For the past six weeks the King Plaza shopping center has been Ground Zero for South End businesses impacted by Sound Transit's 4.3 mile Link Light Rail Rainier Valley project.
Some of the businesses report that they have lost from one-half to two-thirds of their customers to a 72-inch sewer line blocking the intersection of the center at Martin Luther King Jr. Way South and South Myrtle Street.
The closest intersection and two - but not all - driveways are closed while crews dig and work to put in the huge sewer pipes. That is impacting business enough, but on at least two different occasions, the electricity was off to the shopping center, and traffic signals were also off at Martin Luther King Jr. Way and South Othello Street - the only way to get to the back entrance to the center.
Outage unrelated to construction
Sound Transit and Seattle City Light said the first outage (July 25) was unrelated to construction. City Light representative Larry Vogel said it was the result of a cottonwood tree branch contacting a 32,000 volt power line. The second outage lasted from about 1 to 4 p.m. on July 27. City Light spokesperson Sharon Bennett said crews patrolled power lines in the area and restored electricity, but never determined the cause . She did say it was unrelated to the Link Light Rail construction.
The power outage was especially worrisome to food vendors like Tammy Lee, manager of Tammy's Bakery and Deli. If an outage lasts two or more hours, she has to throw out everything. A power outage is an unwelcome double whammy on top of the impact from the construction work.
"We only have about one-third of our customers. Early in the mornings, the parking lot is empty," Lee said. "Usually, it would be full."
In the morning, people used to turn off Martin Luther King Jr. Way and stop into the bakery on their way to work. With the detours, customers don't want to take the time.
"I'll try to hold on - I cannot shut down," Lee said.
No shop left behind
Out on the boulevard itself, the construction has affected non-food businesses like Sunshine Gift and Rofi Video - which were also affected by the power outage.
"No one wants to come in. Customers complain about the traffic lights," said owner Joanne Un. "We are hurting badly."
Un said she applied for funding through the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund (CDF), but she hasn't heard back. "I am going to see them again and apply for funds."
(The CDF helps businesses cope with the economic impact of the Link project along Martin Luther King Jr. Way. According to Thao Tran, business assistance officer with the CDF, the fund has given out $6.4 million to upwardds of 100 businesses.)
"We only have about 10 percent of our customers left," said Chi Chi Wang, owner of Vina Mobile, a cellular phone store. "They complain, 'I can't get through the traffic lights or the detours. I get lost.' They call for directions but they don't come back."
Wang said she has tried advertising, giving out free accessories and "just about anything" to get her customers back - but the only thing she thinks will help is reopening the intersection at Myrtle Street, as well as access from Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
"And I'm afraid they may have to close it again," Wang said. "They already postponed construction another month."
The sewer line project is just the first major "dig" on a project that is expected to last three years.
"My biggest concern is rebuilding our customer base," said co-owner Matt Wong. "Before, this place was packed on Saturdays and Sundays, and now it's empty. In fact, we actually picked up a few customers in this power outage!"
Next door, at Khang Hoa Duong (Seattle Chinese Herbs), owner Gia Tran said business has been declining ever since construction crews closed Myrtle Street. It is one of the few traditional Chinese medicinal herb shops south of the International District.
"For two or three hours, no one comes in," Tran said.
'Forget you!'
Vina Supermarket owner Ken Thai said detours and signs won't bring back his customers.
"Someone from the city came to talk to me about posting a sign," Thai said, "And I told her it wouldn't help." People have come in and said, 'Forget you! I go somewhere else!' We've been in really bad shape ever since it [the closure] started," Thai said,
He pointed angrily to a flyer about construction at Myrtle Street, saying the intersection would be closed beginning June 15 for five to six weeks.
This was on June 27, six weeks after the closure was scheduled. Thai was angry that the closure lasted longer than the flyer announced.
Sound Transit spokesman Geoff Patrick, when asked about the delays, said it appears that the intersection of Myrtle Avenue may be reopened at the end of this week.
A Sound Transit construction update, issued July 18, did not mention a firm date, but it did note, "After the work is complete in the intersection of Myrtle and MLK - and Myrtle Street is re-opened to traffic, [the contractor] will begin working on the utilities that cross MLK at Othello Street."
This could have an even bigger impact on traffic, although it will reopen the King shopping center entrances.
The update continues: "This work may occur at night (7 p.m. to 5 p.m.) [but] Othello Street may be closed to east-west traffic up to 24 hours a day. This work is scheduled to last two to three weeks." But that would be after the crews are finished at Myrtle.
Sound Transit issues regular construction updates (in English and other languages), and outreach workers hand them out to businesses. They can be found at www.soundtransit.org/projects/updates/.
Monetary impact
Mina Grocery Store owner Thai also is upset because he is not receiving any financial help dealing with the impact.
"I can't just close, and I cannot lay off my employees," he said. "But sometimes there is little for them to do besides stand around. I need help."
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