Roosevelt Center merchants face a regrettably similar set of economic challenges from the new Covid-19 Omicron surge, with recovery plans put on hold once more by the recent drop of in-person traffic. The majority of the Center’s businesses, like the Old Greenbelt Theatre (OGT) and the New Deal Café, rely on people, in varying degrees, to bring in revenue. The Roosevelt Center Merchants Association (RCMA) met with the Greenbelt City Council on Wednesday, January 19 to provide an update on their struggles and successes. While acknowledging their daunting personal challenges, the members shared an optimistic look to the future that is based on working together and with the city to solve many of their common problems.
RCMA Chair and OGT Executive Director Caitlin McGrath notified council that a Greenbelt Business Alliance is in the early stages of formation and would potentially unite all of the city’s businesses in a common cause of surviving this difficult period. Said McGrath, “There is strength in numbers.” In addition, Economic Development Coordinator Charise Liggins and her staff continue to make outreach to all the city’s businesses, with technical advice and connecting to resources from corporate entities and county, state and federal governments. Members of the RCMA had unanimous respect and gratitude for Liggins’s indispensable efforts.
Dan Gillotte, general manager of the Co-op Supermarket, said things are “doing fairly well,” citing supply issues at times, increased costs like the $3 per hour raise to staff and instances of staff burn-out from the constant health and safety concerns. The pharmacy has provided frontline service in vaccinations, boosters and Covid testing.
Greenbelt Federal Credit Union (GFCU) President Ed James said that the majority of service remains electronic, with in-person safety precautions like a sneezeguard in place for walk-in customers. He said that solvency has been maintained and the Credit Union received a positive audit from their national office. Many upgrades, including the security and computer systems and the ATM, have been made. When asked about Saturday hours, he responded that if the traffic demanded it, it would be a possibility.
For the Greenbelt Arts Center, Sian MacAdam said that live theater will have to wait, with the emphasis on online and outside ventures. She said that at this point plans were in a state of flux and “nothing is off the table.”
McGrath said that the OGT is “doing well,” in spite of its drop to 25 percent capacity and revenues. Assiduous safety measures like masks and vaccine cards are in place. She was excited over the success of the private screening room, additional screening room and soon-to-be-finished media arts literacy lab. The OGT was able to raise roughly $25,000 at a recent fundraiser.
Gretchen Schock, of Bee Yoga Fusion, faced a huge drop in in-person classes with Omicron. Virtual instruction has provided most of her patronage. She said that she faced staffing issues as many trainers are part-time and have had to leave due to personal situations.
Brandon Cole, owner of Choice Clinical Services, has had to pivot to mostly virtual visits, regretting the loss of the one-on-one human connection in sessions. He said that he has “survived and even grown a little bit,” as residents are in need of support in this trying period.
Michael Hartman, Mark Cheater as well as Gillotte, who oversees food and beverage, spoke for the New Deal Café. Cheater said that the Café lost 90 percent of its revenue, has had to limit capacity and postpone regular live music. Gillotte called this a “bad financial but a right safety decision,” with choices he has never had to make in 30 years as a businessman. In June, the Café is expected to pay back on government loans and the representatives were hopeful that the city can provide assistance. Council pledged its support, unsure if the upcoming American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds would qualify, as they are reserved for Covid-related impacts.
The Granite Building owner Kim Kash was proud to report full occupancy in this newly renovated facility. She said she was happy to provide a full-service lease to her tenants.
The Farmers Market continues to receive support from residents, with farmers and vendors achieving pre-pandemic levels of patronage.
There was general frustration leveled at property owner George Christacos for what was seen as a negligent approach to the maintenance of the Center’s two historic buildings. The RCMA merchants were in agreement that pressure, perhaps from city government or legal means, needs to be applied to resolve this issue.
Mayor Emmett Jordan and Councilmember Judith Davis recounted past conversations with the owner that were not constructive. Councilmember Rodney Roberts recommended a kinder, and thus more efficacious approach, saying he was ashamed of council’s previous dealings with the owner.
In a subsequent interview with Mike Samson, maintenance overseer for Christacos, it was asserted that his organization has happily and quickly addressed issues that fall under its purview, like roofing and gutters. When it concerns things like exterior lighting (much of which was installed by tenants) and anything that relates to the grounds, Samson claims that these are the responsibility of the tenants or the city. Samson further stated that cracks in the walkways were fixed even though this was technically a city duty.
Tenants of Christacos are very interested in having utility meters individualized to their respective businesses so that they will be responsible only for their own usage. City Attorney Todd Pounds, in a separate statement, was unsure if ARPA funds could be used for this purpose.
The sense of public safety at the Center was generally high, but Gillotte reported some instances of juvenile shoplifting at the Co-op.
This led to a discussion of the chronic problem of smoking at the Center which is illegal as it is a city park. Davis reported that violators are sometimes belligerent when confronted. A solution would probably involve a greater presence of Greenbelt police officers, who are unfortunately needed elsewhere.
Jordan remarked that Roosevelt Center has been “hit harder than any other commercial section of town.” He committed complete support to “this very important part of the city,” thanking the RCMA for the work and sacrifices they have made these past two years.