Town Of Surfside, Still In Mourning, Tries To Recover & Return To Some Sense Of Normalcy
SURFSIDE (CBSMiami) -- With 95 victims of the Surfside condo collapse now identified and a handful more missing, Surfside is still suffering, still in mourning, but slowly trying to get back to some sense of normalcy.
The Surfside restaurant, Street Kitchen, is just one business slowly bouncing back after taking a beating because of nearby street closures.
"They closed the whole street," said Street Kitchen owner David Benrey who said it was very hard for business especially coming after a very difficult year.
From dealing with COVID to the unexpected and unprecedented Surfside building collapse, business owners up and down Harding, the town's main drag, say they are still reeling.
"We are struggling," said Mau Bui of the Mai Nail Lounge. "It's very difficult to come back from the building collapse and then COVID.
While Mau Bui is hoping for some financial rejuvenation and renewal, she warns she may have to lay off some staff, telling CBS4 News not to read too much into the smiling faces of the customers being pampered with pedicures.
"It's only hit and miss. We're really not that busy," she said.
It is just moderately busy at the Surfside Community Center, which just reopened over the weekend.
It's a life saver for some.
"I think it's really nice for the kids, nice to be able to do kid things again," said one community center visitor.
But right next door, at the 70-year-old Regent Palace, there was more upsetting news about another Surfside structure.
"It was slated for redevelopment with only a handful of residents left but because building is so old it was determined there were structural issues and we're asking remaining residents to move out sooner," said Surfside Town Commissioner Eliana Salzhauer.
Because of the redevelopment plans already in place, there are only a few units still occupied but they need to go right away.
Meanwhile, the commissioner says there will be a memorial concert on the beach this Sunday night/
