Mall on Duval gets limited three-month extension

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

The pilot program for the Mall on Duval has moved ahead in fits and since it began nine months ago, as an increasing number of businesses on the three-block, weekend pedestrian mall complain about lower sales. But Key West City Commissioners narrowly agreed recently to extend the pilot again, this time until Feb. 17.

However, the Mall will be reduced to twice a month, in an effort to compromise with the impacted businesses. When the Mall program was first introduced last February, the 500, 600 and 700 blocks of Duval were closed to vehicular traffic every weekend. For the past two months, the Mall has been a once-a-month event, again in an effort to appease businesses and gather data on what impact different scheduling has on both attendance and retail sales. The vote to extend the twice a month pilot program to Feb. 17 passed by a 4-3 vote.

While several businesses, including multiple art galleries along the Mall, have seen a drop in revenue, Mayor Teri Johnston said the pilot program goal was initially to bring local residents back to Duval Street in the evening.

“It has done that. I don’t think anyone can deny that,” she said, adding that businesses along Fleming and Petronia streets are now asking to close to traffic one night a month for special events.

But while most businesses along the three-block route were supportive of the Mall concept at the beginning of the pilot program, the resulting drop in sales revenue has several owners concerned.

“If you continue to have the streets closed every weekend of the month or even two weekends of the month… it’s going to hurt my business substantially,” Jason Cornely, owner of Zazoo Fine Art Gallery, 622 Duval St., told commissioners at their Nov. 19 meeting.

Amber Shaffer, co-owner of Wyland Gallery, 623 Duval St., reminded commissioners of the informal survey she and her husband took this past summer of the 64 businesses along the three-block Mall. Forty-two of them said the Mall had negatively impacted their sales. Shaffer asked that the Mall pilot be suspended until planned beautification improvements to Duval Street are completed, which could be three or more years down the road.

“It simply does not make sense to invite our community and our visitors down to Duval Street when there’s so much work to be done,” she said.

Some businesses have seen an increase in revenue as a result of the Mall. Bill Lay, owner of La Trattoria, 524 Duval St., said his restaurant reported a 13 percent uptick in the first months of the pilot program. He urged business owners to work together to develop a compromise that would help all of them.

“Is it going to take time to get there? Yes, it’s going to take some time,” he said. “I know this will work.”

However, one business owner who was initially in favor of the Mall has changed his opinion. Michael Patterson, owner of Kilwins Key West, a chocolate, fudge and ice cream store at 505 Duval St., said hotel shuttles have stopped dropping their guests off on Duval because of the road closures. And ride sharing drivers are also staying off Duval because they don’t know when the Mall is operational, he said.

“So, we’re losing the visibility,” Patterson told commissioners. “With the exception of the first weekend [of the pilot program], I’ve had lower transactions every single weekend the Mall on Duval has been on the table.”

Mayor Johnston and Commissioner Jimmy Weekley, who have spearheaded the effort to turn the long-discussed Mall into reality, pleaded with their colleagues to approve the three-month, twice a month Mall extension. Weekley became emotional when he perceived one business owner in the audience was making fun of him. 

“People are enjoying it [Mall]. Roll your eyes. I really don’t care because you’re self-interested. I’m doing something I think this community wants,” he said.

But commissioners Mary Lou Hoover, Clayton Lopez and Billy Wardlow all said the city should stop the pilot now and assess the data gathered to date.

“We’ve never really had a plan. I’ve never heard our planning department weigh in on this. I’ve never heard anybody else weigh in on this that would have some expertise [with urban planning],” she said.

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