Street construction along First Street between McKinley and Fillmore streets, just blocks away from the Downtown campus, has created unexpected hurdles for local businesses.
The construction, which began in July, is expected to end by the middle of September, according to a public notice released by the city of Phoenix detailing the project.
The goal of the construction is to make the area friendlier for pedestrian traffic by narrowing the roadway, adding parking spaces, benches, trash bins and bike racks and replacing curbs, gutters and street lamps.
"We do appreciate the construction because it will make the streets nicer and we'll have more trees," said Chely Campos, an employee at Matt's Big Breakfast.
However, the construction does have its downside. Linda Chu, the manager of Sens Asian Tapas and Sake Bar, said in an email that people see the street closure and assume that her restaurant is not open for business.
Other establishments affected by the construction on First Street are The Turf and The Breadfruit.
“We have had to increase our presence through Twitter, Facebook and email notifications just so people know we are open,” Chu said.
Journalism freshman Cierra Eubank assumed that the restaurants along First Street were closed.
"It's all barricaded and blocked off, with all those caution signs and flashing lights,” Eubank said. “I never would have thought to go down there.”
While The Breadfruit declined to comment, the other three businesses have all cited decreases in customers compared to last year at this time.
Chu said that Sens' sales have decreased by 40 percent since the construction began. The three other businesses cited decreases but could not provide specific numbers.
"Even during the slow summer months, we typically have people gather on the patio to drink cocktails and smoke,” said Cat Burns, a bartender at the Turf. “With the construction, nobody can be out there.”
Sens also relied heavily on its patio for customers. Not only are they unable to use the patio, which faced First Street, during the construction period, they had to take it down using their own funds, Chu said.
Burns said four members of the construction crew have become regulars at The Turf, and ASU students provide a welcome rush during lunch hour.
Still, other restaurants have stated that they have even lost ASU students because of the construction, while Matt’s Big Breakfast apparently lost a large group of ASU students before the construction started.
“We used to have a whole bunch come out, and then one day the city towed their cars," Campos said. "I think they told their friends not to come by anymore."
Many students, inlcuding dietetics junior Megan McKee, don’t see any reason to avoid Matt’s Big Breakfast during construction.
"I've only been there once, but it's definitely worth going through the construction," McKee said.
Still, despite the spoken support from ASU students, the restaurants' sales have suffered. The workers and owners of the First Street businesses are trying to keep up spirits during this short period of economic troubles.
"In the end (the construction) will be for the best," said Chu. "We just have to brave through it until it is done."
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter
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