LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas valley is no stranger to road work, but one project has businesses fearing if they’ll survive the remaining half-year of construction after revenue loss over the past year.
It’s a gloomy fear of Starbust Parlor Keto Bakery, despite its colorful retro interior that smells of cupcakes, pizzas and coffee. Owner Jill Shlesinger said it’s the only sugar and gluten free bakery in Las Vegas.
“We’re serving, like, an entire medical community under an umbrella that can’t find these types of items anywhere,” Shlesinger said, sporting a bright orange pinup hairdo inside her store near the historical medical district Tuesday morning.
But, those treats are only available to those who can reach her. The bakery sits at the corner of Charleston Boulevard and Rancho Drive, the eye of a construction storm.
Roads in the area are ripped up, orange cones are plentiful and traffic slowly moves through what space is left. Twenty-four hour lane restrictions are in place on both Charleston and Rancho despite construction only occurring eight hours each weekday.
The City of Las Vegas said crews are rehabbing water and sewer pipes underneath it and improving pedestrian and vehicle travel above it by widening sidewalks, upgrading traffic control systems and adding bike lanes.
The cost: $38.5 million in city and Regional Transportation Commission funding.
That work began in March 2023. The 18 month project is currently on track to finish sometime this fall, according to a city representative.
But, in the interim, businesses surrounding the work say construction operations are confusing to the drivers attempting to access their storefronts. In Shlesinger’s case, a shallow pit of gravel and tall pile of cement separate her and the remaining street where customers enter from.
“‘Hey girl. I’m actually lucky I’ve made it our of your parking lot,’” Shlesinger said, reciting a text from one of her regular customers received after construction began. “‘I don’t know when I’ll be coming back again because I almost got in to sideswiping coming out of the construction.’”
In a statement to 8 News Now, a city representative said:
“The city has made sure that business access is maintained during the construction as well as having signage on the street. This is a large project, and unfortunately, it does take some time to complete.”
Shlesinger said after a year of work, one orange sign in the shallow gravel that says “business access” with an arrow pointing in her shopping center’s direction was just placed earlier this week.
“So, you do think the signs are effective?” 8 News Now Reporter Ryan Matthey asked.
When asked if she thought the signs were effective Shlesinger said, “That’s the best thing I have going for me right now.”
She’s not allowed to erect signage on her businesses that advertises she’s open during construction since she’s a tenant. Her and other small businesses say they’re struggling to make it to the other side.
“I’ve borrowed money from the credit card processors just to keep the doors open in hopes that in eight months when this project is over, I’m still here,” Shlesinger said. “Each and every one of us are suffering to pay the rent and it’s because of the construction.”
She says more signage on the roads could potentially help pick up store traffic amidst vehicle traffic.