Business owners were originally told construction would begin in 2025, and some say they were only given a week and a half’s notice to prepare. So far business owners say they’re still seeing normal customer traffic, but they’re concerned it could quickly drop off.
George Levesque, executive director of the Paramount Theatre, says the downtown businesses are excited for the final result of Cypress Street, but that there is a lot of uncertainty about the duration of the project, “The progress is going to be difficult for us to manage over the next couple of years. What financial impact it has on the organization is really up for debate and we're going to find out what it has, but what we do know that when it’s done, it’s going to be fabulous.”
Construction is expected to continue for the next 18 months, with a pause from October through December to minimize disruption to holiday shopping and activities in downtown Abilene.