New ART landscaping causing issues for businesses
"My sign has been there for 45, 50 years. Never had a problem with it, but now my neon on my sign is broken so you tell me. Unless somebody climbed up there and smashed it with their fist," said Mannies Family Restaurant Owner Joe Koury.
These rocks are a part of The Albuquerque Rapid Transit program’s new landscaping, but business owners say they don't like them because people are using them to vandalize their buildings. NOB Hill Bar and Grill general manager Tyson Putman fears his restaurant will be next.
"We have a bunch of gigantic windows lining our storefront, and these things are just big enough to break the windows," Putman said. The rocks are about two inches in diameter.
The size of a large lime ART officials said they chose the type of rocks because it would cost less to maintain and the larger rocks are less likely to find their way into the streets.
But business owners sat that's not stopping it from happening. "
We've seen them scattered around the street so we know that people are picking them up and moving them," Putman said. Now, because of the complaints, the city plans to switch them out for smaller rocks next week.