Local

Longwood business owners look for help during major construction project

LONGWOOD, Fla. — Business owners in Longwood said they need a little extra help getting customers to notice them while the road in front of their stores is torn up.
 
The city is allowing them to put up temporary business signs in a construction zone along State Road 434 from Interstate 4 to Rangeline Road.
 
Channel nine's Racquel Asa spoke to one business owner who is worried it won't be enough to keep him afloat.
 
Within the road work area is Max & Meme Cafe, which is easy to miss when driving past the construction area.
 
Chaleur Bastos, of Max & Meme, said his biggest problem right now is getting drivers to notice his business with so much happening at his doorstep.
 
"We are making it on steam. Because of pride we want the business to continue and we want to prosper, but it's not happening because of (the construction)," said Bastos.
           
The city has started to allow temporary signs for businesses in the construction zone and is now looking at allowing more businesses on the edges of the project to do the same.
 
Bastos said the sign only helps to a point.
 
"They leave three of four tractors here and no one can see it," said Bastos, talking about construction equipment.
 
A Longwood city commissioner told Asa that easing the restrictions on temporary signs is about all it can do for businesses because the construction project is the state's and not the city's.
 
Bastos said he just hopes his business will still be here when the project is finally finished later this year.
 
The $10 million project is expected to be finished by the fall.