Progress with a price

Downtown’s streetscape project is expected to improve both the village’s infrastructure and aesthetics, but at what price to business owners?
Owners like Carl Slomczenski, of CJ’s Lakeside Grill, aren’t thrilled with the pending project.
‘I’ve seen the plans ? they look fantastic,? said Slomczenski. ‘My only concern is the economical times right now. We’re trying to get people in our front door. [Construction] keeps some people away who just didn’t? want to get in the middle of work and congestion.?
Slomczenski says last time there was construction downtown his profits went down around 15 percent.
‘During these hard times, can we afford to lose one customer or one dollar? Some of us are right on the boarder ? we can’t really afford to lose anything.?
Bob Mason, co-owner of W.R. Mason Jewelers, says he remembers when Michigan Avenue closed in downtown Dearborn for repaving and nearly one third of the business closed. Repaving is on the list of Lake Orion’s renovations.
‘I think it’s going to really hurt business,? he said. ‘It’s going to divert people away from downtown. It might be totally necessary, but at the same time, we can’t operate without customers.?
Mason notes downtown renovations are a ‘catch 22.? Aesthetics and infrastructure are certainly important to keep people visiting downtown businesses, but renovations that improve those aspects keep people away, hurting businesses.
Slomczenski shared the same sentiments, noting a sizable amount of the project’s funding is coming from the state.
‘They’re giving good grants to boost the economy, but they have to look at both sides,? he said. ‘It’s a double edged sword.?
Tom Griffin, owner of Sparks-Griffin Funeral Home says he’s especially displeased about ‘wasteful? aspects of the new design.
‘I’ve been hollering quietly for a long time for paving Flint Street and improving this village because I have a great stake in this village, but this is absurd,? he said about bollards in the plans for pedestrian crosswalks at Flint and Broadway.
‘Let’s spend the money on the roads instead of things that aren’t going to be maintained for long. I think you’re creating a mess,? Griffin added.
Village officials are hopeful, though, that business owners and residents alike will see the benefit in renovating downtown.
‘Everybody who goes through a building project in their house has all this stuff is going on at the time, but in the end people say I’m glad I did it, I’d go through the whole thing again if I could get the result that I got,? said Village Manager Paul Zelenak.
He added, ‘We’re lucky we have a project that we’re getting a good portion of it funded through the state.?
The Downtown Development Authority (DDA) got nearly $520,000 in state grant monies for the project and it will contribute just under a million dollars of its own funds.
The source for an additional $1,136,000 needed to complete the work is still unknown. To get it, the village is looking into borrowing from their water and sewer fund or from Orion Township.
During construction, newly hired Executive Director Suzanne Perreault says the DDA will help businesses deal with potential difficulties.
‘How are we going to promote their business? How are we going to streamline any issues that they may have? Luckily, we’re not the first community to do a streetscape project and there’s a lot of really good ideas out there,? she said.
Perreault says she’s looking at organizing special events, writing a blog, creating a Website and sending a paper newsletter to the community to keep everyone in the loop on the renovations. Communication, she notes, is at the top of her list.
‘Obviously the community is going to need to know where to park, how to get downtown, how to get to their favorite businesses and what the alternate route is going to be,? Perreault said.
Some businesses might offer deliver service and later hours to keep customers coming, according to Perreault.
The DDA director says she understands concerns from business owners about tearing up downtown’s streets in a down-turned economy.
But, she said, ‘The streets are crumbling and if we wait five years until the economy turns around, the streets are going to be even worse. Doing Children’s Park, doing all of these at the same time is a cost savings. You’re going to see some efficiencies by working with the same contractor.?
Though business owners and village officials may disagree over the project’s timing, both groups encourage customers to keep coming downtown.
Slomczenski said his final thought on the streetscape subject is, ‘Patrons should frequent the business to get them through this.?