SIMON MOON: BLID GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY >>>

The Weekly Volcano braved the summer weather and attended this morning's BLID Groundbreaking Ceremony.

After years of hand wringing, businesses in and around Broadway will see construction begin for the Broadway Local Improvement District project. The project will include streetscape improvements along portions of Market Street and St. Helens Avenue between South 9th and South 7th Street, and portions of Broadway from South 9th Street to North 2nd Street.

Improvements will include utility upgrades, lighting upgrades, sidewalk repair and upgrades, and a number of other cosmetic improvements. If that sounds like a good deal, consider that some businesses will not survive construction and street closures long enough to enjoy the benefits of all that sprucing up. Rather than bemoan their fate, downtown business owners are advised to start planning now. A little strategy, say experts, will make the difference between survival and demise.

The City of Tacoma’s Small Business Construction Survival Guide is a good place to look if the whole thing has you feeling overwhelmed. Download a copy of Tacoma’s Small Business Construction Survival Guide here.