NORTHVILLE — Tita Daskal knew construction was coming, but didn’t expect the scene she found outside her downtown business when she returned this week from a trip to Florida.
Orange construction barriers and caution tape line much of Main Street between Center and Hutton streets. Sidewalks remain open with easy access to businesses – Tuscan Cafe was busy, as usual – but the street is torn up, trees are cut down, and crews are working around heavy equipment.
“What a disaster,” said Daskal, longtime owner of Studio 170 on Main Street, noting the environment is dusty and her business is seeing less foot traffic. “But I’ve seen the plans and I know it’s going to be gorgeous when it’s done. Beautiful.”
The work began April 13 as part of a major downtown infrastructure project led by the Northville Downtown Development Authority and aimed at rebuilding the deteriorating clock tower island and resurfacing Main Street between Center and Hutton streets.
DDA Director Kate Knight said the improvements are designed to preserve the historic downtown while making it more pedestrian-friendly and better connected to future development.
In the short term, she also hopes to help make the project less painful for business owners.
“In Northville, we’re having what we call a real Michigan moment where it seems like there is construction on every corner,” Knight said. “It’s imperative that we continue to support small businesses and make a trip downtown.
Knight said the DDA has worked to keep pedestrian access open to all downtown businesses and is using social media to encourage people to visit.
The goal, she said, is to complete the bulk of the current work by early June.
“We have a lot of investment happening, and we know that in the coming weeks even, we’ll see some easing of some of these pinch points and we have to get through it,” she said. “Summer is very important in downtown and we’re planning the full slate of programming we’ve had for years and years at Town Square.”
Still, for some business owners along Main Street, however, the disruption is taking its toll.
At Spice & Tea Merchants, 134 E. Main St., owner Chris Raymond said business slowed almost immediately after the work began.
“We started the month off really good,” Raymond said. “And then as soon as the construction hit, we just dropped off. Yesterday I went four hours without seeing a single person come in.”
Even with nice weather last weekend – which usually means more foot traffic – business was down about 25%, he estimated.
“It’s hard to drive traffic when it’s just not appealing to come down here,” he said. “A lot of regulars have been supportive and stopping in to get what they need, but…nobody wants to deal with this.”
Kseniya Sorel, owner of Baby Baby Plus More Consignment Shop at 153 E. Main St., said the construction slowed foot traffic and caught her off guard.
“One day I came to work and it was like, ‘Oh, what’s going on? It’s closed again,’” she said. “It’s good to make it nicer, but it’s always hard to live through the construction.”
And at Northville Gear, 116 E. Main, owner Genna Davis said some customers are finding ways to navigate around the construction.
“I think people are figuring it out where to go,” Davis said. “I made some alterations and let people come to the back door and I just run it out to them.”
Still, she said, others are confused.
“Someone was just in this morning and asked if there was a water main break, still had zero idea what was going on,” Davis said.
But the sentiment was different at Dancing Eye Gallery, just outside the construction zone at 101 N. Center St., where owner Theresa Schierloh said she’s seen no shortage of shoppers.
“We’ve actually been busy,” Schierloh said. “I’m not sure if it’s because it’s just the spring weather or…if it’s all the exposure the construction is getting, but people are talking about it and I think it’s good publicity no matter what.
“It’s not dissuading people from coming downtown,” she added. “It’s a little dusty, but people are coming to check it out.”
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Dust and detours: Northville businesses navigate construction
Reporting by Laura Colvin, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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