The City of Newburgh’s Liberty Street sidewalk replacement project was originally supposed to have been completed by mid July, but delays have forced the city and its contractor to extend the project until the end of September. Those delays, have extended the headaches for the business owners along the Broadway-Liberty Street corridor.
At its August meeting, the City Council approved the extension to September 30 for Consorti Brothers Paving, contractor for the project. Delays were blamed on several issues that were literally unearthed in the excavation process. These included underground vaults and staircases from buildings in the city’s past. The delays aren’t sitting well with business owners who complain of the disruption and lack of support from the city.
Sue Young, owner of Designs by Sue at 128 Liberty Street, addressed the council at its August meeting.
“If you don’t know who I am, shame on you,” she said, adding that she has been in business for 40 years. “The hell we have been put through in the last three months has been unacceptable.”
Young complained of receiving no support from the city, and invited city officials to come and visit her in her printing shop.
“I’d love to see you in my businesses,” she said. “Come and talk to us to find out what hell we are dealing with.”
Young said later that of all of the city officials, only Councilwoman Ramona Monteverde, her local ward representative, had visited her shop recently.
“All of the businesses in that block and half block going south,” said Michele Basch, owner of The Wherehouse. “We have gone through COVID. We’re still here. It ain’t easy.”
Basch, who has also had to deal with vandalism to her storefront windows, complained of dust everywhere.
“People are eating in my outside area,” Basch said. “Everything is covered with dust.”
She suggested that it would have been easier to completely finish one side of the street before starting on the other. She reminded the council that small business in the city needs everyone’s support.
“I can tell you that we couldn’t get down there the other day to get lunch,” said Councilwoman Patty Sofokles. “It’s a big disruption for your business.”
Young said it was difficult to know how much business has been lost, since businesses were already suffering from the effects of COVID. She has kept her COVID schedule of being open only three days a week. She first heard of the project, she said, when she noticed signs posted in Spanish along Liberty Street. That was followed by the plastic netting.
“One day I walked out of our home and was completely blocked in,” Young said, adding that she had to cut her way free.
To help her fellow business owners on Liberty Street, she created several signs that say “Business is open” with arrows pointing towards the various businesses. Eventually, she said, Central Hudson volunteered to reimburse her for the signs, but goes out every day to reposition them.
To help ease some of the congestion and lack of parking, the city council has agreed to suspend alternate side of the street parking on Liberty Street, from Broadway to Renwick Street and also on Ann Street from Grand Street to S. Johnston Street, until September 30. Regular restrictions will be back in effect October 1, 2021.
City manager Todd Venning said the city will also look into securing small grants for businesses that may have been adversely impacted by the construction.