Some Broward business owners say a plan to repair and beautify their street is actually causing financial harm to their businesses. 7’s Heather Walker investigates.
Arturo Montilla has operated “Mattress & Furniture 4 Less” in Hallandale Beach since 2013. He says his low prices have kept customers coming back for years until now.
Arturo Montilla: “Because it’s affecting my pocket right now.”
Customers aren’t visiting his store because they can’t get to it. He says road work right outside his door on Northeast First Avenue is destroying his business.
Arturo Montilla: “It’s really a mess right now.”
The work is part of a $9 million street improvement project to improve sidewalks, street parking, and landscaping. It’s being done in phases.
The first phase started in October at the Hallandale Boulevard intersection and extended about 140 feet onto Northeast First Avenue. It was completed in late July.
The second phase began a few weeks ago in front of Arturo’s store, and he says it’s already driving away customers.
Arturo Montilla: “Less traffic, fewer customers in, and fewer sales. Twenty, twenty-five thousand dollars a month. We drop it to $10,000 or less. That’s 50% less.”
Arturo’s store doesn’t have a parking lot, so customers have to find a spot on the street or at a public lot a few blocks away. Then they have to walk within feet of an active construction site just to get in the door.
Arturo Montilla: “You guys can’t even find parking to come here to the store. I got a pile of rocks here. If they can’t find me, or they see this mess, what do we do?”
Simky Afzal owns a salon in the building next door. It has a small parking lot, but because the construction took away much of the street parking, the lot fills up fast.
She says many of her older customers don’t bother coming in if they can’t find anywhere close to park.
Simky Afzal: “They call me first, and they ask me, ‘Oh, how about the parking situation? How are we gonna get in there?’ It’s like a fear for them to come here.”
The construction is now leading to a new problem. Business owner Ouri Gan says he hasn’t received mail in weeks.
Ouri Gan, business owner: “I went to the post office. People don’t even have an idea about what’s going on. Nobody has an idea!”
When the city of Hallandale Beach announced the project, it encouraged the public to keep visiting the businesses.
It started a free shuttle that circles between a public lot down the street and to the buildings affected by the construction work. Arturo claims it’s not working.
Arturo Montilla: “Nobody uses it. Regardless of what they say, it is not working because people are not using it.”
The city also offered special deals at restaurants on the street. Arturo says nothing was offered to businesses like his.
Arturo Montilla: “We’re the ones, you know, bringing the money to the economy, and then we’ve been left behind.”
We reached out to the city to ask if any financial help was available to the business owners.
A representative tells 7 News:
“We understand that construction will cause interruptions to our local businesses and will continue to work to minimize impacts…The CRA provides substantial indirect financial support through its funding of rideshare and shuttle partnerships…and business assistance programs…City staff will continue on-site reviews, stay responsive to immediate needs, and remain engaged throughout the remaining phases of construction.”
Arturo Montilla: “I think it’s not fair. It’s not fair for me, for my family, for my employees, I don’t know.”
While the work directly in front of Arturo’s store should end next month, the entire project on Northeast First Avenue will continue until early next year.
Arturo hopes he has enough money to keep his doors open until then.
Heather Walker, 7 News.
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