The devastating flood in Ellicott City has closed the businesses and shuttered the homes of many Ellicott City residents, perhaps permanently ("Food and drink fundraisers to benefit Ellicott City, Jones Falls area after flood," Aug. 9).
Today, for some reason, there are several retail spots in the Village of Cross Keys that are empty,
The Ashkenazy Group, who owns the Village of Cross Keys, seems to be reluctant to make any effort to fill these vacant spaces.
I have a suggestion that might help both the former shopkeepers of Ellicott City and the owners of the Village of Cross Keys.
Perhaps the owners of the Village of Cross Keys should allow those merchants who have been forced to close their stores in Ellicott City to temporarily open in some of the now empty spaces in the Village of Cross Keys.
The Ashkenazy Group is now receiving no rent at all from those empty stores, so if they accept this suggestion they lose nothing,
But if things happen to work out, perhaps some of those businesses might decide to stay, which I assume would be something the Ashkenazy group would like. Those who decide to leave would have been given some time to find new places to rebuild their businesses.
The Ashkenazy Group, by simply doing the right thing, could create a situation where no one really loses and everyone gains, as it should be.
Ed Gold, Baltimore