UPTOWN — Uptown residents are getting their first real glimpse of the progress on the shared street project along Argyle, where new sidewalks have been revealed over the last few weeks, according to business owners.
Over the last two weeks, business owners along the north side of Argyle Street have been treated with compliments from customers as their side of the street transitioned from wooden ramps to brick sidewalks.
"It's great. They look really beautiful. [The customers] love it. They've been waiting for a while and it's a perfect facelift," said the manager of Foremost Liquors.
Ellen Duong, a business owner along Argyle who previously complained about losing customers due to slow work in front of her shop in August, said while parking was still a concern, she was impressed by the progress of the later parts of the project.
"They did this really quickly, it only took two or three days," she said while inspecting the news landscape Monday afternoon. "I'm just glad it's done."
Between the two shops, the owner of Mobile 2 Go, 1126 W. Argyle St., said the construction had led to "the worst year I ever had" business-wise.
"Now it's done, but 50 percent of my customers are gone. It was taking too long," said Nhu Truong, who's owned the store for four years. "I have a lot of customers in wheelchairs who gave up and didn't want to come here anymore."
Asked if she thought the store would be open when the project is complete she said: "I don't know."
In Ald. Harry Osterman's weekly email to residents of the 48th Ward, he said the north side of Argyle should be completed by Nov. 1. Then focus will shift to the south side of the street, he said.
Work is taking place from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Questions and concerns can be voiced at the open community meeting held at 9 a.m. every Wednesday at the construction office at 4956 N. Sheridan Road, Osterman said.
The project is scheduled to take a break for the winter starting in November, with work resuming in April.
Here's a timeline of the work done on Argyle over the last few months:
Oct. 12
Sept. 23
Aug. 26
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