Empire Towers perimeter lift brings relief to nearby Glen Burnie businesses

After three months of road closures and disruptions, the safety perimeter surrounding Empire Towers in Glen Burnie has officially been lifted, bringing relief to nearby businesses that have struggled to stay afloat.

But while traffic is flowing again, some former tenants are still dealing with the fallout.

"It's been a nightmare," Herbert Dubose, manager of BG's Carwash, said.

"Nothing was coming down here"

Dubose alleges that business slowed dramatically after Empire Towers was evacuated in July when the building was deemed structurally unsound. Road closures surrounding the property kept customers away, forcing him to cut back on operating hours and staff.

"We used to close at five or six o'clock, but I've been closing early because nothing was coming down here, so we didn't need to stay open," Dubose said.

At one point, he said his staff dwindled from 16 employees to just four.

Now, with the safety perimeter lifted and nearby roads reopened, Dubose said customers are finally returning.

"We've been very steady today, very busy, I'm glad they opened the road up," he said.

While Empire Towers officials say the building is now stable, the disruption is far from over for some former tenants. Taylor Wach, who worked at a speech pathology practice inside the building, said the forced relocation has taken a toll on the business and its clients.

"It's just been really hard, and we've definitely lost some clients as we moved just because of how crazy the transition was," Wach said.

Additional 4-6 week recovery

According to Empire Towers, contractors will spend another four to six weeks working to recover vehicles still trapped inside the building and restore access to tenants' personal belongings. Permanent repairs to the building are planned for next year.

Businesses located in a neighboring building that was also caught within the safety perimeter are preparing to reopen.

The owner of 12 Minute Tag and Title said his business and others in the building next to Empire Towers will be able to move back in Monday. Those businesses have been shut down since Empire Towers was evacuated in July.

For Dubose, the reopening of the road marks a long-awaited turning point after months of financial uncertainty.

"I pray to God it's all over. That way I could keep some staff here and keep my customers rolling in and out," he said.