"Officials should have been able to anticipate what was obvious to these business owners all along: construction on this scale is more than disruptive, it is devastating," said New York Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum in a release.
Gotbaum’s office conducted a survey revealing that 90 percent of business owners along the affected area have been negatively impacted by the construction and that 33 percent believe they will have to close their businesses down before construction wraps up in 2015.
She spoke to several of the many ma and pop stores affected by the construction of the Second Avenue subway between 91st and 96th Streets, two-thirds of which blame their loss in business to more than just the economic downturn.
Second Avenue business owners banded together last summer to push legislation that would give them financial compensation for their lose in business. However, the legislation never passed.
Giuseppe Pecora is the owner of Delizia, a pizzeria located on the corner of 92nd Street and Second Avenue, right in the midst of the construction zone. He has been in business for 21 years and says that the construction is having a negative impact on his business.
He said that due to the construction, his business has gone down 7 to 10 percent but claims he’s one of the ones who hasn’t been hit so hard.
“I haven’t laid anyone off thankfully,” said Pecora.
Pecora says that he’s noticed the morale of the community and businesses go down.
“The government hasn’t offered us any help. We just need a little air under our wings. People on top don’t know what’s going on in the trenches.”
Gotbaum says that she’s not against the subway but is against the disruption to the businesses.
“I thought we were in love with small businesses,” said Gotbaum.
She called upon the Mayor, the Governor and the MTA to help, making several recommendations of how to support those affected.
Among the recommendations, she suggested that the city provide emergency grants to businesses affected by the subway construction zone. With this, businesses showing signs of trouble as a result of the construction could apply for grants to offset their business losses.
She also said that the city should help Second Avenue business owners renegotiate their leases which continue to grow despite the negative impact from the construction.
Peter Yoo was an literary editor who had to quit his job and sell everything to help his mother run her restaurant. He now works for free at the BBEEQ Asian Grill along the construction zone because his mother cannot afford to pay a cook.
He says he’s so exhausted that they’ve had to close the restaurant down one day a week.
“We’re in such a desperate state and nobody but the community is helping us,” said Yoo.
Pecora says business owners are coming up with new ideas to increase foot traffic in the affected area. They are in the midst of planning an art project, inviting artists to participate and attract attention to their businesses.
“It can do a lot for our morale,” said Pecora.
