Federal and state business agencies are helping bring relief to businesses in Uxbridge, Mass., in the wake of a six-alarm fire that destroyed Bernat Mill, displacing 65 businesses. But only three of those businesses have filed for low-interest federal loans to relocate and reestablish.
On July 21, a fire tore through the 232,226-square-foot mill complex, which the town assessor’s office valued at $3,255,000. After the fire, Gov. Deval Patrick and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray asked the U.S. Small Business Administration for relief, and the agency declared the fire a disaster, which makes the affected businesses eligible for low-interest loans to rebuild what they lost.
In addition, on July 25, Patrick filed legislation to provide tax relief for the businesses.
The SBA has advised more than half of the 65 businesses, but only three have so far have applied for the offered loans, said Kathy Cook, government relations specialist for the SBA.
“They’re just not sure what to do, because they’d apply for the disaster relief funds and then wouldn’t even know where to go, where to relocate to,” she said.
One of those unsure business owners is Pamela Murphy, of The Artist Palette, which teaches fine arts to children ages 2 and older. After six years in the Bernat Mill, she lost all her painting and sculpting supplies in the fire and now has taken up short-term residence in Uxbridge High School.
“I’m definitely going to find a new place, but I’m going to wait, as they say, until the dust settles,” said Murphy.
The SBA is also being joined by the Small Business Development Center at Clark University, which is offering business counseling, and the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce.
“We were in Uxbridge all week last week, meeting with people. Most of it was trying to get them to just talk about what happened. And we’re also giving them advice on where to go next,” said Sandra Haagsma, BVCC director of member services and events.
Also, the BVCC is encouraging the business owners to use a Web site, www.blackstonevalley.org, to interact and find the materials or space needed to continue their day-to-day business. “For instance, we had a person who was a masseuse and looking for a massage table, and she could go on the site and post that,” said Haagsma.
Businesses have been taking advantage of the Web site. Helga Artale, co-owner of Bittersweet Hollow, posted her need a new checkout counter, tables and shelves. She had run her country-d?cor business in the mill for about two years and lost her entire inventory in the fire. She’s found a new location – 107 Main St. – but said she decided against applying for an SBA loan.
Instead, she went to UniBank, a regional bank offering displaced business owners quick loans.
Cook said the community outreach from Uxbridge businesses has been amazing. “I’ve been with the SBA for years, and I have to say, they’ve really rallied together,” said Cook. “This is a really nice community outpouring, and I don’t see that very often.”
Also, she said, businesses should take advantage of the economic injury loans available to some businesses that have lost customers, such as Uxbridge restaurants frequented by those working in the mill. The deadline for filing an application with the SBA for economic injury is April 23, 2008, but for the physical damage loans, the deadline is Sept. 21, 2007. •
