AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- A project set to beautify downtown now has some owners concerned about how this project will affect their businesses.
“Now we would lose about two thirds of our parking on the block. The area of the block immediately in front of our business and we already battle parking issues. So that was a surprise,” said Luigi’s owner, Penelope Ballas-Stewart.
A city official says they will look and see if changes can be made.
“We have gone back and asked our engineering consultant to take a second look at the parking. Again, we don’t want to affect anybody in a negative way, so we’ve asked them to take a look at the parking this proposed and see if we can maybe add some of the parking that was that was moved around. We’ll see if we can add it back in, especially along the portions of broad Street that have the restaurants. We understand that, you know, people want to park and go and eat and we definitely want to keep that patronage going,” said assistant director of traffic, John Ussery.
But owners’ concerns don’t stop at just the loss of parking.
“We already battle people coming downtown at night or who are afraid to come downtown at night for perceived crime. I don’t think it’s as bad as people are afraid it is. But perception is reality. So, if they’re afraid to come down here and then they’re going to be expected to park blocks away and walk at night, they’re not going to do that,” said Ballas-Stewart.
The city of Augusta will look at handling that concern too.
“Some people, when they go down at night, they may not feel safe. So those are really not issues that that, you know, we’re in charge of. But we definitely are working with the enforcement agencies in Richmond County to make sure that we can make this the best it can be. And we’re going to improve other things that should make it safer, like the lighting. There’ll be a lot more street lighting than there is today, you know, and those types of improvements to this project should really enhance the area above just the parking,” said Ussery.
The project is set to start at the end of February.
Photojournalist: Dania Alawir
