CLEVELAND — New numbers show the cost of the riots and looting in downtown Cleveland nearly two months ago is estimated to be $6 million in damages.
Business owners said half is from property damage, the other half from lost business.
The Downtown Recovery Response Fund also announced grants to local businesses who experienced damage from the events that unfolded on May 30, 2020.
Downtown Cleveland Alliance, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland Foundation, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Destination Cleveland, Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation, Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation, and corporate and civic partners collaborated to develop the Fund. More than $1.45 million has been raised.
Many Euclid Avenue businesses are back open, but not all. Some shops are still boarded up and restaurants closed. Some businesses are in danger of closing for good.
“These funds will allow additional storefronts to reopen. We think it will accelerate the pace of the recovery,” said Joe Marinucci, President & CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
Balance Pan-Asian Grille received minor damage during the riots.
The restaurant was able to stay open for business. They were lucky. But that wasn’t the case for businesses just across the street.
“Pretty much on the south side of Euclid, every window in sight was taken out,” said Jarret Plazak, manager of Balance Pan-Asian Grille.
In the tight-knit business community, neighbors are helping each other out.
“We really feel bad. We’ve done free meals for staff at other restaurants that were closed temporarily, we’re trying to be a proper neighbor to people around us,” said Plazak.
The fund received more than a hundred applications for help. Organizers hope to have the money to businesses in the next couple of weeks.
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