Businesses worry about impact of 900 South construction
Nov 2, 2023, 5:59 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — Phase two of the 900 South Construction Project is nearing completion but frustrations are mounting for business owners along the street.
One of the biggest concerns has been the lack of parking and access to businesses as well as signage to help customers and business owners alike get around it.
Business owners like Kristen Wolfe feel like the city hasn’t given businesses along 900 South enough support.
Wolfe owns Vintage Drift SLC near 200 East and 900 South. She said she’s seen at least two businesses close their doors since the construction project started.
“I was told at the end of June to expect construction to the end of August,” Wolfe said.
Wolfe said she saved for an extra month just in case.
“With my one month of cash reserves and then budgeting between my one-month construction timeline, I’m really left going, now what?”
She says from June to July when construction started, sales dropped 40% and it’s been that way every month since.
Some businesses have even taken to social media. Nona Bistro and Pizza Nono posted on Instagram a photo of road-closed signs blocking the entrances to both businesses, thanking customers for their continued support during construction.
View this post on Instagram
Koo De Ker, a local boutique, reposted the photo adding that the construction project has been worse for them since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wolfe agreed with the sentiment.
“It’s really hard to keep morale up,” she said. “Every day that I have a bad sales day I think, am I next?”
KSL reached out to the project engineer, Josh Willie, who acknowledged there have been some setbacks to the construction project, some of which were not communicated to businesses. However, he said there are public outreach teams assigned to this project. Willie said they’ve put a big effort into working with businesses.
As for when construction is scheduled to be done, Willie said there is a moratorium set for Nov. 17. He said pavement and parking work will be complete by then and should not impact businesses after that day. Smaller concrete projects and landscaping work will continue until next spring.
