By Theresa Goffredo and Eric Fetters
Herald writers
EVERETT — With all the construction going on downtown, it’s difficult to hear anything except the construction noise.
But if you stand real still on Hewitt Avenue, you can almost make out the sound of dozens of business owners holding their breath.
They’re anxiously awaiting the end of what city leaders are promising will be a massive transformation of downtown.
That transformation will involve several facets, including a complete renovation of Hewitt Avenue. Workers there are installing new sewer and water lines, new sidewalks and new trees. And construction of the new Everett Regional Special Event Center is under way at the corner of Hewitt and Broadway.
Other projects include constructing a new Snohomish County government campus and changing some one-way streets back to two-way traffic.
That downtown transformation, though welcomed by most, won’t arrive without months of sacrifice. Some businesses will have to temporarily close, while others may lose thousands of dollars. And numerous vacant storefronts add to the bleak picture.
"I’m anxious, anxious, anxious about the construction and the end of the project," said Karen Staniford, who with her husband Jim owns Aaron’s Restaurant and the collectibles gift shop next door called Now &Then at 1508 Hewitt Ave. The couple spent thousands of dollars renovating the gift shop, even using salvaged oak floorboards to create a vintage look.
But Karen Staniford said she will have to close the shop for the two months when the sewer project reaches her sidewalk. The couple hope their restaurant will help them pay the bills during that time.
"It’s scary," Karen said. "We have a lot invested here."
Some businesses can’t afford to close their doors, even though the sidewalks in front of their storefronts have been reduced to gravel.
Alligator Soul restaurant will remain open throughout construction. Manager Kate Gerrard is keeping her sense of humor and hoping for foot traffic since the two blocks from Oakes Avenue to Broadway have been closed to vehicles.
"It’s worth it in the long run," Gerrard said. "We’re telling employees, ‘Be patient grasshopper.’ "
Bob Van Winkles, owner of Van Winkles Interiors, estimated that about 70 percent of his business will be lost temporarily. But he’s hoping for better things ahead.
"We own our building," Van Winkles said, having been part of downtown for 38 years. "I don’t know how others can do it that don’t."
Even off Hewitt on Rockefeller Avenue, business managers say they’re feeling the ripples from the construction projects just a block or two away.
"Of course we’re affected. Business is slow," said Mary Prehall, sales manager at the family-owned Everett Stationers.
After last fall’s downturn in the economy, business was just starting to return to the office supply shop. But some of the customers have been staying away, she said.
The closed blocks and nearby earth-moving work for the new arena have made it even tougher to draw people downtown, an area already facing limited parking and little variety in retail stores, Prehall added.
"Downtown Everett is like a ghost town," she said.
And to fill those empty spaces becomes even trickier while construction continues, said Wayne Laxson, a commercial real estate associate in Windermere’s Everett office.
"Well, first of all, since you have Hewitt closed, people can’t go up and down the street to see what’s available," he said.
Business owners or other potential tenants should be able to find good deals in that area while the work continues, he said. But he’s concerned about the short-term affect on existing businesses.
"For the most part, those are mom-and-pop shops down there," Laxson said.
At least one storefront will definitely be rented.
Owners of the Everett Hockey Team, new tenant of the event center, plan on moving into new digs by July 1. Team spokesman Mike MacCulloch said there’s lots to choose from downtown.
MacCulloch also noted that downtown business owners are gearing up for the revitalization, pouring money into remodeling projects at their buildings.
When the work on Hewitt and the other projects is finished and the new arena opens in 2003, downtown may once again become a lucrative place to be for business owners.
That’s what people like restaurant owner Alberto Morales are banking on.
Morales has owned the Mexican restaurant Pretty Gail at 1409 Hewitt Ave. for about a year. He’s leery about how the transformation will affect his business, but he can only hold his breath and wait.
"I bet every restaurant around here is waiting for the arena to open," Morales said. "We have to hold on."
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