St. Paul businesses concerned following abrupt road closure for Arcade Street construction
There are some complicated feelings surrounding a construction project on the east side of St. Paul.
Several along the route for a $30 million facelift to the area around Arcade Street and beyond say the timing has them worried and confused.
Arcade Street is where entrepreneurial dreams come true.
"We are a money service business, focused on the Latino community," Rolando Aguiliar, the owner of Los Gallos, said.
Also on Arcade is Sir Fight Club, a place where youth find strength in all ways.
"What I am doing on the outside, it's boxing, but it's better than boxing," retired boxer and club owner Cerresso Fort said.
But lately, the eastsiders feel they got a one-two punch.
"We had planned for a one-month significant impact to businesses and businesses had that in mind," Paris Dunning, executive director of East Side Area Business Association, said." And with the way it looks right now, it looks like a six-to-nine-month impact."
They say they got a last-minute notice that the streets would be closing several months early.
"We are so excited to have a new road, that's not what we are debating about. We are debating about the lack of communication and respect of these business owners," Nick Raehsler said.
Aguiliar says his customers are confused, and he's taken a big hit to his business.
"Definitely and significantly," he said.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation says it had to start early because of pipes and grant deadlines.
"I think that closure wasn't communicated as clearly as we should have communicated it in hindsight, but we did share that info as soon as the communications team knew about it," Mai Xiong with the Minnesota Department of Transportation said.
As anxiety amps up, the Minnesota Department of Transportation says it vows to keep residents up to date.
"We definitely hope not, we are gonna do our best. Everyone is aware of these closures," Xiong said, as for whether any businesses will go under.
Some business owners also asked why the streets are blocked before construction even starts. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says they are doing intermittent infrastructure work in the area and safety is key.
