Merchants fear impact of project

Merchants in Sisters' downtown core see a threat looming on the horizon.

The 2014 Cascade Avenue renovation project is now entering its final planning stages. Part of the plan is to close the thoroughfare from January to Memorial Day 2014 to allow a complete restoration of the roadbed, widen sidewalks and add a number of amenities.

A number of merchants are afraid a five-month closure, even in the traditionally slow winter/spring months, will cripple their businesses.

A number of downtown merchants were to meet early this week to discuss their concerns about the project.

John Leavitt, a 35-year business owner on Cascade, confirmed that in the last few weeks he had circulated an informational survey to local merchants with more than 25 merchants responding. When asked for feedback on the survey, Leavitt said, "I would rather have this meeting first, and then we will discuss our concerns. The state has said all along that we are all for it, and hey, we are not."

Peter Murphy, public information officer for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) said, "The survey will give us a good base to begin a discussion. We would like to listen and develop a solution to their concerns. We are prepared to spend more time looking at alternatives that are better than the ones that we have presented."

Leavitt said, "We are not saying it is not going to look good. With the economy the way it is, if you shut this street down for five months, think how many people will have to let employees go. I'm not trying to be hard about it - it is just people worried about their business."

ODOT has indicated awareness of business-owner concerns in previous meetings. In a June workshop, ODOT project leader Mike Darling said, "Businesses are excited about the Cascade Avenue streetscape project ... and they are scared to death...and we hear that loud and clear."

Though his business is on Hood Avenue, retailer and former mayor Brad Boyd believes the city and ODOT need to find a different solution.

"Closing down Cascade Avenue completely from January to June is insane," Boyd said.

"If it costs more money to do it the right way, it is up to City Hall and ODOT to go find the money."

The merchants appear to agree that the Cascade Avenue roadbed needs repair. There was less agreement on the need to narrow the roadbed for parking bulb-outs, widen the sidewalks, and to add trees, benches, light poles and landscaping.

There is also skepticism about ODOT's plan for using concrete rather than asphalt for the roadbed. The prevailing sentiment is for an asphalt "grind and pave." The concern is that curing concrete extends the time the street needs to be closed.

John Cheatham has been operating Sundance Shoes & Hucklebeary's for 15 years on Cascade.

"All we need is to fix the roadbed, pave it again, patch up the sidewalks, and go on with it," he said. "They are going to devastate our businesses. Customers come from different areas and see Sisters as a destination. It is human nature if you've got to drive around it, you will just go on."

Cheatham does not believe his concerns are being heeded.

"We were told the five-month shut down was merchant-approved. I wasn't talked to. I don't feel that they are listening."

Merchants were invited to participate in a number of planning sessions on the project, which has been a long time in development. Though things have improved since the downturn began in 2008, times remain hard for retail businesses. Five years ago, when most of the planning was taking place for the Cascade Avenue project, the merchants were expecting a turn-around by 2012. Now they are skeptical of a turn around before 2014.

Rosie Horton, long time owner of Common Threads said, "The end result, I can't deny that it would be nice to have the streets all pretty and extra benches, and water fountains - that is great. The way the economy is and having the streets closed for five months, it is just not the right time. Every day, it is still a struggle. The economy has not returned. For five months there isn't going to be any stopping... it is going to be going around."

Horton says ODOT and city officials have talked to her, but she's not sure the concerns of merchants are fully understood.

"I believe I have been listened to, but I don't think I have been heard," she said. "There's a difference."

Chris Wilder, owner of two Sisters Log Furniture stores on Cascade, was involved in many of the city's Cascade Avenue project workshops. He felt the prevailing attitude was "This is going to happen, what are the amenities you would like?" He says when he asked, "Do we really need this (project)?" he felt he was told (though he acknowledges not so many words) "Sit down, Chris, and shut up."

Wilder wants to see the project completed as quickly as possible in the least disruptive manner, even if that means scaling it way back.

"I want to see whoever commits to the project to work flat out, working seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Get in and get out," said Wilder. "If this increases the cost and you can't cover the cost, don't do the project. We (the businesses on Cascade) are very, very fragile. Five months of no business - it would be devastating."

ODOT's Murphy says that significant roadbed repair has to happen.

"There are certain bottom-line issues that we have to do to protect the safety and welfare of the people who drive through Sisters, that is what started us down this path," he said. "We do not want to appear to be anti-business. We worked with the city and the county to get here. We are doing this because it is necessary, but this whole project represents the combined decisions of a number of people. The consensus opinion was that those amenities would be to the benefit of the city."