ATLANTA – Dozens of businesses along the Cascade Road Corridor in southwest Atlanta claim that city road construction is stifling their operations.
Many of the business owners joined forces with a well-known Cascade resident, Ambassador Andrew Young, in hopes of getting some much-needed help from the city.
The group had what they called a “media day” on the patio at Oretha’s By the Point.
What we know:
The businesses say they are not looking for a handout, but rather, they want equity and financial assistance like business owners got in Buckhead and Midtown.
“Do you think they would close Peachtree for one year? Community advocate Rodney Mullins asked.
Construction detours have crippled dozens of Cascade Road businesses from Interstate 285 to the West End.
The Complete Streets Project was supposed to reduce speeds, light up the roads, and widen the sidewalks, but the design did not leave enough room for fire trucks and ambulances.
What they’re saying:
It is all too much for business owners.
“They loved getting a cup of coffee from us, but they can’t get to us. They call me and say ‘20 minutes for what should be a 5-minute drive,’” Cafe Bartique owner Angela Ingram said.
“I invested over a million dollars into my vision to create jobs, creating a quality dining experience. Unfortunately, that momentum came to a screeching halt when the city of Atlanta blocked both sides of Cascade Road,” J.R. Crickets owner Trent Floyd said.
J.R. Crickets owner Trent Floyd is one of the business owners who says he’s been seriously impacted by the city’s decision to block both sides of Cascade Road. (FOX 5)
The business owners say they want a comprehensive plan for an economic recovery that includes grants, not loans.
“There are other communities that have gotten support – terminal support, financial support. Why are we two years in, and all we have been given is a loan? We are already in debt,” MoreLyfe Juice Bar owner Trinket Lewis said.
They say the city of Atlanta promised them help in the past, but only gave them an Invest Atlanta program that offered forgivable loans.
Dig deeper:
They have found a powerful ally in former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young.
“I am afraid that we have not done what needs to be done for our community, and I don’t know whose fault it is,” Young said.
The other side:
A spokesperson for the Atlanta Department of Transportation says the department has accelerated the completion of Cascade Road Complete Streets.
Due to the reconfiguration of the roadway to address community concerns, the removal of the detour was delayed from July to September.
The Source: FOX 5’s Aungelique Proctor spoke to business owners and Ambassador Andrew Young about the situation on Cascade Road.