Construction crews Downtown, after some monetary disputes, have called off all labor on the Downtown Mall. Crews are apparently upset at the over $50,000 poured into the marketing budget instead of helping to raise wages.
Brick Watch contacted Barton Malow Project Manager Chris Weatherford this morning to confirm. "We’re negotiating right now," he says. "They’re mostly mad because we threatened to stop buying them lunch. It’s just not in the budget." Crew members maintain that if $50,000 can be spent on a few posters and big balloons, they shouldn’t be using their own wages for lunch.
Talks between labor representatives and construction management broke down last night soon after midnight. Project management is now expecting at least a two month delay, pushing the estimated date of completion back to July 1, though there is no guarantee on work being done by that point. More after the photos.
The strike was so sudden, this lonely shovel got left behind.
See any workers? You won’t be…for at least two more months.
APRIL FOOLS! Haha! We got you good, brickies!
In all seriousness (and because lying to you for much longer than we have already today would damage our untarnished credibility), workers are all over the Mall working furiously. The bulk of work is at the 100 block east (where Derriere de Soie and Alakazam are located, to name a few). Crews have half of it bricked and are smoothing sand for the western side.
Meanwhile, there’s a block party to get excited about! Yesterday, a brickophile sent in (via Brick Watch’s comments box) a question about the New York block party, which we were happy to answer. Should someone (anyone?) else have a question about the block parties, comment below! Or, visit the Downtown Business Association’s website. Happy April Fool’s Day, brickfans! Watch your brick. Er…back.