PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The Herald Court Centre stands as a cornerstone in the community of Punta Gorda, where local businesses have flourished for years. Yet, as the weeks drift by following the devastation brought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, many of these enterprises remain cloistered behind closed doors.
“For business owners trying to survive, and this is our living, and our passion is business, hearing people say, ‘Maybe we’ll address that next month,’ was just shocking and devastating,” shared Dawn Viggiano, the driven owner of The Refindery Market.
Viggiano opened her doors to FOX 4’s Victoria Scott to reveal the turmoil that looms within her establishment after the hurricanes. Despite her determination, the path to reopening feels insurmountable. The floodgates, she noted, were never erected before Hurricane Helene hit, the city’s miscalculation leaving her business with two feet of murky water.
You can watch Victoria’s full report here:
Herald Court Centre still shut weeks after hurricanes
“The result was two feet of water – dirty, murky water within our businesses,” Viggiano recounted, her voice heavy with the weight of that painful memory. As the aftermath of the storm unfolded, Scott sought answers from city officials, directing her questions toward Assistant City Manager Melissa Reichert.
“They were not put up before Hurricane Helene because we did not anticipate that that hurricane was going to be a direct hit,” explained Reichert, perhaps too readily justifying the city’s apparent oversight.
Yet, for Viggiano, the floodgates are merely one thread in a larger tapestry of frustration. The financial burden of ongoing rent payments amidst such overwhelming loss gnaws at her, compounded by a frustrating lack of communication from the city.
“Instead of them reaching out to us, we’re the ones pushing it and asking for answers,” Viggiano lamented, voicing a sentiment echoed by many affected residents. In her eyes, the city needs to understand the urgency of their situation.
Grateful for the assistance from Victoria Scott, Viggiano expressed how significant the reporter’s involvement was to her community’s narrative. “I feel like for us, Victoria, your help was quintessential. I think it really made the difference for us to be able to move forward and be heard.” Such heartfelt appreciation reflects the bonds forged in times of crisis.
The moment of clarity arrived when Viggiano and her husband initiated a request for four months of rent abatement, a decision sparked by hope and necessity. Reichert indicated that this request would be on the agenda during the upcoming council meeting, signaling a potential shift in the dialogue surrounding local business relief.
“I believe that we’ll have all the information that we’ll need for the next city council agenda. That will be November 20 at 9 a.m. at the Military Heritage Museum,” she confirmed, hoping for resolutions that could help turn the tide against uncertainty.
In the quaint streets of Punta Gorda, where artistry meets entrepreneurship, the challenges that the Herald Court Centre businesses face act as a mirror to society’s need for resilience and support. As they stand on the precipice of recovery, these local professionals, with their aspirations and dreams, look toward leaders for the commitment of action that will foster a restored sense of hope and community spirit.
