Benched

The benches outside the Vanderbilt Apartments in downtown Asheville has been removed by Roman’s deli owner Roman Braverman due, he says, to landlord and customer complaints.

Benched: Vanderbilt Apartment residents lost their bench recently; building management say it was Romans’ decision; Romans’ says building management pushed for removal. photo by David Forbes

Often used by the building’s mostly low-income, elderly residents, the benches were the last public sitting spaces left near Pack Library until they were removed several months ago.

“Building management wanted the benches gone, because they felt it was just a bad crowd of people hanging out there,” Braverman told Xpress. “We even left one, at first, that was right in front of our window, but we had numerous complaints from our customers about them trying to eat and the people just sitting around and chain-smoking all day.”

The remaining bench has now been supplanted by outside seating for the sandwich shop. Asked whether the “bad crowd” were Vanderbilt residents or came from somewhere else, Braverman replied, “probably a combination of both.”

But building manager Flora Marr tells a somewhat different story, saying, “We’ve leased that spot to the tenant, and they decided to remove the bench.”

“A lot of residents have not been happy about it,” noted Braverman, adding that he was reluctant to take the step. “I’ve had a couple of e-mails from people who were disappointed, and I have to explain that this isn’t something that we forced. We wanted to keep [the benches] out there, but the combination of the people that were out there, complaints from customers, and the building management said they were done with those benches and happy to have a reason why they should not have them out there.”

However, Braverman emphasizes that there are still seating areas for residents behind the apartments and non-customers often use the outside seating, something his business allows when not during peak lunch hours.

Benches also sparked controversy in the area in 2008, when the city removed two of them from in front of Pack Library in response to concerns about crime and the homeless. The move prompted a small protest, but the benches stayed gone. The closest one is now outside Featherheads Emporium on the other side of Haywood Street.

David Forbes can be reached at 251-1333, ext. 137, or at dforbes@mountainx.com.How

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

12 thoughts on “Benched

  1. Barry Summers

    The closest one is now outside Featherheads Emporium on the other side of Haywood Street.

    I’m bothered that people have anywhere (free) to sit downtown. I think they should take out all benches, period. And places where people sit, but there aren’t benches to remove, like those steps in Pritchard Park, maybe they should put those spike strips like they use to keep pigeons off of buildings. Or maybe just more police, to enforce a three-second rule, like in basketball. If you’re not buying something or shooting the ball, you have to keep moving.

  2. Just Me

    I can just see it now. My mom getting a ticket for stopping to sit on her walker’s seat in downtown…

  3. Barry Summers

    I can just see it now. My mom getting a ticket for stopping to sit on her walker’s seat in downtown…

    If she keeps rolling, or is buying something at an outdoor cafe, she’s fine.

  4. Jim Shura

    I’m with you Barry- the benches should be coin-operated with spring-loaded spikes and other forms of medieval punishment. A small tank of napalm over the private benches would make things clear.

  5. This might be a crazy idea. How about more benches. Say two benches per block on both sides of the street. With more people sitting the unsavory element would be diluted. More benches might also encourage the unsavory element to wander about more if they had more sitting choices.

    If the city isn’t careful the unsavory element will be littering the streets with all kind cheap plastic chairs they have to drag around with them to be able to sit down.

    Now there is a flash mob idea. Hundreds and hundreds of all kind cheap plastic chairs littering the streets of downtown Asheville.

  6. lance

    Taking benches away from retirees, with PR like that there shouldn’t be a worry about “peak lunch hours” for too much longer.

    Somebody should turn the anarchists loose on them.

  7. Betty Santos

    I love the benches.It gives the town a welcome feeling and reminds me of the good days,when people cared about each other and took the time to talk a little while.It feels like home to me.

  8. Johnny

    My wife and our two young boys will miss being accosted and intimidated by vagrants on their daily walks downtown. Put the benches back!

  9. Barry Summers

    My wife and our two young boys will miss being accosted and intimidated by vagrants on their daily walks downtown. Put the benches back!

    Oh, they’ll still accost you, they’ll just be even grouchier because they had to stand all day…

Leave a Reply to Barry Summers ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.