EAST LAKEVIEW — Instead of the hustle and bustle typical of the holiday shopping season, North Broadway is hearing crickets this December.
Well, that and construction noise.
Since late October, crane work at the construction site of Lakeview's first Mariano's had led to street closures and blockage that has suffocated sales along the North Broadway corridor, neighbors say.
"The first thing your neighbors are saying is, 'Look at what Mariano's is doing on the holiday season. That's not very welcoming,'" said Maureen Martino, executive director of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce.
Martino said Mariano's representatives claim that as a tenant of the complex, they don't have the power to change the construction schedule.
The five-story complex being built at 3030 N. Broadway will also house an XSports Fitness gym, two floors of parking and 15,000 square feet of retail space.
The sidewalks along Broadway remain open, and with construction only happening from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, streets and parking are accessible at other times, said Ald. Tom Tunney (44th).
But traffic signs announcing the street closures and blocking Broadway are not consistently removed after the workday, resulting in confusion for drivers and barren streets, Martino said. The sign at Broadway and Diversey has remained as late as 8 p.m. on some weeknights.
Mariano's referred questions to the developer, and Wheaton-based developers Barrett and Porto did not respond to requests for comment.
The chamber has been fighting to get the traffic signs removed on weekends when construction is on hold, and to limit unnecessary bus detours away from North Broadway that create more problems, she said.
The chamber is desperate to let shoppers know North Broadway is still open during the holiday season — particularly with the Holiday Treat Stroll set for Saturday.
"It just really could not be more of a disturbance and loss of revenue for our merchants," Martino told DNAinfo Chicago. "They rely on this time of year to make it or break it for 2015."
Tunney pointed out that construction is scheduled to end Dec. 11, giving shops two weeks in December to make up for the loss. His office is working to minimize the impact, said communications director Julie Levar.
North Broadway isn't the only Lakeview corridor suffering from growing pains. This week, The Alley announced it would close after construction on 3200 N. Clark St. "slaughtered" sales.
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While the Mariano's project broke ground earlier this year, it wasn't until a crane forced the street closures at the end of October that businesses took a hit. But the change was immediately noticeable.
"Basically, it started the day the crane went up, and we're just seeing lackluster sales," said Steven Greenberg, owner of Wine House, 3164 N. Broadway.
Despite promises to keep merchants in the loop, there was little warning before the crane went up, Martino said. They were told the crane work could either last through Dec. 11 or start after Thanksgiving and last through Christmas.
"They're all very kind and nice and willing to listen, but they say their hands are tied," Martino said of Mariano's, Tunney and Barrett and Porto Real Estate.
With Wine House rounding the corner on its first anniversary Dec. 17, Greenberg said he was initially looking forward to Mariano's bringing additional traffic to the corridor.
But now, "I'm going to think really hard about shopping at Mariano's, because I don't think they're being good neighbors," Greenberg said. "There's a complete lack of sensitivity. Why couldn't this construction have waited until January?"
As for Mariano's position that it has no control over the construction schedule, Greenberg is skeptical.
"If they took down the crane and cleared the street, I definitely think the month of December can be saved. Do I think they're going to?" Greenberg said. "I can't believe they're going to."
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