Businesses near site of parking garage collapse expect slower than usual patron turnout due to demolition
NEW YORK -- Neighboring businesses that were shut down Tuesday due to the parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan have now reopened.
Shortly after the garage collapsed, a lot of the businesses in and around Ann Street shut down and sent their employees home to safety. The businesses were back open on Wednesday, but a lot of people, understandably, are still shaken up.
"I think it'll be kind of slow today because the street is closed," said Oscar Ramos of Omar's Restaurant.
"Me and my friend were on Williams Street passing Ann and this window exploded and there was glass everywhere," said Elizabeth Hursh of Skull Fade Barbers.
READ MORE: NYC parking garage collapse: Work underway to remove cars from rubble, demolish what's left
Liv Zavului at Express Lane Pharmacy told CBS2 he has been parking his car at the garage that collapsed for more than 10 years.
"My car is there. I have no access to it," Zavului said.
He said he knew the employees there pretty well.
"You see them on a daily basis. You park in the morning, then you go home, so I knew a lot of them. They were my customers," Zavului said.
That includes the victim who was killed in the collapse, although that person has not yet officially been identified.
"From what we know, it was one of the main managers there. He was very nice person, always smiling, very polite, very elegant," Zavului said.
READ MORE: Manager of neighboring parking garage happy to be alive following Tuesday's collapse
Across the street, those at Skull Fade Barbers said although the thunderous noises and shaking were a scare, their shop remained open Tuesday night.
"I was really scared at first. It was something else, but everyone was just checking out what was going on," Hursh said.
Next door at Ann Cleaners, employees said they decided to shut down once they knew what was happening -- out of fear more damage could be done.
"Yesterday was a very bad situation. We saw a lot of people running, a lot of police, firefighters," Alvaro Vasquez said. "It was very scary. I said something bad can happen again, car explode."
Mary Cathryn English and other Pace University students admit this threw them a curveball.
"Last night was hard going to sleep, just knowing that what happened there, that there were people in there. I walk on the side of that garage every day, you know. My car has been in that garage, so it was a lot, and my emotions are still processing it," English said.
"One of my classes that I really needed last night was canceled, so it'll be OK, but it's the hustle now. We're in the final stretch of finals now and now we have this to worry about," freshman Bella LaTini said.
As evidenced by Tuesday's collapse, this small neighborhood in the Financial District is a community.
"It's very unfortunate. Prayers to the family. Hopefully, this will never happen again," Zavului said.
For the people who work live and study in the area, they know they have to be patient because the demolition process will take a while longer and then things will get back to normal.
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