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Ice-cream shop owner tells DDA bridge construction left his business effectively closed; asks for $25,000 grant
Summary
Owner Doug Lee said bridge-construction traffic and access issues have forced him to close his 1854 storefront and requested a $25,000 grant; the DDA said it cannot legally provide that grant and offered to pursue safety/ingress improvements, signage and promotional support.
Doug Lee, owner of GMB Coffee Company on 28th Street, told the DDA board that ongoing bridge-construction work has made safe access to his historic 1854 storefront difficult and that the disruption "has absolutely closed my business down." Lee said he had to shut the business last fall and asked the DDA to issue a $25,000 grant to help cover costs while the business remains closed during construction.
Board members and nearby business owners expressed sympathy but said a direct grant of that type is not legally permissible for the DDA. One board member told Lee, "We can't give you $25,000 grand for that," citing legal and precedent concerns. Staff offered practical follow-up: to contact the Kent County Road Commission to review ingress and egress at the site, to consider temporary signage in the construction area that signals "businesses are open," and to explore promotional efforts to direct customers to affected storefronts.
Residents and other business owners described similar traffic and access impacts; one speaker noted traffic counts during the first half of bridge work were down about 40% for some businesses. Board members suggested band‑aid measures: temporary signage asking motorists not to block driveways and a targeted DDA marketing push while work continues.
The DDA committed to: (1) asking the road commission to evaluate driveway access and possible safety improvements, (2) preparing temporary signage and promotional materials to indicate businesses remain open during construction, and (3) evaluating other non-grant assistance. The board did not approve any direct financial payments to individual businesses at the meeting.
Next steps: staff will contact the road commission to review access concerns, prepare signage for the construction area and discuss marketing or event options to help affected businesses.
