Project Downtown Pullman went on through the summer, fall and winter of 2024 and has finally been completed. The roads are now open for all.
“The city had a tough decision to make in choosing to execute the construction because it was much needed,” said Michelle’s Closet owner Michelle Kelly.
Jennifer Schwartz, Pullman resident and WSU sociology professor, said the changes that were taking place downtown were nicely communicated beforehand.
She said there are more spaces to gather downtown, sidewalks are wider and parking has been easier. Overall, Downtown Pullman is more inviting and prettier.
“I love the murals, which weren’t necessarily a part of the reconstruction, but they add to the overall feel,” Schwartz said.
On the other hand, the business owners have shown concerns throughout the construction journey because of a shocking drop in their sales and profits.
“It had a large impact on my business, the construction was longer and more difficult than COVID-19,” Kelly said, with sales having dropped 80%.
Three of Kelly’s other businesses have recently closed doors and two of them are about to follow suit.
Foot traffic has not increased although the city has opened up the roads. Kelly said she is nervous Downtown Pullman will become naked with no businesses.
C.F. Morrison Guitars owner Chuck Morrison said he does not see many changes or improvement in accessibility and traffic flow has been tighter with the loss of a lane.
Morrison said the sidewalks are wider now, though there are not as many people using them as before.
“I went downtown more than I usually do [and] I was interested to see the progress being made and it was really easy to park,” Schwartz said.
Walking around downtown was not much of an inconvenience since the city perfectly marked where you could cross the street on foot, Schwartz said. However, there would be traffic on Paradise Street during “rush minute” which caused only a mild inconvenience.
“It seems like the most disruptive parts were done when a lot of the population was out of town,” she said.
Kelly said the restaurants may not have been impacted as hard as retail stores, however, from a business perspective, neither had an advantage in this situation.
To business owners who might face similar concerns, Kelly said she advised them to stand together because the community of business owners is strong.
“I know it was tough for some businesses, but it seemed like a lot of them worked together in new and innovative ways to try to weather the tough times,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz said she hopes downtown Pullman can now attract more businesses and restaurants that stay open beyond 5 p.m. to make downtown more lively in the evenings.
“I just wish something could be done about the abandoned Mimosa building that has been empty for decades,” Schwartz said.
She said she hopes the city encourages the owners to sell or reinvigorate the Mimosa building and save it from being deteriorated.
Schwartz said she also hopes the town takes positive actions to support the downtown businesses. For example, by allowing sidewalk seating without having businesses jump through loops or pay exorbitant permit fees.
“I would hope that some building owners would relinquish their death grip on real estate and let others, who are interested in the health of the downtown area take over, renovate and open businesses that the people of Pullman need,” Morrison said.
In the long run, Morrison said there is a need for a good hardware store with Pullman Building Supply closed down, as well as a place for Pullman Co-op.
Morrison said businesses that do not have a bar atmosphere need to provide a place for relaxation and good food, not “bar food.”
“We don’t need any more smoke/pot stores or giant apartment complexes downtown,” Morrison said.
