ORLANDO, Fla. – Business owners in downtown Orlando hope a construction project on Church Street will inject new life into an area that has largely gone quiet in recent years.
City leaders broke ground Tuesday on the first phase of the Church Street Festival Project, an effort to revitalize one of downtown Orlando’s most historic stretches.
“They have to hurry up with their projects in order to make small businesses survive on Church Street,” said Yehya Rizeq, the owner of Crepe Delicious Urban Cafe.
[WATCH: Orlando breaks ground on Church Street Festival project]
Rizeq’s business has been on Church Street for seven years, opening right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before COVID-19, it was really perfect,” Rizeq said. “Since COVID-19, you know, the foot traffic is very, very slow. It’s not recovered yet.”
The economic impact of the pandemic has forced Rizeq to cut labor, putting him in a position where he is often the only person working in his store.
Rizeq has felt the creeping pressure as many of his neighboring businesses have closed in recent years.
“We don’t know how long we can survive,” Rizeq said. “I have been surviving for now seven years. How long am I going to survive? That’s the question.”
Orlando Commissioner Shan Rose, whose district includes Church Street, argued the Festival Street Project is another reason to be optimistic about the area’s future.
“Downtown really thrives to be a place where everyone can live, work, and play,” Rose said.
Long before the pandemic, Church Street had been a street known for its thriving culture.
In the 1980s, Cheyenne Saloon & Opera House was home to a national television show that featured highlights of country music.
Now, the Cheyenne Saloon is one of several buildings that sit empty on Church Street.
“I had some customers and they came here from the UK and they said, ‘What happened to Church Street?’” Rizeq said.