Aweys Osman said it’s hard to know where to turn.
As construction fences extend into Broadway Avenue south of his business, Rochester Halal Market, he spoke through an interpreter to express concern about three months of lost revenue.
“He’s losing a lot of clients,” said Hussein Haaji, who was speaking for his friend at the small grocery store that has been on the site since 2013 and provides food that adheres to Islamic law.
The construction next door started in late March, with plans to build a six-story mixed-use apartment and retail building, known as Urban on First.
The $38 million development is being built by Minneapolis-based Opus and Rochester’s Titan Development companies, with plans to complete construction next summer.
In just the first three months, Osman estimates he’s lost more than $60,000 due to customers who were intimidated by construction barriers or blocked by various trucks parked in front of his business as they waited to enter the construction site from Broadway,
“Sand and gravel trucks are coming all the time,” Haaji said, noting customers have called the business to say they are going to other stores due to the inconvenience.
Additionally, construction barriers are also blocking access to the store’s rear parking, requiring access from Fourth Street, which isn’t obvious from Broadway.
But it wasn’t just the customers who didn’t know where to turn amid the construction concerns.
“We didn’t even know how to go to the government,” Haaji said Tuesday, the day after he spoke to the Rochester City Council about Osman’s mounting concerns.
Regina Mustafa, one of seven candidates for Rochester mayor, ended up pointing the way when she stopped by the store during a campaign tour of downtown businesses.
“They really had no clue about how to go about it,” she said, noting she initially took her concerns to city council members but then decided to take Osman and Haaji to a city council meeting, where she brought up the issue during the public-comment period.
By noon the next day, Rochester City Engineer Dillon Dombrovski said he’s contacted the project’s contractor and explained the city won’t tolerate trucks blocking the business.
“He’s already looking into some video footage they have to determine which subcontractors are causing the problems and will respond to us in writing with a plan of action,” he said.
Sheila Thoma, spokeswoman for Titan Development, confirmed the company is working to resolve the situation.
Osman, who has operated businesses in Rochester for 10 years, said developers need to learn to work with their small-business neighbors.
While he’s hoping the new neighbors will help cover his $60,000 loss, Haaji said Osman could find agreement with them if an apology is offered and lines of communication are opened.
Mustafa said that’s something she’s been hearing from other businesses, as well.
“I think all small businesses along the corridor are struggling,” she said, noting they are seeking to maintain their place amid growth in the city.
In recent years, the city council has taken steps to seek improved communication between developers and neighboring property owners or occupants. However, Haaji acknowledged some language and cultural barriers may have gotten in the way regarding the Urban on First project.
Council members asked Monday to be kept updated as public works and city administration continue to look at ways to alleviate concerns for the halal market.
“I think we need to come up with a better process where these trucks should or should not be,” said Council Member Mark Bilderback, who represents the ward that includes the business. “I don’t want to see this delayed too long, because it does have an adverse effect on the business at this point.”
