Plattsburgh council to consider loans to businesses impacted by Margaret St. construction

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) - The Plattsburgh Common Council Thursday is expected to take up a loan relief proposal for businesses impacted by construction on Margaret Street.

“We are going to be happy to have things kind of cleaned up and buttoned up downtown. It definitely looks nicer than it has,” said Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest. “We will have a ribbon cutting or re-opening ceremony here at the end of October.

The mayor says a new low-interest loan program, if approved by the council, would be available to businesses who have been impacted by construction over the last six months. The businesses would be eligible for a loan of up to $30,000. They wouldn’t have to make any payments during the first year and the loans would be zero interest for the first two years

“When you have a bulldozer out in front of your place it is awful hard to have a customer want to walk in. Or if your street is barricaded, they cannot get in,” said Steve Brodi, who owns three businesses along Margaret Street including Furniture and Decor. He says the construction impacts have been worse than the pandemic.

A couple of streets down is Jam Vintage, a clothing store owned by Jacob Martineau, who says he has also experienced adverse effects from the downtown disruption. Obviously, in times where there are no sidewalk and road and accessibility, it is not easy for people. It definitely is going to drive people down a little bit,” he said.

Martineau says he’s fortunate that he will not have to seek a loan from the city but adds that the program is a great way for owners to improve their businesses or recover from financial hardships. “I do think that it is a great option for people who maybe have things they need to update like their exterior facade as a result of the construction and things like that I am just really lucky in a sense that I have not run into any of those issues that have set me back financially at least. But for other people, I think it is a great option,” he said.

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