Minneapolis businesses impacted by water main break closing permanently
Flooded Minneapolis businesses won?t reopen
A Minneapolis water main break in February displaced multiple businesses and several tenants from a building, but they'll now be closing for good. FOX 9?s Soyoung Kim has the details.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - It has been nearly four months since a severe water main break in Minneapolis displaced several businesses and tenants.
Some stores impacted said they couldn't wait for a solution, instead announcing they are permanently closing their doors.
Left high and dry
What they're saying:
The owner of Sparrow Café Jasper Rajendren said he has had to make the difficult decision to close a business he had built with his wife for 12 years.
He said progress remains largely unchanged. Now, with no clear timeline in place for when the building will be restored, Rajendren said the cafe will not be making a comeback to the corner.
"Our insurance covered our equipment losses, but there’s no way we can take on remodeling all of this," said Rajendren. "We love the space. We love the neighborhood. We love the people, but it’s just not feasible."
Terzo, on the other side of this building, announced on the restaurant’s website that it is closing as well.
The backstory:
FOX 9 had previously caught up with Rajendren and other business owners impacted several months ago. This was just weeks after a water main break damaged the building in Februrary.
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The other side:
Rajendren said the owner of the building has been doing what he can, working with insurance and the city.
A spokesperson for the City of Minneapolis sent FOX 9 this statement on the matter.
"Neighborhood shops and restaurants are a lifeblood for Minneapolis, and the City puts tremendous effort into supporting the success of local businesses at every stage, from inception to growth and support when challenges arise. This includes making active investments in infrastructure like our water systems, which has made us more resilient and less prone to failure than average cities our size. When property owners are affected by a water main break like what occurred at 50th and Penn, we evaluate each claim thoroughly based on Minnesota law, while also encouraging claimants to file with their insurance providers and connecting owners to all additional available avenues for support."
What's next:
The Sparrow Café team has been posting updates to their GoFundMe campaign. They said they hope to continue serving customers in another space, but have no set future plans yet.