Business owners near the University of Dayton said the construction on Brown Street has affected profits.
The city of Dayton’s construction project on Brown Street began north of Stewart Street to Wyoming Street in March, Beth Keyes, vice president of facilities management, said. Additionally, the work south of Stewart Street to Caldwell Street started in May, closed June 5, and temporarily re-opened Aug. 17, according
to Keyes.
“After the UD move-in, there will be various lane closures later in the fall to complete paving, pole work and sidewalk work in this section, as will work north of Stewart and at the Stewart intersection continue,” Keyes said. “The work south of Caldwell Street to Irving Street, however, will continue through November.”
Construction has been an obstacle for local businesses, according to Smashburger manager Ashley Schweitzer. Current Smashburger sales have shown a loss of $1,000 compared to last summer, she said.
Along with restaurants, retail businesses on Brown Street have also been affected by the
road modifications.
Keri Crist-Wagner, manager of Flyer Spirit, said people were unaware the store remained open in the summer while construction continued because accessibility was limited. As a result, the sales at Flyer Spirit have declined, according to Crist-Wagner.
Over the past two years, sales have been high during move-in weekend, she said.
Although Brown Street has been under construction during the last six months, many are expecting the benefits to outweigh the obstacles of the construction upon completion of the project.
Keyes said the long-term goal of the Brown Street construction project is to provide a safer and more attractive route for our faculty, staff and students to travel.
According to a Flyer News article, the Brown Street construction project will cost the city $4.4 million, ending August 2013. However, the completion date has been pushed further to November 2013, according to the City of Dayton’s website.
The construction has also been an inconvenience for some UD students during move-in weekend.
Max Feldmann, a sophomore majoring in fine arts and living in Virginia W. Kettering Hall, said drivers have been traveling at slow speeds near campus.
“The construction makes driving difficult because most people eventually have to pass Brown Street to get to UD’s campus, especially when exiting Interstate 75,” he said.
For UD employees and those working on Brown Street, the ongoing construction has affected commutes to and from the workplace.
“Personally, I work in the College Park Center and getting back and forth to the eastern half of campus has been at times challenging and requiring more time,” Keyes said. “The CPC has probably been the most affected facility because of the many employers.”
