The View: The Verizon Switch Building

“When the Town looks good, it will always have a positive affect on tourists.”

So says Ralph Petillo, Lenox Chamber of Commerce executive in response to the new paint job on the Verizon Communication, Inc.’s Telephone Central Office Building.

When town leaders put their heads (selectmen) together with the local newspaper-the Berkshire Beacon-many things can be accomplished.

Independently, the voice of the selectmen calling for improvements to the Verizon Building is one positive move in getting the utility building cleaned up in time of this year’s Apple Squeeze.

Thus, W. David Roche, chairman of the Board of Lenox Selectmen, said he plans to “thank them by letter for what they have done and hope they will be able to do more” to help beautify our historic downtown area.

As a former member of the Lenox Historic Commission and former vice chairman of the Lenox Historic District Commission (LHDC), I have called for an upgrade to the building since 2006.

Each time it failed to accomplish our respective goals until this summer, when Verizon sought new signage from the LHDC.

As editor and publisher of the Berkshire Beacon, I spoke against the application noting that it did not serve any purpose of putting a new sign on a building that was in disrepair.

The LHDC did not want to make the upgrade and painting of the exterior part of the condition for a new sign?

The commission could hold a hearing on the status of the building noting that the sign petition might be a way to get Verizon managers to agree to an upgrade of the building. This is an historic district and different rules apply.

Meanwhile Mr. Roche wrote a letter to the company with the support of the other selectmen urging them to clean up the property and building based on complaints.

The operating company is Verizon Communications, Inc. formerly Bell Atlantic and New York New England Telephone (NYNEX) and prior to that it was New England Telephone & Telegraph.

Today Ellen Cummings regional Director, Verizon External Affairs of Marlborough, said “We are performing routine scheduled/planned maintenance on the property.”

Meanwhile, Phil Santoro, Verizon Media Relations, told the Berkshire Beacon, that they appreciate our concern and want you to know that we are in the process of making some aesthetic improvements to that property, including some new landscaping, so that it will be more visually appealing.

Again Verizon is our neighbor and with a note of appreciation, we say: thanks.

Posted by George C. Jordan III on September 19, 2013. Filed under Opinion,View from the Tower. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry