Hansen Community Center renovations that began in January will continue as some businesses prepare to move back into their finished offices and other businesses vacate their spaces for facelifts in flooring, ceilings, aesthetics and new walled office space.
Contractors started on Information Ticketing and Registration Leisure Travel renovations first, and agents said they hoped to be moved back in.
"We were expected to be in our new place, but they keep finding new things; I am glad that they're taking care of it now," said Gabriela Ruiz, business manager for ITR. "We still offer all our services and have maintained regular hours with very little impact to the number of customers we're used to seeing. The noise and dust have been the biggest drawbacks for us."
Most of the changes have been visual improvements, but a vital safety improvement has been a new sprinkler system.
"There have been some holdups, but those have been necessary," said Rick Voyles, of R&M Flooring and sublet to contractor T&T Construction. "We've been held up too, but they can't miss this opportunity to get it right. They needed the new [sprinkler] system -- couldn't do without it."
Other businesses in the Hansen Center have faced different challenges.
"The consignment store has had to drastically cut its floor space as the work has been to first one [wing] of the thrift store and then the other," Ruiz said.
"The thrift store will flip to the other side and … be totally revamped."
The Hansen Gallery with its frame shop will have even more challenges.
"We'll have to largely shut down for a time until they finish," said Dawn Sellers, program manager. "I'll be able to use the heat press, but we won't have vents in the [temporary] area. I won't be able to do any engraving or framing -- and this is PCS season when we usually get busy. It's affected us and it will affect us more in the coming weeks."
Sellers said they will refer business to their competitors, for now.
"No idea how long it will take but they're supposed to start next week," Sellers said. "We're getting more lighting and new flooring. The quicker they get to us, the quicker we get our new work area."
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