DENVER (KDVR) – Two months after a massive billboard on South Broadway collapsed in a storm, local businesses continue to suffer from the impact.
On June 6, thunderstorms and strong winds quickly and powerfully wrecked havoc and much of the Front Range.
A billboard toppled onto a building an a parking lot on South Broadway, smashing several Azucar Bakery vans, a car and a locally owned business, Cru Studio.
On Friday, Cru’s office is still unsafe to occupy. Tarps cover where the billboard fell on top of their business.
Glass and cement also linger behind in the parking lot next door, making five of Azucar Bakery’s parking spots unusable for customers and employees.
“This is something that is part of what we are paying for in rent, it’s discouraging and interfering with businesses as usual as far as us paying for something we can’t utilize,” Azucar Bakery owner Crystal Dezao said.
Dezao tells FOX31 Problem Solvers the billboard advertising company Lamar responded quickly two months ago when this happened.
“They came out very quickly to remove all of the big things, they were actually out here the very next day, but since then, two months later it just looks like this,” she said.
The bakery received information from the Lamar’s insurance company right on the two month anniversary. They received a figure for a settlement for their crushed vans. However, they have not heard any update about the parking lot.
“We tried to reach out to see when are they going to get it taken care of and we just haven’t heard anything,” Dezao said.
Dezao worries about customers safety in addition to their convenience. There’s cones preventing people from parking in the damaged spots but she says people still try to take pictures with the murals on the damaged side of Cru’s building.
“I constantly have to run out there to tell customers hey don’t go over there it’s not safe.”
Problem Solvers contacted Lamar. We have not received a response at this time. This story will be updated with any developments.