County preps for Main Street reopening Thursday

Ellicott City's Main Street will reopen to pedestrians and two-way traffic Thursday for the first time since the July flooding destroyed several businesses and homes.County officials originally planned to open Main Street on Sept. 20, but decided to delay after pushback from business and property owners who said they needed more time to recover from the damage.Access to the historic district has been closed to the public, with limited access to residents and business and property owners as construction is underway to repair damaged storefronts, buildings, sidewalks and roadways. Police presence remained at each end of Main Street Wednesday morning, where County Executive Allan Kittleman said the gates will open Thursday at 5 p.m.County officials said 27 businesses will open, including The Wine Bin, Judge's Bench, Envy Salon, Hi Ho Silver, Antique Depot, Ooh La La Salon, Su Casa, Mat About You, State Farm Insurance/Fred Gossage, RUCK Law Firm, PCF Management, CentreTek, Waverly Real Estate, Rethink Brands, Robert H. Vogel Engineering, Classic Interiors, Pure Wine Café, Catalyst Communication, Real Estate Auditing, Dr. Bowman DDS, Matcha Time Café, River House Pizza Company, Little French Market (catering), Alexander Design Studio, Pam Long Photography, Park Ridge Trading Co. and Bear Fox Babe.Drivers will be able to access more than 450 parking spaces, except in Lot B next to the Patapsco River, including spaces in the Howard County Circuit Court parking lot and in Lot D, accessible at Roussey Lane off of Old Columbia Pike.The Patapsco River bridge reopened to traffic in mid-September; however, drivers were diverted to Maryland Avenue toward New Cut Road and College Avenue. When Main Street opens, street parking will not be permitted to allow room for construction crews.&quot;We are certainly ahead of where people thought we would be right now,&quot; Kittleman said Wednesday, standing just outside the Phoenix Emporium. &quot;Amazingly, 10 weeks later, people are rebuilding and some are reopening. You just think about how wonderful these people have been and they've worked so hard.&quot;Drivers react to being caught in flooding Saturday night on Frederick Road in Baltimore County near Ellicott City. (Video by Karl Merton Ferron)Kittleman was joined by County Councilman Jon Weinstein, who represents Ellicott City, and the county's emergency management director, Ryan Miller.Weinstein said that by opening before the holidays, Main Street businesses will get back on their feet and thrive as they continue repairs and reconstruction.&quot;We're ahead of the holiday season, which is the lifeblood of all these businesses,&quot; Weinstein said. &quot;When you saw what happened after the flood with cars sticking out of the ground and fronts of buildings completely gone, to imagine that just a couple of months later we would be reopening is a testament to Ryan and his team.&quot;President Obama approved federal disaster aid for Ellicott City last month, and Miller said total damage has been estimated at more than $12 million. Crews have been actively repairing and adding to infrastructures along Main Street, while also clearing stream channels and installing temporary curbing to steer water away from vulnerable areas.Most of these areas have been patched up, Miller said Wednesday, and additional drainage systems have been installed at the lower end of the street.&quot;Not all those costs will be recoverable, but about 75 percent of our eligible costs will be,&quot; Miller said. &quot;[The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is] also bringing into Ellicott City, into Howard County, some experts in flood mitigation that we're thankful for. Not always does the water follow what the engineering models suggest it's going to do, so we'll actually go through, door-to-door, and collect information about what really happened.&quot;Outside the Park Ridge Trading Co., Donna Sanger gazed inside the shell of her business where contractors were installing a new boiler and gas pipes. Her plan is to return to the store's original location, she said, but on Thursday, she will reopen next door at the former location of A La Mode Boutique.The boutique has since relocated below La Palapa at the northern end of Main Street, Sanger said.&quot;They offered [the space] to me for the next four months,&quot; Sanger said. &quot;This opportunity just came up and it was a seize-the-moment opportunity.&quot;Sanger said her re-opened store will be called Main Street Rising.Sanger's Park Ridge Trading Co., which sold gifts, jewelry and a variety of cooking items, was gutted by the heavy floodwaters less than three weeks after its grand opening. On Thursday, Sanger said she will focus primarily on gift items at Main Street Rising.&quot;I was one of the ones who stood up and asked for more time,&quot; she said about the delayed opening of Main Street. &quot;I think the traffic is going to be crazy.&quot;A few doors down, HorseSpirits Art Gallery owner Robin Holliday said her business won't open until the end of October. Holliday said as visitors venture through the area, she hopes they pay close attention to their surroundings.&quot;I'm not sure how it's going to work with pedestrians given how much work is still being done not only to the streets, but also to the shops,&quot; Holliday said. &quot;I just hope that people who come down here will be very mindful of what they're doing. I wouldn't want anybody to get hurt.&quot;A lot of work still needs to be done, Holliday said, and not many places will be open between La Palapa and the Antique Depot at the northern and southern entrances to Main Street.&quot;There's not much for [visitors] to do,&quot; she said.Kittleman said he believes visitors will make sure the businesses of Main Street continue to receive strong support.&quot;I think these folks are going to have a hard time, hopefully, batting people away [who are] coming in,&quot; Kittleman said. &quot;There will be just so many people coming in to help them.&quot;Kittleman said some sidewalks between Old Columbia Pike and Maryland Avenue may be closed for construction Thursday, with traffic restrictions and flagging operations in place. Crews will also continue rebuilding a retaining wall near the B&O railroad bridge, and Tiber Alley will remain closed for repairs until Friday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m.

County preps for Main Street reopening Thursday

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