King construction takes toll

Work frustrates neighboring business owners, residents

An around-the-clock construction project on King Street has angered both business owners and residents, but for different reasons.

Shop owner Mike Loggins said the three-day installation of a water line under the street negatively affected his sales, and that construction should have been confined to non-business hours.

Batu Aytore, who lives above his store, said all-night jack hammering kept him from sleeping and triggered his wife's migraine headaches. He believes the construction should have stopped from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., the hours used in the city of Charleston's noise ordinance.

Both are frustrated the city did not inform them of the work — adding a water line for new condominiums above Kickin' Chicken — in advance.

"You're going to (tick) somebody off, one way or another, but you can at least be professional," said Aytore, who co-owns Parham and Co. with his wife, Ashley Parham.

A city-issued street blocking permit gave Charleston Water System and its subcontractor permission to block one lane of King Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

After business owners complained, an inspector from the department of traffic and transportation visited the site to see how the work could be expedited to get workers out of the street sooner, said Robert Somerville, the department's assistant director. "We allowed them to work longer," he said, adding that no time constraints were given.

The times listed on the street blocking permit were never updated.

Parham and Aytore said work on the street continued through the first night, until 7 a.m. "I'm surprised an alarm didn't go off because it was shaking so bad," Parham said.

Parham said she called police, who after seeing the workers' permit said there was nothing they could do.

Somerville said that the work stopped at 4 a.m., and that the loud equipment was turned off by 9 p.m.

In addition to keeping them awake, the work affected their business, the couple said.

Because they didn't know about the construction ahead of time, they had to send away a truck attempting to deliver furniture to their antique store and reschedule the delivery, which cost them between $400 and $500, Aytore said.

He also said the construction outside the store kept potential customers away.

While the street work affected them during both day and night, Aytore said he understands it needed to be done and could have dealt with it occurring during the day if he had been notified in advance. But he is angry about the nighttime work and its effects on his wife's health, and feels the city and police ignored his complaints. He said he doesn't want an apology, but thinks the city should penalize the workers.

"I'm tired, frustrated, and I want my city to help me," Aytore said. "I do everything they require me to do. I pay my taxes, I pay my dues, and when I need help … ."

Loggins, on the other hand, believes the work should have taken place only at night or in the early morning.

For three days, the construction blocked seven or eight parking spaces outside his store, The Extra Mile, Loggins said. It caused passersby to think the business was closed, he said. The traffic congestion kept some people from turning down King Street, and kept others from wanting to get out of their cars to shop.

He estimates the construction cost him $1,500 in sales.

The private property owner who benefited from the work should compensate him and other affected business owners, Loggins said. "It's just bull (crap). We shouldn't have to put up with this."

"Somebody's pocket got greased," Loggins said. "How else could you shut down King Street?"

Laura Cabiness, director of the city's department of public service, said multiple factors go into deciding what times to allow street-blocking work. Sometimes more disruption is allowed in order to get the job done faster, she said.

"In an effort to try to accommodate everybody, it seems like nobody was accommodated," Cabiness said. "The good thing is the work is done now.

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.