NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Owners on Main Street say they are struggling to keep their doors open as construction blocks roadways and customers from visiting their stores.
Owner of the Odd Shop Christian Johnson says she's lost more than 50 percent of her business since work began on Main Street in September. The construction is a part of New Albany's $5.5 million Main Street Revitalization Project.
The revitalization will transform the downtown corridor on Main Street with the rebuilding of the roadway, widened sidewalks, new lighting, new traffic signals, landscaping and an updated storm water drainage system.
However, owners say all it's done so far is shut down roads and sidewalks, making it harder for customers to shop and businesses to stay open.
"We need to figure out how we're going to keep all of these small businesses here. I don't see the purpose in having a very beautiful Main Street without any businesses," Johnson said.
City officials say the project won't be done before August 2023. In the meantime, Johnson and Eureka owner Dan Hardesty say they need a quicker solution.
"My proposal would be to have some type of compensation for us to help us navigate this time," Hardesty said. "If we were to go out of business and it's a mistake that I made, whether it's mismanagement and so forth, I can live with that. But if we have to shut down for external factors that were put on us, that to me is where I feel like it's just wrong."
Councilman Josh Turner says he hears the owners' concerns, but unfortunately there isn't a solution right now. Turner says he will propose using some of the ARP funds to assist businesses during the next council meeting.
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