A handful of businesses were permanently affected by the Masonic Temple building fire last week, all of which are seeking alternative space. Those left intact on the opposite side of the street, however, are going through a bit of a rough patch as a result of the aftermath.
Dunkirk Mayor Richard Frey announced during Monday's press conference that on behalf of merchants Central Station and Dr. David Root, the city would be putting up a sign trailer on the south end of Central that night, which it did.
On Tuesday, the village of Fredonia police department positioned its sign, "So we can get some messages up on it as to what's open and what's going on and what's active at this point," Frey said. "We did try to get the back end of the area cleaned out rather well Sunday night."
Every business opposite the Masonic Temple building is doing what it can given the circumstances. The WIC (Women, Infants and Children) offices, which moved into the 328 Central Ave. location recently, had to relocate all of its workstations temporarily to the Community Center at the Courtney Street Apartments.
Businesses which deal with handicapped individuals, such as Dr. Root's Chiropractic office and the Resource Center Dental Services, are asking their clients to give them advanced notification that they will be arriving so that possible parking options can be made available.
Dunkirk City Chief of Police David Ortolano said if the police department is notified when specific patients with special needs are coming, it will make arrangements for the patient's vehicle to drop them off at the office site.
"I'll make sure we can get them in and out, bring their car in get them in and out, and then back out again. I'm sure we can help with that," Ortolano said.
"We're absolutely open to see our patients," said Pam Cranston, site manager for The Resource Center Dental Services. "It has been a little difficult. We see the handicapped and some people that need special transportation, so it's been a little difficult for them to access the building. Monday the street department cleaned everything up and they did an excellent job. The police and the fire department have been absolutely wonderful, answering our questions, and have been taking our phone calls at any time of the day or night if we had questions about whether we could open and access the building."
The Resource Center is open our regular hours and is using the front door for access, with parking available on Third Street.
The Central Station Restaurant is also operating under its normal business hours, and then some with hours extended until 7:30 p.m. on Friday' for Lent, but business was and has been affected.
"Our business is down. We're only doing one third of the business we normally do because we don't have any parking on Central Avenue yet, and we have lost all of those customers we had in those three buildings," said co-owner along with her husband, Judith Moon. "We're getting the word out, we put our own signs up over the weekend and when the mayor saw that he got digital signs for each end of the closed street letting people know they can get in through the court."
Moon said they lost a lot of customers, but they're doing what they can to make up business through deliveries which they offer regularly and in takeout.
Western New York Hearing Services Inc, Audiology Services is currently not seeing any patients right now and appointments have had to be canceled. Everywoman Opportunity Center Inc is operating under its normal business hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is asking patrons to enter through the Link Street entrance.
"We did have to close Thursday and Friday but we reopened Monday," Wendy Dulski, Program Support Specialist said. "We are open even though Central Avenue is closed down to foot traffic and vehicle traffic."
For anyone in need of a parking space for one of the businesses between Third and Fourth Street, additional parking is available in the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton church parking lot at the corner of Third Street and Washington Avenue on weekdays.
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