TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Nicholas Baizan opened his barbershop in January 2020. It was unfortunate timing with the pandemic and a major construction project on his front doorstep.
“That definitely affected us with people not knowing how to get here or not seeing us at all," said Baizan, Owner of Luxe Barber Studio.
His shop is located along the stretch of Broadway between Euclid and Country Club Road that’s been under construction for two years.
“For building my shop as a whole and getting people in the door I feel like I haven’t gotten the full potential,” Baizan said.
A few blocks east is Gym 244. It’s another local business that has seen a drop in customers since construction began.
“Most people only go to a gym that’s 10-15 minutes from their house. So if it gets hard to get here, people stop coming,” said Christopher Gartrell, Owner of Gym 244.
Fortunately, Tucson’s Department of Transportation and Mobility says the Broadway Improvement Project is almost complete.
“We’re going to have new wide sidewalks for pedestrians, bicycle facilities, bike lanes, new street lights,” said Mike Graham with Tucson’s Department of Transportation and Mobility.
The most notable change is underground: the city added a 2.5-mile storm drain to prevent flooding during monsoon season.
“Capture that stormwater, get it underground so it’s not on top of the roadway," Graham said.
The city expects construction between Euclid and Campbell to be finished before the end of April. The second half of the project between Campbell and Country Club will be done by June.
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Perla Shaheen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Perla graduated in May 2020 from the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in Political Science. Share your story ideas and important issues with Perla by emailing perla.shaheen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
