Some Hartford business owners are demanding answers on when construction will wrap up on historic Pratt Street, which has been closed for several months.
And some business owners said it's driving away business and fear the road could stay closed for additional months.
Walk down Pratt Street in Hartford and there appear to be just a few items left in the construction project.
“We would have loved for it to go quicker but it’s moving along,” Rory Gale, the owner of Hartford Prints, said.
Bricks now line the street and sidewalk; a dramatic difference from one month ago.
In June, frustrated business owners complained about delays in construction.
“After you guys left, the pavers were here the next day and they were fixing the street. But since then, over the past few weeks, there hasn’t really been movement on the street,” Steven Abbate, the owner of Lenses Only, said.
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At Lenses Only, the owner is concerned about a lack of communication from the city about the project and when it will finish.
He said he’s counting the months of construction and the loss of profit as customers stay away.
“Significantly, we’re down probably 60 percent from prior to the street closing,” said Abbate.
Next door at Hartford Prints, the owner said the destination-type shop has helped them weather this stormy time.
“When they reopen Pratt Street, you know, it’s going to be a big, big deal,” Gale said.
And Gale has big hopes.
She’s excited by the idea tossed around by some of closing the street to just pedestrians, which could mean more events like her annual Farm to Street Dinner.
“Imagine putting this all out on the street, waking up downtown Hartford, and having a lot of energy going on,” Gale said.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the City of Hartford for comment but we have not yet heard back.
