Milk District businesses ask for support during road construction expected until January 2025

Due to a city construction project, businesses along a section of Robinson Street in the Milk District are bracing for protracted road closures and asking for community support.

On Monday, the Orlando Utilities Commission began installing a new underground electric transmission line along Robinson Street from North Fern Creek Avenue to North Crystal Lake Drive. The project will see street blockages for at least the next three weeks on this usually bustling stirip, OUC says, followed by months of construction through January 2025.

Storefronts and businesses operating along the several blocks of construction include Etoile Boutique, Bull and Bush, Hair Godz, Minuteman Press, Rugged Perspective, Gringos Locos, Sportstown Billiards, Stay Still Studio and The Nook on Robinson.

In a press release, OUC says the construction may obstruct access to some businesses for brief periods, but access to parking lots will not be affected. Most of the construction is expected to occur during normal working hours, Monday through Saturday.

The work will include excavation and installation of new manholes along the street. Once these manholes are installed, OUC anticipates keeping one lane of Robinson Street open in at least one direction, according to the project plan.

Etoile Boutique owner Falon Quillen took to social media to express concern over the construction’s effect on the local businesses.

Photo via Etoile Boutique/Facebook

Staff at Etoile sound the alarm over the impacts of construction on Robinson

“After the brutal profit losses our friends in @ivanhoevillage and @sododistrict faced from their recent road closures, detours and limited parking access, you can imagine how fearful we are as business owners, preparing to face such similar unforeseen circumstances,” Quillen wrote.

PLEASE “CONSIDER US WORTH IT!”
– Consider getting to our hyper local businesses worth those extra 5 minutes of circling around the neighborhood to get to our parking lots
– Consider making your way out to our hella fun community events like @tastytakeover worth the annoying detours and traffic cones
– Consider walking around past the incessant sound of drilling on concrete worth it for the dope music, real conversations and stupid dad jokes you’ll hear once you’re inside one of your favorite Milk District spots

The boutique also shared a video (below) showing patrons how to navigate the area.

Neighboring bar The Nook on Robinson also took to social media to ask for continued support throughout the construction process.

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