Skip to content
NOWCAST KOAT Action 7 News at 10pm
Coming up Soon
Advertisement

New ART landscaping causing issues for businesses

New ART landscaping causing issues for businesses
WEBVTT FOR THE ART PROJECT.SHELLY: AS ACTION 7 NEWSREPORTER KAY DIMANCHE TELLS US,THEY WORRY THE ROCKS WILL BEUSED TO CAUSE DAMAGE.KAY: AS SOON AS BUSINESS OWNERSALONG NOB HILL SAW THAT THESEROCKS WERE PUT IN THEYIMMEDIATELY GOT CONCERNED ABOUTTHE DAMAGE IT COULD DO TO THEIRSTORE FRONT.NEW LANDSCAPING FOR THE ARTPROJECT INCLUDES ROCKS THAT AREABOUT TWO INCHES, THAT'S ABOUTTHE SIZE OF A LARGE LIME.BUSINESS OWNERS SAY IT MAKESTHEM UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE THEAREA IS KNOWN TO HAVE VANDALISMISSUES.THEY THINK PEOPLE WILL USE THEROCKS TO DAMAGE THEIRBUSINESSES.AND SOME SAY IT'S ALREADYHAPPENED.>> MY SIGN HAS BEEN THERE FOR45, 50 YEARS, NEVER HAD APROBLEM WITH IT BUT NOW MY NEONON MY SIGN IS BROKEN, SO YOUTELL ME.UNLESS SOMEBODY CLIMBED UP THEREAND SMASHED IT WITH THEIR FIST. KAY: I REACHED OUT TO THE ARTPROJECT OFFICIALS AND THEY SAY
Advertisement
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.

"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.

Advertisement

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.