Margo Susco has long been a believer in downtown Tucson.
She's had her business there for 17 years, where downtown-goers are treated to eye-popping displays in her storefront windows of mannequins bedecked in lingerie and club wear.
But this week, the windows at Hydra Leather and More carry eye-popping signs as well.
On Wednesday morning, commuters were greeted by signs questioning how businesses will survive, with construction for the modern streetcar about to create a traffic nightmare.
"Small businesses here are not embraced," Susco said on Friday. "It seems they just put up as many roadblocks as possible."
Susco picked her location because she considered downtown a progressive place that would be a good fit for her boutique.
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"I figured it's the perfect location, too, right in the heart of downtown."
Butat a time when downtown boosters are saying the area is poised for dynamic growth between the new transit opportunities and student growth, she's starting to question if she's in the right location.
"I'm weighing my options as to whether downtown is still the best fit."
Her frustration reached the breaking point even as Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild was making a pitch for the streetcar before two separate business audiences Friday.
He's convinced it's going to lead to a vibrant resurgence downtown, noting other cities with streetcars have seen leaps in private investment.
But Susco remains skeptical. Rather than sink $200 million into the project, she'd rather see vintage trolley cars on rubber tires ferrying visitors.
Although the construction timetable is relatively aggressive, at about 15 months or so, she anticipates delays when crews open up the old streets.
The economy is bad already. Lump the streetcar construction on top of that, she said, and "My neighbors and I are shaking in our shoes right now. This is the worst possible time for them to tear up the streets."
Susco said she's better off than some. She has unique products and is fairly well-branded and established. But she's also frustrated with hearing about special deals for other people - whether that be $1 rent, reduced prices on garage spaces or free utilities.
"If you're a big developer or a business ... and they want you downtown, they will do everything in their power to keep you downtown. But for too many of us, there's no help."
Last year, she said, she asked for help with parking and for streetcar construction to be concentrated in the slower summer months, but got shut out on both fronts.
Susco said she's had high fives from many neighboring businesses owners, some of whom have struggled with red tape as they tried to get various permits to open or put up signs.
She's also getting a great deal of attention.
The city's transportation liaison for the project came by on Thursday. Then staffers with the Regional Transportation Authority's business-assistance program stopped in Friday, surprised to see the signs.
"We walked by and said, 'Holy cow,'" said Britton Dornquast, who runs the MainStreet program designed to help businesses survive through construction projects.
"She's expressing a lot of concerns and sometimes, it's just the fear of the unknown. The emotions she's feeling are not unusual," he said.
"My job is not to sell people on whether the streetcar is the greatest thing since sliced bread or the biggest boondoggle," he said, since it's coming, like it or not. Instead, he needs to help owners focus on how to get through to the other end.
Although construction will shut down Congress one or two blocks at a time, he said sidewalks will remain open and multiple major cross streets won't be shut down simultaneously.
"I'm confident she can get through this. I'm confident customers can get to her business," he said. "In the end, I think it's going to be a good thing for her. I really do."
Rothschild said he plans to stop in and see Susco.
He said he understands the focus on developers and big properties might leave some small businesses feeling left out, especially as the council embarks on creating a central business district that will likely result in tax incentives for developers.
"There's no question that the streetcar construction is going to be an inconvenience for those along the route," he said. "But there's also no question in my mind that when we're done, it will benefit everybody along that line."
Contact reporter Rhonda Bodfield at rbodfield@azstarnet.com or 573-4243.
"If you're a big developer or a business ... and they want you downtown, they will do everything in their power to keep you downtown. But for too many of us, there's no help."
Margo Susco, owner of Hydra Leather and More in downtown Tucson
