Shop owner: With Mercer Mess, outlook 'very dire and scary'
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SEATTLE -- Nearby business owners say the Mercer Mess is putting a strain on their businesses, and paving the way for their demise.
The shop owners, whose businesses sit along Fairview and Republican, say times have not been easy.
Lauren Stephen, owner of Pilates Seattle International, says she has been struggling just to keep the doors open. Her studio sits in the middle of the Mercer Mess.
"It is very dire and scary," she said. "The bankers are kind of done with us. The landlord's threatening to evict us because we're a month late on rent."
The city is rebuilding Fairview south of Mercer from the ground up. As a result, there is no parking and many clients who use canes or wheelchairs for physical therapy no longer have easy access to the business.
Stephen's complaints to the city have resulted in the creation of two handicapped-parking spots and a pedestrian crosswalk. But Stephen says the measures are too little, too late, and have left her on her own to fight for her business.
"We're hanging on; not going to go anywhere if we can help it," she said.
City officials have asked all affected business owners for patience. They say short-term pain should lead to long-term gain down the road.
"We are working to address their needs," said Rick Sheridan of the Seattle Department of Transportation. "We do realize this construction has adverse business on nearby businesses."
City officials expect this project to continue until at least the end of February, weather permitting. They encourage business owners to let them know about any problems, and say they will do their best to help find a solution.
The shop owners, whose businesses sit along Fairview and Republican, say times have not been easy.
Lauren Stephen, owner of Pilates Seattle International, says she has been struggling just to keep the doors open. Her studio sits in the middle of the Mercer Mess.
"It is very dire and scary," she said. "The bankers are kind of done with us. The landlord's threatening to evict us because we're a month late on rent."
The city is rebuilding Fairview south of Mercer from the ground up. As a result, there is no parking and many clients who use canes or wheelchairs for physical therapy no longer have easy access to the business.
Stephen's complaints to the city have resulted in the creation of two handicapped-parking spots and a pedestrian crosswalk. But Stephen says the measures are too little, too late, and have left her on her own to fight for her business.
"We're hanging on; not going to go anywhere if we can help it," she said.
City officials have asked all affected business owners for patience. They say short-term pain should lead to long-term gain down the road.
"We are working to address their needs," said Rick Sheridan of the Seattle Department of Transportation. "We do realize this construction has adverse business on nearby businesses."
City officials expect this project to continue until at least the end of February, weather permitting. They encourage business owners to let them know about any problems, and say they will do their best to help find a solution.
Why doesn't the city pay the rent for the business owners? Is there something that indemnifies the city from liability when their actions cause a loss of revenue to surrounding businesses?
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If they relocate they won't be the first business to leave that particular building. There used to be a Kronos time-clock business in there, among others, over the years.Â
here, is this more for real? too bad u arent rich enough to hang in there.
 @maggie112 "you"
offer a discount , if any obstetrical is put in front to your door, any and all.  do u have a choice? no. but u might get more if u offer less,for the inconvenience. hope its not too late. or maybe get a lawyer. unemployment is paying i heard ,so rack em up.
 @maggie112 Every single time I read your posts I realize that people like you are exactly what is wrong with this country. You cannot even phrase a proper complaint. I imagine that you must have dropped out of middle school because a teacher "wuz meen wich u".
 @maggie112:Â
Any "Obstetrical"???
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Perhaps you meant "obstical"? I can't see pregnant women as being a block to businesses.
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As for unemployment - if you are the business owner & your business closes, you (as the owner) doi NOT get to collect unemployment.
 @LocalLady  @maggie112: bummer
 @LocalLady  @maggie112: I love the fact that you attempt to correct someone's spelling, then do so incorrectly.  That would be "obstacle."  In the future please take note that not all of us are as perfect as you.
 @Firegod  oh my goodness, you made my night!!!  lol!!!!!  I love it!!  When I read the first comment, I thought I'd missed something in the story about an ob/gyn practice or something!!!!  hahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!  Precious
 @LocalLady  @maggie112: Jeez, if the only reason for posting was maggie112 spelling error maybe you need help?
 @WhatdidIsay?  @LocalLady  @maggie112: jeez
I manage a business on top of QA Hill and I am wondering if it's effecting our business as well. The traffic has really slowed. We are more of a destination store and I think people from the south and east are avoiding the area all together.
 @odog http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/affect-versus-effect.aspx
 @odog This is nowhere near Queen Anne. Fairview and Republican is at the base of Capitol Hill.
 @SalParadise Mercer is a lifeline into lower Queen Anne though. That was probably the point.Â
 @SalParadise  @odog Did odog say this was at Queen Anne? Why not read the comment before you spew your crap?
 @WhatdidIsay?  @SalParadise  @odog ummm, yes odog did.  He/She said she manages a business on top of QA Hill.  QA = Queen Anne. lol
This is poor reporting. There's no construction on Mercer right now. The construction is a separate project on Fairview that has kind of screwed everything up around there. Just because this project is close to where the Mercer Mess used to be doesn't mean it's the same thing. As far as the local businesses go though I would assume this is harder on businesses. The intersection right by this pilates studio, Fairview and Republican is completely shut down.
@SalParadise It's all part of the same project, same grant, same mess, and it sucks
http://www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm
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 @SalParadise No? I drove north on Mercer on Friday, left lane was closed while crew was working on the dividers!
 @WhatdidIsay?Â
How did you manage to drive NORTH on Mercer? Mercer runs east-west
No offense to these shop owners, but that is one of the worst business locations in the city, and it was so before they rebuilt Mercer.Â
Agreed. For all the billions that Paul Allen has dumped into the South Lake Union area, the whole place is shockingly devoid of character, and the few attempts at creating anything resembling character all come cross as artificial and pointless. I'm pretty sure that particular building is scheduled to be torn down and turned into 300 cookie cutter apartments and a couple of overpriced bars full of annoying hipsters in 18 months anyway.
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If it wasn't for Amazon being there, the place would probably be a ghost town.
 @Vexorg Ghost town?  It was fully occupied as a neighborhood before Amazon, a neighborhood where people lived and worked and played.  It's just busier now with Amazon.
Much like the waterfront fiasco, this will work out well for the real-estate developers. Out go the old businesses, in come the new 'mix-use' condos with the empty storefronts.Â