or Maryland.
For broader transit links, the King Street-Old Town Metrorail Station (servicing both Blue and Yellow lines) is located roughly one mile west, easily reachable via the free King Street Trolley which runs every 10 to 15 minutes between the rail station and the riverfront. Multiple DASH and Metrobus routes stop along nearby Cameron and Fairfax Streets.
Facility Amenities & Key Features
- Open-Air Surface Parking: Uncovered lot design with virtually unlimited vehicle height clearance, accommodating tall vans, rooftop cargo boxes, and oversized trucks.
- Mobile Payment & Pre-Booking: Fully integrated with leading parking apps including SpotHero and ParkMobile (Zone 6010) for touch-free payment and guaranteed space reservation.
- On-Site Supervision & License Plate Monitoring: Staffed on-site during peak periods and continuously monitored via periodic license-plate-recognition sweeps.
- ADA Accessible Spaces: Dedicated accessible parking stalls positioned conveniently near entry/exit pedestrian paths.
- Well-Lit & Paved Layout: Clear asphalt striping with wide drive aisles and commercial perimeter lighting for safe evening returns.
Ideal For
- Weekend Waterfront Visitors & Diners: Anyone meeting friends or family for evening dinners, outdoor patios, or waterfront strolls in Old Town.
- Oversized Vehicle Drivers: Pickup truck and SUV drivers looking to avoid low-clearance parking garages throughout the historic district.
- Festivalgoers & Event Attendees: Convenient staging for Portside Festival, waterfront art exhibits, food festivals at Oronoco Bay Park, and Saturday morning markets at Market Square.
- Commuters & Regional Travelers: Drivers connecting with the Potomac Water Taxi toward The Wharf, Georgetown, or National Harbor.
Visitor & Driver Tips
- Mind the Daytime Office Hours: During weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, numbered spaces are restricted to office tenant permits. Ensure your arrival falls after 5:00 PM on weekdays or anytime on weekends.
- Ignore 'Reserved' Asphalt Text During Public Hours: Outside daytime commercial permit hours, all numbered spots are open to public self-parking customers holding valid sessions or permits.
- Navigate via 231 Queen Street: When entering directions in GPS navigation apps like Google Maps or Waze, setting the destination to 231 Queen St will guide you straight to the entrance gate rather than the office building's pedestrian front on Lee Street.
- Pre-Book on Busy Evenings: Old Town parking reaches capacity swiftly during warm spring and summer weekends. Booking via SpotHero or paying immediately through ParkMobile Zone 6010 prevents citations and guarantees hassle-free parking.