The former Triumph Building is about to come down, with demolition scheduled to start Monday, Aug. 16. Demolition could take a month or more.
Downtown businesses will remain open and accessible during demolition and construction, according to Village Manager Jim Marino, but some temporary street closures might disrupt traffic occasionally during the project.
Among the top concerns for downtown business owners is the loss of parking spaces, Marino said. Parking along the building on the south side of Ridge Road and the west side of Martin Avenue will be unavailable during the project.
The parking lot south of the building and north of Homewood Florist also will be unavailable.
Marino said shoppers and employees of the businesses can find parking spaces at several downtown lots that are not always fully used, including the village hall lot at 2020 Chestnut Road, the lot at the southeast corner of Kroner Lane and Harwood Avenue and the lot at Dixie Highway and Hickory Road where the former Savoia T’Go restaurant was located.
Another change for motorists to be aware of is the closure of the parking lot turn at the north end of the Triumph Building parking lot. Starbucks customers, especially, often enter the lot behind the Ridge Road businesses and follow the lot around to the Starbucks drive-thru.
During demolition, that U-shaped route from the lot to the drive-thru will be blocked. Marino said he is not sure whether it will be possible to reopen it after demolition is complete, but that’s an option the village is exploring with the developer.
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Triumph Building