It's always hard to build a new future without a few growing pains. And for some of the businesses along Moana Lane things are working out better than they ever expected.
The construction has meant a lot of changes for motorists - and for businesses alike in this area. For 34 years Nu Yalk Pizza was located on Moana Lane but then was forced to move.
"When I was there, the first few years I was thinking we needed a turn lane. I just didn't realize we'd be the turn lane," says owner Rick Crocetti.
So they moved to make way for progress.
But don't worry, this story has a happy ending because they moved on to bigger and better things.
Now they have a buildling nearly twice as big on South Virginia near South Meadows Parkway.
"So I paid a lot for this. I thought I got ripped off but while I was building it, I looked around and I thought I really got a heck of a location. I'm gonna at least double what the other location was and turned out to be even more."
And there's a trickle down.
Good business has created jobs.
Rick: "We went from seven employees to 30 heh heh heh..."
Erin: "That's triple..no that's quadruple."
Rick: "Yeah..it is..heh heh heh and it's scary...really it is."
It's been packed for both lunch and dinner since the day they opened.
They added a second pizza oven just in case - and that was good planning. "I just thought it was something we might need a second oven...and from the first day in business we needed it...it was amazing!"
He says a lot of patrons are finding him. In fact a longtime customer from his Moana Lane days summed it up in the parking lot a few weeks ago.
"You know I was hesitating coming over here because I just thought it wouldn't be as good...and you know what? "t's better! Heh heh heh."
So, Crocitto has landed well. And RTC is sure businesses along Moana Lane will all be better off once the expansion to 6 lanes is complete.
It's a mess right now but businesses are working together and in fact RTC is working with them adding signage to help people know they are all open for business even during the construction.
The target date for finishing up the bulk of this work? Black Friday. They hope to be out of the way before the holiday shopping begins.
For more information on Nu Yalk Pizza, go to http://www.nuyalkpizza.com/
Written by Erin Breen
