Henderson Street Businesses Suffer Despite Promised Growth
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The construction of three new bridges and the rerouting of the Trinity River to create waterfront property in Fort Worth promises long term business growth. But in the short term, a cluster of businesses with two restaurants and a convenience store has been cast away on an isolated island on Henderson Street, surrounded by construction. A temporary road literally detours traffic off of Henderson and around the businesses.
Normally on a Saturday, the Little Germany restaurant would have six to eight of its tables with customers. But, lately server Julie Martin has next to no one to wait on.
"It's just gotten to where it's really bad," Martin said. "And, then even on nights we've had to close at 8 o'clock when we usually close at 10 o'clock because there's no customers."
The businesses cut off from the flow of traffic have signs everywhere, pleading, begging, beseeching customers to please come in, we're open. But they're behind a wall of barricades steering up to two-thirds of their customers away.
"People call all the time to find out how to get here," said Martin. "And some of them saying they use their GPS and the GPS sends them over to Belknap to get around us."
The restaurant owners were told by the city their portion of road might be open by spring. But two months into the work, the restaurant is struggling to survive.
"It makes me feel like we've been robbed of our business," Martin said with tears in her eyes. "Robbed of all our customers. Customers that love this place."
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