Since Steve Allee opened Masterpiece Delicatessen three years ago in the Highlands neighborhood, business has increased by 35 percent each year.
But with the area around his business Ground Zero for an Interstate 25 expansion project between 15th and 20th streets, he is concerned that sales will plummet.
“Now we’re talking about closing streets on and off for two years. There’s going to be a large impact on businesses in that area,” said Allee.
This morning, Allee, along with a host of local area small-business owners shared their concerns at a roundtable with Mayor-elect Michael Hancock as part of his effort to bring together the city’s diverse industries and create an economic development plan.
“I’m trying to continue to understand what the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Denver are,” said Hancock, at Raven Brick LLC , a small business that creates energy efficient windows. It’s the same location where he announced his candidacy for mayor last November.
Flanked at the table by Greg Lopez, the state director of U.S. Small Business Administration, and Tameka Montgomery, executive director of the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, the trio listened to concerns that spanned from safety and security to public transportation. Discussions on how a direct flight from Denver International Airport to Asia can benefit all business owners in not just Denver, but statewide, also became a focal point of the hour-long meeting.
The roundtable discussions marks the first step in Hancock’s 100-days plan, where he’s pledged to meet with 100 business leaders in that timeframe.
“This is an imperative step in what will be a focused effort to identify challenges and opportunities to Denver’s economic growth. My administration will spearhead the effort to make city government more responsive to the Denver business communities needs in order to grow our economy,” said Hancock.
Alex Burney , CEO of Raven Brick, voiced concern about safety around his downtown business.
He says that in the past three months, drug deals have spawned violence around his business and has deterred him from implementing a second shift that would go late into the night. It’s a decision, says Burney, that’s cost him roughly $3 million dollars in lost revenue.
“The city attorney, the mayor and the police have to do their job and work together,” said Burney, who has toiled with relocating his company after being in the same location for four years.”The rules of engagement to allow the police to move people along for loitering are unenforceable.”
Hancock said he doesn’t take the concerns of small business owners lightly and pledged to work on ways to improve the situations that they face. The mayor-elect hopes to hold three more business roundtables before his July 18 inauguration.
Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655 or klee@denverpost.com
