Drivers can’t cut through Electric Alley right now, and that change is expected to last through May 9, 2026. For the small businesses tucked into the alleyway, the closure isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a daily disruption that could shape foot traffic and sales through the spring.
Construction is underway on the Electro Apartments project at 238 Commercial St. NE, and the work zone has brought a vehicle closure to the alley. People can still walk through the corridor, but cars can’t pass through, which changes how customers arrive, how deliveries happen, and how employees get to work.
Work in the alley is tied to a right-of-way closure window that runs from Feb. 9 through May 9, with typical work hours beginning at 7 a.m. and ending around 4 p.m. A separate neighborhood notice from FXG Construction said excavation was expected to start Feb. 16, placing the project now in its early phase.
FXG Construction said crews are generally operating Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to no later than 5 p.m. Contractor employees may arrive as early as 6 a.m., but the company said work and noise do not start before 7 a.m. The notice also said there may be occasional tasks outside the normal schedule, though those are expected to be limited and communicated when possible.
At street level, the closure is hard to miss. Barricades and “Alley Closed” signage block vehicle access at entry points, with signs directing deliveries and pedestrians. The setup is designed to stop through-traffic while keeping the alley accessible on foot.
For businesses, the biggest concern is perception. When customers see barricades and closure signs, some assume the whole alley is shut down and turn around, even if they could have parked nearby and walked in. Owners say that matters most for quick visits: grabbing lunch, meeting a friend for a drink, popping in for a pickup order, or making an impulse stop while already downtown.
There are also practical impacts behind the scenes. Deliveries and vendor drop-offs can take more coordination, staff may need to park farther away, and trash pickup can become more complicated when a service truck can’t move through the alley as usual. FXG Construction said it is making special arrangements to help with scheduled trash pick-up during the closure.
Even with all of that, alley businesses want the message to be simple and unmistakable: they are still open.
Cozy Taberna, Pintxos, Mikey’s, and the rest of the businesses in Electric Alley remain open throughout construction. Owners are asking customers not to let the barricades be the deciding factor. If you’re planning to visit, park nearby and walk in. If you’re a regular, keep the routine going. And if you’ve got friends who haven’t been down there in a while, tell them the alley is open to people, just not to cars.
FXG Construction asked neighbors and business owners to flag problems as they come up, including parking concerns, site impacts, or contractor behavior. The notice lists the site superintendent as Byron Moody and includes contact information for project-related questions.
For now, the timeline is the key detail: the alley is closed to cars through May 9. The best way the community can help is straightforward, business owners say, keep showing up.
