Flooding in Harbor Towne Mall Basement

Harbor Towne Mall — at the corner of Lincoln and Railroad Avenue — had flooding in the basement on Wednesday. The basement is vacant, but all street-level businesses needed to close early Wednesday evening. The Health Department had to make sure there wasn’t a sewage problem.

The Health Department confirmed that there was no sewer leakage and all businesses have re-opened. The businesses at Harbor Towne Mall include: Thai Pepper, India Oven, Spicer’s Deli and Grocery, and Real Estate Marketplace.

More Problems with Gateway Center

Will it ever end? Yet another Gateway problem rears its head.

Anh Voang owns the Harbor Towne Mall on Lincoln Street adjacent to the Gateway construction. She will probably need to be paid additional compensation for her property because of her economic losses caused by the construction.

She said: “I still own all property; I pay taxes and mortgage all that time. I've been offered below market price; my mall has diminished in value; I have lost tenants and income.”

Obviously Gateway Center is a done deal and there’s no turning the clock back. But maybe, just maybe, we could learn something for future decisions — No more massive construction projects that nobody wants. The only thing they accomplish is to jeopardize existing businesses, drain the treasury and make funding unavailable for the things people DO want — a swimming pool, art displays, parks…