MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A small business said MLGW has asked it to pay for infrastructure that it feels should be MLGW’s responsibility.
There was new equipment being unloaded at Pyramid Stone’s soon-to-be showroom on Summer Avenue Wednesday.
The property will be a kitchen and bathroom gallery.
“We were really happy to be in the neighborhood, very happy to be a part of Broad Avenue and what it’s doing,” CEO Chuck Laminack said.
But right now, it is lights out on his hope to be open by mid-September.
“The power company, MLGW, is telling me to bring in upgraded utilities, that I’m to pay for the grid,” he said.
The property was zoned for commercial use.
Laminack said it used to be industrial; the old power poles are even still out back.
He said MLGW asked him to pay to put in a whole, new commercial infrastructure, and that’s a bill he said contractors estimate could cost him $30,000.
“It’s impossible to get a business loan to give MLGW money to fix their own infrastructure,” Laminack said.
Laminack said other businesses could take advantage of the new system by plugging in.
He said MLGW has not given him the price, which has slowed him down even more.
Laminack said he cannot set up some major equipment until he has power in the building.
MLGW sent the following response to WREG:
“It has been MLGW’s policy to charge the customer or developer for infrastructure upgrades that are driven by their projects. This philosophy does add cost to the specific project. What this customer at 2615 Summer seems to be suggesting is that other customers should bare the cost of infrastructure changes caused by his project. We have taken the position that this is not fair to our customers as a whole.
As far as the time frame, responsiveness and meeting the customer’s need date… We do find it troubling if we have not been able to meet the customer’s expectations in this area. Now that we know about this specific case we will research this matter and take corrective action as deemed appropriate.”
Laminack said if the city wanted to open its arms to new businesses in underdeveloped areas, this is the wrong way to go about it.
“Maybe they’ll go to Cordova instead or Bartlett or Germantown,” Laminack said.
