BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – For six months, the main drag of Downtown Birmingham has been under construction, putting a real strain on small businesses that count on foot traffic. But now, the project has been completed.
The street signs and pavement are new and the paint is barely dry, but Old Woodward is once again open for business in Downtown Birmingham.
"Excitement, relief, gratitude that we made it to the other side," said Stacey Bishop, of Pogo Boutique. "It's been a rough four months."
While the street was closed, business on Old Woodward stayed open, but it was difficult with closed sidewalks and no parking since March.
"Our peak time for shopping is summer, and it's cut into a lot of that," Bishop said.
The project included new underground infrastructure and above-ground improvements to the street, sidewalks and landscaping. In the long run, officials believe it will be better for everybody.
"It's exciting to get the people back on the streets, because, you know, it's been very hard," said Brandi Causey, of Cupcake Station. "It didn't kill us, but it definitely affected us."
The new Old Woodward officially opened Saturday.
"Christmas in August, for sure," Bishop said. "People were shopping their hearts out. They were so ready. They needed their fix. They needed their shopping fix, for sure."