Augusta businesses discuss concerns over downtown construction
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On Monday, business owners got an update on the $42 million project happening on Broad Street.
This is a multi-phase construction project with phase one, including Milledge Road and 15th Street, already underway.
The meeting follows a previous meeting held earlier this month where local businesses weighed in on the project.
After seeing the plans, business owners decided to meet alongside city officials to talk about their concerns.
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Some owners say a plan to beautify downtown Augusta could do more harm than good.
“We felt like there was a need to get together and get on the same page, have everyone express concerns,” says Penelope Ballas-Stewart, a 4th generation owner of Luigi’s.
Parking has been a huge concern. Originally, plans took the number of parking spaces from 750 to 480.
Business owners say any amount of parking lost is devastating.
“A potential solution is to convert some of these ancillary streets to one way so that we can add additional side parking,” says Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson.
The streets being considered for this change are Ellis and Reynolds.
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But parking isn’t the only concern.
“It’s the staging of these different projects with projects still happening on Green Street, on Telfair, before we move on to Broad Street,” Ballas-Stewart says.
Mayor Johnson says he understands.
“We’re going to do our due diligence to make sure that we’re going to finish a product before we move forward with an additional project,” Johnson says.
Another concern is lighting.
“Parking on Ellis or Reynolds or Jones Street certainly presents a challenge with the lighting,” says Johnson. “Make sure that all of the entertainment venues that Broad Street offers will have the ability to park and enjoy it safely.”
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The meeting wasn’t just about problems, but solutions too.
“It’s comforting to know that there’s at least communication now,” says Ballas-Stewart. “We’ve been told that plans are being revised, and some parking is being added back in. There’s just still the question as to what that exactly will entail.”
For people like Ballas-Stewart, it’s about being able to stay downtown.
“We just celebrated 75 years last and I would love to be down here another 75 years,” Ballas-Stewart says. “We don’t intend to break tradition and move out of downtown. We really hope that things can get worked out and the infrastructure will be here for us to remain.”
Many of these topics are being talked about tomorrow at the committee meeting.
Mayor Johnson says the focus is making sure everyone’s voices are heard.
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