After nearly three months of road closures and business disruptions, the safety perimeter surrounding Empire Towers in Glen Burnie, Maryland, has officially been lifted, allowing traffic to return and bringing relief to nearby businesses.
The reopening marks an important step toward normal operations for businesses that struggled to attract customers while roads around the structurally unsafe office building remained closed. However, the financial and operational effects of the disruption are continuing for some former tenants.
For Herbert Dubose, manager of BG’s Carwash, the return of traffic offers hope after months of uncertainty.
“It’s been a nightmare,” Dubose said.
Road Closures Hurt Business Near Empire Towers
Empire Towers was evacuated in July after the building was deemed structurally unsound. The incident led to a safety perimeter around the property, restricting access to nearby roads and businesses.
Dubose said the closures caused a sharp decline in customers at BG’s Carwash. With fewer people coming through the area, the business had to reduce its operating hours and cut its workforce.
“We used to close at five or six o’clock, but I’ve been closing early because nothing was coming down here, so we didn’t need to stay open,” Dubose said.
According to Dubose, the staff at the carwash dropped from 16 employees to just four during the disruption.
The lifting of the safety perimeter has brought signs of improvement. With nearby roads reopened, customers are returning, giving the business an opportunity to rebuild its operations.
“We’ve been very steady today, very busy, I’m glad they opened the road up,” Dubose said.
Although the reopened roads offer a welcome change, businesses affected by the closures may need additional time to recover from lost revenue, reduced staffing, and interrupted customer relationships.
Former Empire Towers Tenants Face Ongoing Challenges
The impact extends beyond businesses located along the closed roads. Former tenants who operated inside Empire Towers are also dealing with the consequences of the evacuation.
Taylor Wach, who worked at a speech pathology practice inside the building, said relocating the practice created difficulties for both the business and its clients.
“It’s just been really hard, and we’ve definitely lost some clients as we moved just because of how crazy the transition was,” Wach said.
The relocation disrupted the practice’s operations and contributed to the loss of some clients during the transition.
For service-based businesses, maintaining established relationships can be especially important. A sudden move can make it harder for clients to find a new location, keep appointments, or continue receiving services without interruption.
The lifting of the safety perimeter may improve access to the surrounding area, but it does not automatically resolve the challenges faced by former tenants who were forced to relocate.
Empire Towers Recovery Work Will Continue for 4 to 6 Weeks
Although the safety perimeter has been lifted, work at Empire Towers is not finished.
According to the building’s officials, contractors are expected to spend another four to six weeks recovering vehicles that remain trapped inside the property and restoring access to tenants’ personal belongings.
Permanent repairs to the building are planned for next year.
The additional recovery work means that some issues connected to the building’s evacuation will continue even as nearby roads return to normal use.
The situation has affected not only former tenants but also businesses operating in a neighboring building that was included within the safety perimeter.
Nearby Businesses Prepare to Reopen
Businesses in the neighboring building are preparing to resume operations following the reopening of the surrounding area.
The owner of 12 Minute Tag and Title said the business and others in the building next to Empire Towers would be able to move back in Monday. Those businesses had been closed since the July evacuation.
Their planned return represents another important step toward restoring commercial activity in the area.
For local business owners, reopening means an opportunity to reconnect with customers and begin recovering from weeks of interrupted operations. However, the extent of that recovery will depend on how quickly customers return and businesses can resume their regular schedules.
Road Reopening Brings Hope for Glen Burnie Businesses
For Dubose, the reopening of nearby roads is a welcome change after months of reduced business and difficult staffing decisions.
The return of customers could help BG’s Carwash rebuild its workforce and restore its regular operating hours. After cutting staff from 16 employees to four, Dubose hopes the improved access will allow the business to regain stability.
“I pray to God it’s all over. That way I could keep some staff here and keep my customers rolling in and out,” he said.
While the lifting of the Empire Towers safety perimeter marks a major milestone for Glen Burnie’s surrounding businesses, the recovery process is still underway. Contractors have additional work to complete, former tenants continue to adjust to relocation, and affected businesses must work to regain lost customers.
For those who have spent months dealing with closures and uncertainty, the return of normal road access offers a reason for optimism as they work toward rebuilding their businesses.
