[RP TownTalk] Wachovia proposal - Gazette article

[Alan Thompson & Sarah Wayland]

It sounds like I'm not the only one confused by exactly *what* the 
council did or did not approve on Monday. :-)

http://www.gazette.net/stories/081006/portnew182605_31956.shtml

Council informally approves proposed bank
Thursday, Aug. 10, 2006

by Sharahn D. Boykin

Staff Writer

Plans for a proposed Wachovia Bank on Baltimore Avenue in Riverdale 
Park fall short of all the changes council members would like to see.

However, they include just enough revisions to allow the council Monday 
to informally approve them night.

‘‘I’m not thrilled, but I like it,” Ward 5 Councilman Gerard Kiernan 
said.

Design of the two-story building includes changes to the elevation and 
parking facility, Joe Caputo, of Potomac Development said.

He urged the council to review the revised plans and give him a sense 
of where it stands on the progress of the project.

Mayor Vernon Archer expressed concerns about the safety of customers 
using the bank’s ATM. He said lighting issues and a single drive-thru 
ATM could jeopardize pedestrian safety.

‘‘Walking into a lane of traffic is not a pedestrian friendly-ATM,” he 
said.

The bank designs do not include a walk-up ATM, but it’s something 
Wachovia might be willing to work with, Caputo said.

A drive-thru ATM is a standard component on Wachovia bank models. 
However, a stand alone ATM is not. Because a stand alone ATM would cost 
about $50,000, the bank would like to have a better estimate of the 
amount of pedestrian traffic, Caputo said.

Beyond keeping pedestrians safe, some council members have concerns 
about protecting customers from bad weather.

Ward 1 Councilman Rob Oppenheim said a canopy over the ATM would 
shelter customers from rain. It could also enhance the building’s 
façade.

‘‘We’re always looking for a great streetscape,” he said.

Ward 6 Councilman Kenneth Webb said he is positive about the design.

‘‘I think it gives the town a stylish look,” he said.

E-mail Sharahn D. Boykin at sboykin at gazette.net.

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