Gallery owner does own 'beautification' in South Lake Union

Monday morning, as Molly O'Brien walked to work along Dexter Avenue North in South Lake Union, where roads are being repaved and streetcar tracks are being installed, she saw a familiar sight -- two steamrollers parked on the street.

But on the sides were yellow paper hearts and balloons. Yellow and orange streamers, and plastic spirals dangled from the cab.

		Grant M. Haller / P-I
	Raven, owner of Raven's Gallery Erotic, proudly poses with one of the two asphalt rollers she decorated as part of "Raven's Erotic Neighborhood Beautification Project."

"I was wondering if it was somebody's birthday," she said, of the steamrollers -- all gussied up in front of Raven's Gallery Erotic, an art and sex toy shop.

On the side, a banner said, "Raven's Erotic Neighborhood Beautification Project" -- an expression of the frustration some business owners are feeling about area construction.

The steamroller art was the work of the erotic art gallery's owner, who goes by only the name Raven and says repaving has driven away business. Equipment hides her store, and dust kicked up by the work is wearing down her new tiger-striped rug. A water main break because of the repaving work damaged the floor of the engineering firm next door. And customers have no place to park.

The gallery also offers seminars on sex and relationships, and a couple of weeks ago, the work was so loud, people who'd come to find out why they always date the same type could barely hear Raven's advice.

The final straw was Friday night, when Raven came to the store, which was booked for a private party, and found the steamrollers out front. Hardly anybody showed up, and she suspected people couldn't find the store because of the equipment. Her suspicions were confirmed Saturday by e-mails from would-be partygoers who said they couldn't see the gallery.

		Grant M. Haller / P-I
	Raven adds a little touch-up work to the stack of a steamroller parked in front of her business at 408 Dexter Ave. N.

What was particularly exasperating, she said, was that the storefront next door is vacant, and steamrollers could have parked there.

She stewed Friday night, then "it occurred to me, 'Let's build a parade float.' I was hoping the construction workers would think it was funny and tell their wives what they found when they got to work." But she also hoped they'd get the point. "All I'm asking for is a little consideration."

Chad Webley, a project engineer for Merlino Construction, which is doing the repaving, said workers didn't realize the printing shop next door was empty. The equipment would be moved Tuesday morning, he said.

He said the company was not upset about the decorations, and Raven reported Monday afternoon that a foreman had called to apologize. She said, with a laugh, that he joked steamrollers and her store have something in common.

"Steamrollers are called 'vibratory' rollers," he had said.

Tim Durkan, an aide to Mayor Greg Nickels and project coordinator for the city's work in South Lake Union, also thought the decorations were funny and said that in the long-run, the construction work could help businesses such as Raven's by making them more accessible. "But in the short run, we understand it's going to have impacts."

Three blocks to the east, businesses along Westlake Avenue North said they are only now recovering from work to lay tracks for the streetcar line.

Amir Shirazi, owner of the East to West import shop, was having a 55 percent- to 70 percent-off clearance sale, just to bring some money into the store.

With Westlake Avenue North being gradually reopened, increasing it from one lane back to four, business is picking up, he said.

Carl Smith, owner of the Antique Liquidation store, said the city tried to minimize the damage by installing two-hour only limits on side streets that had allowed all-day parking to free more spaces for customers.

Brad Andonian, co-owner of the Pande Cameron & Company fine rugs shop found some irony in the situation. The store moved to Westlake Avenue from Eight Avenue and Pine Street last year to escape the construction of Sound Transit's new light rail station in the area, only to find itself in the midst of the streetcar project.

"I hope that they'll leave us alone for a while," he said.