Columbia’s Downtown ATM Sparks Design Debate Amid City Compliance Issues

COLUMBIA: A Tug-of-War Over a Downtown ATM

There’s a bit of a tussle brewing in the heart of *Columbia* over an outdoor ATM belonging to Chase Bank. While most folks might think an ATM is just a simple machine for getting cash, this one has sparked a debate involving city officials, design approvals, and a contractor’s slip-up. And believe it or not, it could lead to some major changes for the bank.

The *Design and Development Review Commission* (DDRC) of Columbia has taken a hard stance, requiring Chase Bank to return to a previously approved design by swapping out the stucco surrounding its ATM. This decision comes after city officials noticed discrepancies in what was built versus what was agreed upon during the planning stages back in 2019—before the arrival of this bank.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

To understand the situation, let’s rewind a bit. According to city records, the ground floor of the six-story *Palms 1101 apartments*, where the Chase branch is situated, was initially meant to house a restaurant complete with *outdoor dining*. However, when the restaurant owner couldn’t secure a tenant, Chase swooped in to fill the space, marking its presence as the only downtown branch.

In a somewhat surprising twist, to make way for the ATM, the original all-glass facade that was supposed to attract diners was replaced with stucco. But wait! That stucco doesn’t quite fit the approved design, much to the chagrin of city planners.

The City’s Standpoint

According to Lucinda Statler, Columbia’s Planning Administrator, there’s a certain aesthetic that needs to be maintained in the city. “It just looks a little like a patch, because that’s what it was,” she stated at a recent DDRC meeting discussing the matter.

The commission firmly believes that the ATM should feature the original paneling that was approved rather than the improvised stucco. To make matters more complicated, an appeal was made by Chase’s project manager, David Counts, to simply paint the stucco a darker color, but that was denied. He argued that making any major changes could disrupt access to this busy bank branch.

Chase Bank’s Perspective

Counts estimated that any renovation would be costly and could impact customer access, especially since the ATM is right next to the main entrance. “They don’t want to have to limit customer access, and this is a very active branch,” he said, noting that the ATM is popular among locals.

Despite their best intentions, both the architect and city staff seemed flummoxed as to how the deviation from the approved design occurred in the first place without going through proper channels. Counts emphasized, “It wasn’t an intentional disregard, I can tell you that.”

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just a one-off incident in *Columbia*. The city has shown that it won’t shy away from tackling compliance issues. Earlier this year, the owners of *Time to Shine Car Wash* also found themselves in hot water when they were required to repaint their building after straying from approved plans.

Moving forward, it looks like Chase Bank will need to roll up its sleeves and adhere to the design standards that the city has set. While there wasn’t a specific deadline given during the meeting, changes will likely need to be made sooner rather than later.

For those in *Columbia*, this ongoing saga serves as yet another reminder of the balancing act between urban development and maintaining a cohesive city aesthetic. As plans unfold, it will be interesting to see how this drama over an ATM unfolds—will it lead to major changes at Chase, or simply a new design in the near future?