Monday, January 09, 2012

New ATM Real Eyesore on Smith Street

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It seems that every time I walk down Smith Street, I notice yet another automatic teller machine that has been installed on Smith Street. Reader J. alerted me to yet another one that was "thrown in" on the corner of Smith and Union Street.  And what an eyesore it is. 
It's bad enough that the installation looks less than professional. Even worse, a niche was cut out of the old brick wall in order to make it fit.
The Smith Union Market building is one of my favorites on Smith Street.  Yes, there are already billboards attached the side wall, but those can easily be removed in the future.  The ATM (and the hole in the wall) is way more offensive. 

16 comments:

chickenunderwear said...

I would hope they are going to put a frame around that.

Lawrence Peryer said...

I agree with your fondness for that building and frustration with the number of ATMs in general and that horrible installation in particular. I could not imaging being comfortable using that other than in broad daylight.

That said, for some of the merchants, the ATMs probably help bring extra cash. In the cases of merchants who do not own their buildings I would imagine they are one way to help combat the ever-escalating rents.

Anonymous said...

I was just reading your blog and saw the eyesore. Street ATM's are illegal. ATM machines are only allowed inside a place of business. The fact they tampered with the integrity of the building to install it is simply nuts.

Anonymous said...

I am glad other people have spotted this. Having just rennovated my house and knowing the hoops we had to jump thru to get a COO, it appalls/horrifys/confuses me that something as ill-considered as this can appear over night.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't be surprised if this was done overnight in the dark...

Anonymous said...

I saw them cutting the hole for the ATM as I was coming home from work one afternoon. Honestly the building would have looked better with just the hole.

Anonymous said...

I hardley find it offensive. Just funny. It adds quirky character to the place.

Anonymous said...

Quirky? Like a pothole with an orange traffic cone shoved inside it? Vinny owns that building. He had his ATM inside before. And he plugged a doorway up when he had the brick pointed. I think the machine was cut into that plug.
Either way it is a nasty mess. I'll show him this post and hopefully he will at least clean it up. At least.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anonymous @ 8:26 AM. Since it sounds like you know Vinny: I often pick up beer at Smith Union and I like the place. But I've always wondered what's going on in back - I get a lot of shifty looks and there always seem to be people coming in and out from back there. Poker games in the walk-in fridge?

Boerumhiller said...

This is an example of what my mother would call "happy hands at home."

Personally it reminds me of guys who urinate in public but turn their heads because that way, no one will see.

Mom said...

i wish i could "like" these comments; very amusing thread :)

Katia said...

That's a great idea. Wish blogger would introduce it.

Anonymous said...

This is awful, and illegal.
One of you "neighbors" should either inform Vinny or inform on Vinny.
Yikes. Who uses this type of ATM? If you need beer doesn't the store take your credit/debit card? The "extra cash" potential for the storeowner might be overrated.

Anonymous said...

I have know Vinny and his brother and mother when they all ran this store. Nice friendly people. Sadly vinnys brother and mother have since passed away. The machines get more business from the street. The store used to be a full on food shop with a butcher area that if you look closely you can still see the white enamel backed walls.
No reason to expose The comings and goings of Vinnys clientel. This isn't the place for it.

Anonymous said...

I showed Vinny the thread and we showed it to the idiots who were installing the huge ATM sign. They cleaned up the insulation foam but not the giant hole. The guy overseeing the work didn't say a word.
So, the ATM outside Novel Portal has the plugs and wires exposed. Any takers ?? ;)

Anonymous said...

The spray foam around the edges says it all to me.