Inner-ring Montgomery Bank lacks proper ADA access route to adjacent public sidewalk
As we build new buildings it is important to construct them so they are accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, many still design buildings to be reached only by automobile.
I recently noticed a fairly new Montgomery Bank on Laclede Station Rd at Watson Rd. It is certainly an attractive building with nice massing.
The problem is the building ignores the public sidewalk along Laclede Station Rd. The location is surrounded by existing homes and apartments. People do walk in the area. Sidewalks are provided for pedestrian use but some businesses, such as Montgomery Bank, design only for motorists.
If you are able-bodied you can step over the curbs and grass to reach the front door of the bank. However, if you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter you must “drive” far into the site to get to a point where you can get out of the way of cars and head toward a door. If I had the power I’d make this bank redo their site to provide an ADA-compliant access route. Good pedestrian access is the first step needed to get people to walk. I don’t expect us to go back and retrofit decades of sites and buildings. I do expect businesses to do a better job when building today.
– Steve Patterson
The sad part, to me, is that they closed down a very nice city location to build this new bank. The old facility on Hampton was housed in a beautiful bank building from ~1920?
So sue ’em! Seriously! You and I both know that the ADA is civil rights legislation, and that enforcement is done retroactively, not proactively. Since our local building and zoning officials continue to turn a blind eye to site-access issues, the only way to change things is to hit private property owners where it hurts, in their wallets. Complaining about it on a blog doesn’t change much. Having to rebuild a recently-completed project does!
You DO have the power: http://www.ada.gov/t2cmpfrm.htm
Both you and I know that the ADA is civil rights legislation, not a building code, enforced, not prospectively, but on complaint basis. Since our local building and zoning officials are either unable* or unwilling to enforce accessibility requirements, the only way to get private property owners' attention seems to be to hit them in their wallets. And once they've actually had to pay to rebuild something that they thought they'd finished, they're much less likely to do it again. One example is the new CVS at Gravois and Hampton/Germania – it does have appropriate site access, likely for exactly this reason.
*In their defense, code officials can only legally enforce what the law says. While model building codes are getting better at requiring appropriate access, most local zoning codes lag behind on site access requirements. So while a parallel effort should be happening at both the state and local levels to add accessibility requirements (see http://www.license.state.tx.us/ab/tas/abtas.htm and http://www.denvergov.org/TabId/395511/default.aspx as examples), for the forseeable future, it'll be up to individuals confronting individual property owners here to move beyond the status quo of “it's not my job” . . .
On a more positive note, the bank's website claims that:
“Treat everyone as you would like to be treated.â€
“We know it may be contrary to everything you’ve grown to know about banks, but at Montgomery Bank, every customer is treated with honesty, integrity and respect. It’s how Mr. Montgomery has always done business, and it’s the philosophy of every member of our organization. We welcome your comments and opinions, so please let us know how we’re doing.”
“CONTACT US. Let us know what we can do for you. You can reach us by phone, mail or email. We are here to help with your banking needs, and are dedicated to providing you with a more personal approach to banking.”
Please call 1-800-455-2275
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central Time
Please send correspondence to:
Montgomery Bank
1 Montgomery Bank Plaza
P O Box 948
Sikeston, MO 63801
It'll be interesting to see how they respond . . .
I called the number and was able to get an email address so I've already sent them a nice note explaining the situation and asking them to alter the site to provide a connection to the sidewalk. I've also contacted Webster Groves because the ADA is federal but walkable is local.
“Attractive building with nice massing?” How about a massive piece of crap in a vast sea of concrete. It's about as “urban” as a Hardees.
The building is fine but as you note it is set among parking in a very non-urban manner.
I guess a better solution is to wreck a couple of houses on laclede station road and then build the new building. Wait then you all would be crying about how the precious architecture has been lost.
This building was built in an empty parking lot. To me that seems like a better use of space.
Steve:
Any chance in the future you could talk to the appropriate people involved, get their responses or in this case see if they will add the proper access, then do the post? It would go a long way toward showing that 1) Problem was noted by an informed citizen 2) The company noted the problem and either gave a solution or a reason why they can't fix it. I think it gives a better feel for the real issue. It's not the president of the bank that said hey, I don't want the building to be walkable, and 90% of the builders have 0% understanding of what is on a blue print, all they look at is the pretty picture and say build that. The fault lies with the architects and city design reviewers. If you offer these people an opportunity to discuss the issue, then it becomes a full article and offers a problem/solution.
Just getting an email address for someone at the bank was a challenge but I hope now that they've received my email they will begin the process to correct the error. You can be certain I will do a follow up piece no matter what happens (or doesn't happen).
I agree only partially on your assumption of fault. As I noted earlier, if the local zoning ordinance doesn't require a pedestrian conection (which Webster Grove's does not), the city design reviewers can't simply make a unilateral decision to require one. What IS required is action by city council, to add this requirement. Whether it's championed by the planning director, an energized and informed citizen and/or a disability rights group, it doesn't really matter. But it does require someone to do something, to make a case on why the law needs to be changed, to make, in this case, Webster Groves a better place to live and work.
The same goes for architects. As one, over the years, I've been pretty diligent in making owners aware of the requirements of the ADA and ADAAG. The dirty little secret is the number of owners who don't care, don't agree with the ADA and/or simply don't want to spend the money needed to comply. My priority is to keep my client satisfied. If he or she makes an informed choice to not comply, that is their choice, not mine. And, to many, the risk of “getting caught”, especially on smaller projects, is so small that the risk seems to be insignificant. Are there architects out there that “don't know” the rules? I'm sure there are, and on those projects the owners can honestly plead that they didn't know better. But, in most cases, the opportunity to comply has been discussed, and if it's not happening, it's being done with owner's full knowledge and explicit consent. And, per the ADA, the owner does bear ultimate responsibility for compliance, including seeking out qualified consultants, if required.
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Thank you for contacting our offices with your concerns regarding our compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Beginning with our decision to build a full-service community bank in Webster Groves, we’ve been and continue to be committed to being a strong business leader and financial services provider while also being a good corporate citizen within the Webster Groves community. I’ve read with interest your concern that having a more direct access from the sidewalk along Laclede Station Road to our bank would be of benefit to our disabled neighbors. Being compliant with the provisions of the ADA is very important to us at Montgomery Bank. Though we believe we have met the standards of the ADA, we will certainly look into the idea of placing an access sidewalk on the property, as you suggest. Over the next few days, I commit to you that we will begin checking with the proper local authorities to see what needs to be done to make this possible.
Again, thank you for contacting Montgomery Bank and for your concern for the continued welfare of disabled Americans.
Sincerely,
Ken Witbrodt
President & CEO
Montgomery Bank
Thanks for posting this comment. I am a customer with Montgomery Bank and did not notice until I saw your pictures. You are awesome, Judy Lewin
Oh yeah, I think the move to the new location was a merger of several banks – one on Hampton, another Bank in Affton and I believe a third location? An employee told me this bank was built to save them overhead and total energy costs. But, OMG, how could they not notice the ADA requirments ??? Judy Lewin