Which businesses have moved back into Union Block, who's next, who's not coming back?

TAUNTON – A sizeable hunk of downtown Taunton is opening back up — slowly.

Businesses on the Union Block side of Main Street previously forced to either shut down or relocate due to structural concerns are either planning their returns or have already returned.

“Everyone is happy to be back or moving back,” said Michael Keene, co-owner of Taunton Antique Center and Thrift Store, which is planning for a partial re-opening of its Main Street location later this month.

Starting back in late July 2023, nine businesses on Main Street were displaced — Real Art Studios, Applause Academy, Taunton Antiques Center, Tex Barry’s Hot Dogs, Taunton Venetian Blind Company, Open Doors Yoga Studios, Uplifted Nutrition, Amy’s Nail Bar and Metro by T-Mobile — when construction crews working on the long-in-the-works Union Block housing complex found urgent structural weaknesses that needed to be immediately addressed.

“This impacted everyone and their ability to stay in business. This was not an easy thing,” said Jay Dorsey, owner of three of the four conjoined brick buildings comprising the Union Block, and landlord for six of the nine business spaces displaced during this period.

“We did lose some business. Financially, we took a big hit,” said Tracy Brett, owner of Uplifted Nutrition, at 7 Main St., which returned to its original location on Dec. 27 after relocating to available business space at Morton Hospital back in August.

Over New Year's weekend the mayor’s office announced that numerous businesses affected by the Union Block construction were planning to move or were already back at their Main Street locations.

“We wouldn’t be letting them back in if it were unsafe. But repairs are still happening,” said Phil Giffee, executive director for Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. (NOAH), the non-profit developer of the Union Block housing project.

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Tex Barry's was first to move back

Tex Barry’s Hot Dogs was the first to return to Main Street, back in early November. Keene, who also owns Tex Barry’s, previously declined to talk about the move-in due to opposition over the decision from NOAH, with Giffee telling the Gazette he “wouldn’t open a business under these conditions” because of the continued emphasis on repairs.

Ultimately, it was the general contractor, Dellbrook, that signed off on safety concerns and allowed Tex Barry to return back in November.

Giffee clarified that NOAH only owns the floors above the business spaces.

“Everyone’s anxious to get back in. We understand people want to get back to normal,” said Giffe, adding “it’s a bit of a dance” as NOAH and Dellbrook work on an “in-between” compromise where tenants can move back in, while the repairs continue.

“We’re pretty optimistic now. I couldn’t say that four to five months ago.”

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Who else is already back?

Tex Barry’s return was enough reason for other businesses to shortly follow suit.

Open Doors Yoga Studios was next to move back, just before Thanksgiving, after temporarily relocating across the street to 16 Taunton Green over the summer. 

“Thank you for your unwavering support throughout the last four months. Your enthusiasm and dedication mean the world to us,” Open Doors posted on social media on Nov. 21, announcing its return to Main Street.

Brett, from Uplifted Nutrition, is grateful for getting the temporary space at Morton Hospital, and believes they got a new customer base from staff and patients there, she said. The downside, she said, were it was a much smaller space than at Main Street, as well as losing business from their established customer base who “didn’t feel comfortable” going into the hospital or had difficulties finding parking there.

In addition, Taunton Venetian Blind Company is open at its 27 Main St. location, by appointment only, according to its website.

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Businesses planning a return

Regarding Taunton Antique Center, Keene said that since September the thrift store that’s part of the center has been relocated to 45 School St., the building which formerly housed the city’s Office of Economic and Community Development. It’s the actual antique center that’s been shut down since the beginning of the displacement last summer.

The partial reopening this month of its Main Street. location is for the antique center, with the thrift store to remain open on School Street for an indeterminate amount of time.

“It’s going to take a long time to move everything back,” said Keene, but eventually, both businesses of the Taunton Antique Center will return to 19 Main St.

The city posted on social media that Amy’s Nail Bar will be reopening soon at 3 Main St.  The owner of Amy’s Nail Bar couldn’t be reached for comment regarding when that reopening will occur.

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It's going to be a while for these businesses

Real Art Studios is slated to reopen at its Main Street location in April, according to the city. Real Art has remained partially open at a temporary location in space on the Knotty Walk side street, next to National Charter 957 bar.

Real Art Studios couldn’t be reached for comment regarding its move-in schedule.

The Applause Academy isn’t estimating moving back into its Main Street building space until mid-February, at the earliest.

“There space is a bit more complicated [than others],” said Giffee from NOAH.

Applause Academy Executive Director Tim Knief explained, via email, there’s still some mechanical, engineering, and plumbing work that needs to be taken care of on the first floor and basement before “we can move back in and have no further interruptions from the construction.”

Applause Academy continues to hold its productions at Friedman Middle School and its rehearsals at 5 Hill Street.

Knief added “the students and staff have adapted well to using the various spaces, and we are very thankful for the help and support from the mayor, city and school district.”

Who's not moving back?

Metro by T-Mobile, formerly at 1 Main St., is now permanently located at 10 Taunton Green, at the corner of the Knotty Walk side street. Regional Marketing Manager David Willard explained the decision to make a permanent move was based on worst case projections expressed to the business —– six to seven months — for how long they could be displaced.

“We couldn’t stay closed that long.  We’re the only location in Taunton,” said Willard, adding T-Mobile doesn’t do temporary spaces.

Willard added that business has been impacted since the move, but he believes that’s due to people not being aware they are now across the street.

He explained they are working on updating and improving signage for the store, as well as working on securing grant funding from the state for a remodeling of its new business space, which, he adds, is larger and has better parking options than on Main Street.

Where does Union Block apartment project stand?

NOAH has until the end of 2024 to build 38 mixed-use apartments on the top two floors of the Union Block, and make them habitable, in order for investors to take advantage of historic tax credits. These credits are a key component in the financing of this massive project, which jumped in price from a projected $18 million in 2021 to around $25 million now due to the unanticipated repairs.

Giffee said NOAH and Dellbrook have every intention of completing the apartments and having at least most of them occupied by the end of 2024. 

“This hasn’t been cheap,” said Giffee, explaining structural flaws on the top two floors eventually led to investigating tenants’ business spaces on the first floor, which originally hadn’t been needed because those spaces weren’t to be touched as part of the Union Block project.

“This opened up a can of worms for additional exposed structural issues,” he said, adding “it’s fallen on us to pick up the tab.”

Giffee concluded by saying engineers are still looking for and fixing any soft spots in the buildings.

“It will be in so much better shape when we’re done,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton businesses coming back to Union Block on Main Street