Businesses losing money, getting no answers on when they can reopen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than a week after part of the roof of a strip mall on Beach Boulevard collapsed, businesses in the rest of the mall are still not allowed to open.

The roof collapsed over a vacant storefront that used to be an entertainment performance venue but is costing the remaining businesses money each day they remain closed, and no one can tell them when they can reopen.

The parking lot is empty. Cease and desist stickers remain on the doors of a dog day care, a billiards bar and a comedy club. 

Two men who appear to be maintenance workers have been going in and out of the vacant retail suites of the building just west of St. Johns Bluff Road, but that's the only progress as business owners have seen.

The property manager for the strip mall, Safaa Manzouri, answered the phone, but only told News4Jax: "I am afraid I am not able to discuss it. Thank you so much for the call."

And according to the councilman for the district, Scott Wilson, the city's hands are tied because this is a problem between a private business and its tenants.

"The city has deemed the building an unsafe structure due to the damages," Wilson said in a statement. "The property owner must bring the building back into compliance and have an engineer certify that is now safe before the city can allow members of the public to access the building again."

The manager for the dog day care said he can serve his clients at a Westside office, but that's not an option for Bankshot and the comedy club.

Between the three businesses, 40-50 people had jobs at the mall. They are having to find another way to make money during the holiday season.


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