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Merchants gripe about Scottsdale's water, sewer work by Edward Gately - Jul. 20, 2011 10:21 AM The Arizona Republic Richie Carbajal anxiously looks forward to the day he no longer sees the waterline construction crew outside his El Molino Mexican Café in downtown Scottsdale. "Right now, our business is a third of what it would normally be," he said. "And we get comments every day - how hard it is to get here, when are they going to get done, what are they doing out there." El Molino has been in business in the Valley since 1937 and has been in Scottsdale for 27 years. It has been at its current location, the southeastern corner of Goldwater Boulevard and Marshall Way, for 13 years. Scottsdale is upgrading existing sewer and water systems in the downtown area. The city identified areas that lack adequate water flow for fire protection, project manager Vivek Galav said. Last fall, the city worked with downtown business owners and residents to develop a construction plan and work sequence, he said. It was the merchants who told the city to do the construction during the summer, he said. "Rather than doing it in the winter and impacting a lot more people and businesses, summer is the most opportune time," Galav said. But some downtown Scottsdale merchants, like Carbajal, worry the city's summer water and sewer upgrade program is cutting into their business. The ongoing project includes construction of water mains on: - Scottsdale Road between Indian School and Osborn roads. - Second Street between Scottsdale Road and 68th Street. - 69th Street, Goldwater Boulevard, Marshall Way. - Fourth, Sixth and 70th streets near 69th Street and Osborn Road. - Osborn between Scottsdale and Miller roads. The project also includes a sewer main along Marshall between Second and Osborn. Construction at Goldwater Boulevard and Marshall has upset some merchants in the shopping center at the northwestern corner of Scottsdale and Osborn, including Carbajal and John Sheppard, owner of Seville Cleaners. Both say they didn't receive any notification of the project until just before it started, and then it was with a flier that could easily be discarded. Galav said the city conducted several meetings with downtown merchants. "We also have our construction guys meet people and let them know what's going on," he said. Construction started in the area at least four weeks ago and at one point Marshall, the primary entrance to El Molino, was completely blocked, Carbajal said. "The street is being watered down now, but it wasn't being watered down before," he said. "There was so much dirt in our patio that it was unbelievable. You could wipe your hand on the counter and it would be totally full of dirt. The windows were so full of dirt." Galav said the city has tried to be accommodating to Carbajal by working on Sundays, when the restaurant is closed, as well as putting in overtime to speed up the project, cleaning the restaurant's patio and providing a flagman to ensure access. Carbajal said the city hasn't been helpful and has no idea how the project has hurt his business. "They don't know that when I flip the switch on here, if nobody comes through the door, I've still got to pay the same bills every day," he said. "People have to come in that door." Sheppard said the weak economy has taken a toll on his business and summers are always slower because people don't have as many clothes that need dry cleaning. "It's not a good time to have something else impacting your business," he said. "It's just another kind of jab in the ribs." Kelly Charveaux, co-owner of Scottsdale Bead Supply, on the northeastern corner of Goldwater and Marshall, said the construction hasn't prevented customers from reaching her business, but they have commented on the mess and inconvenience. The waterline construction along Marshall is expected to be completed in late August, Galav said. |