A lot

A line in a book I'm reading (Kathy Reichs' Monday Mourning) says:

"For the second time that week I pulled into a pay lot in the old quarter." My query is with 'pay lot'. Is that a parking lot?

I think it is what we Brits call a 'pay and display car-park'. The distinction is that 'parking lot' does not signify that payment needs to be made.

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

Yes, it's a parking lot, generally attended by someone you pay. A free lot would simply be called a parking lot. A parking lot with parking meters is less likely to be called a pay lot even though you would pay to park there.