Angelo Pizza opened his namesake restaurant on Market Street in November 2020, and survived the pandemic. But it’s ongoing construction, not COVID-19, that has proven the biggest threat to his business.
“If I were a newer business, we probably wouldn’t make it through this,” Pizza said. “We’re having a 25 to 30% drop in business because there’s no foot traffic.”
The reason for the drop in foot traffic and business is the roughly 10-foot-tall, chain-link fence sectioning off the bike lane construction in front of Pizza’s shop. The fence obstructs the view of the restaurant and blocks a portion of the sidewalk leading to The Angelo Pizza between 2nd and 3rd streets in Old City.
Pizza said the fence has been in front of his business for two months now and “wiped out” summer business during peak tourism season.
And that was before the latest sour news: More street construction is coming, and it will last for more than three months.
From August 4 to November 17, westbound Market Street, between 2nd and 6th streets, will be closed for road work. One lane of eastbound traffic will be maintained on Market Street from 6th Street to Front Street during the months of construction.
A $16 million vision with mixed reviews
This construction is part of the City of Philadelphia’s ongoing Market Street Old City Improvement Project, which improves curbs and sidewalks and adds ramps to aid people with disabilities, a sidewalk-level bike lane and bus stop bump-outs.
When the project was introduced in 2016, Old City District Executive Director Job Itzkowitz said, it had broad support. “Everyone supported it,” he said, referring to a survey of residents and businesses.
Itzkowitz acknowledged the toll it has taken on businesses directly in the construction zone, but said the district is trying to help. Through its Merchants Fund, they’re offering up to $20,000 in grants to qualifying businesses. They’ve also hired social media influencers and installed signage to counter the appearance that storefronts are closed.
“We’re here to be supportive,” Itzkowitz said. “We’re happy to build any relationships they need and support in any way we can. We’re not running the project, but we’re here to help.”
Pizza wasn’t around in 2016 to weigh in on the plan, and he questions whether the disruption is worth the outcome.
“I don’t know if the need for the bike lane is so severe that it warrants this type of disruption for local businesses,” Pizza said. “I know there’s a lot of bikers in the city, but there’s also a lot of places that you can ride your bike that aren’t as safe as Market Street, and there’s a lot of ways to get around.”
Jessie Amadio of Philly Bike Action, a volunteer group advocating for cyclists, said she understands the frustration but believes the improvements will ultimately benefit everyone.
She cited research from the Transportation Research and Education Center and Salt Lake City showing that new bike lanes can boost local economies.She also pointed to the broader goals of the construction project, which include new cobblestones, public art and upgraded sidewalks, as well as bike lanes.
“We hope the project will wrap up as fast as possible so the fences can be removed. I think we all agree that we want to maintain and improve our streets, and that occasionally means major construction work that disrupts business,” Amadio said. “That disruption is inevitable, whether there are bike lanes in the plan or not.”
“So, if we are going through that anyway, we might as well get the best improvements possible because we’ll be enjoying those improvements for years to come.”
Frustration in the neighborhood
Just a block away from Pizza, on the corner of Market and 3rd streets, is Allen Gill and his cafe, the Coffee Tea & Company.
An expanded sidewalk and bike lane now border Gill’s cafe, and he said he welcomes more customers because of it. But construction was a “frustrating time.”
“Our business was down for like 60 to 70% during that period,” Gill said. “People thought we were closed.”
Gill said he now sees a roughly 2% to 3% increase and believes he’ll see further improvement in 2026 when the project is expected to be completed.
For Gill, his frustration was not with the district, but with the speed of the construction.
“They had told us it would be two or three weeks, and it ended up being two and a half months,” Gill said.
“I never see anyone working”
Across 3rd Street, Cafe Square One and Doggie Style Pets have seen their sidewalks reopen, but cleanup has lagged behind. Cinderblocks and equipment still clutter the curb, blocking street parking and frustrating both staff and customers.
“It’s such a headache,” said Rebecca Yap of Cafe Square One. She says drivers picking up delivery orders often have to park blocks away.
At Doggie Style Pets, staff said the earlier phase of construction had nearly cut off sidewalk access. “Almost nobody came in,” recalled employee Satchmo Prusky, who still fields complaints about lingering barriers.
Now that the sidewalk is open, Prusky said the disruption isn’t as bad, but the slow pace remains frustrating. “They’re not really doing anything right in front anymore,” he said. “It’s just taking them a long time.”
Pizza echoed that impatience. He acknowledges weather delays but questions how much rain justifies weeks of inactivity.
“I feel like I never see anyone out here,” Pizza said. “When I come in in the mornings, nobody’s working. When I leave at night, nobody’s working.”
City officials, however, say they are aware of the concerns and are trying to ease the burden.
“The Department of Streets is working with the contractor as well as Old City District to communicate with local businesses and minimize disruption during this phase of construction,” said city Department of Streets spokesperson Andrew Young.
