Granite City businesswoman claims construction work cost her customers

The owner of a Madison County business has filed suit against Granite City and the construction company that she claims caused her to lose business and to sustain cracks to her building.

Young S. Choe claims she lost customers of her alteration business located at 1600 Pontoon Road in Madison County when Granite City hired workers to construct a bridge near her store. After construction work on the bridge began, workers placed a median barrier in the middle of Pontoon Road, prohibiting customers from making a left turn into Choe's business, according to the complaint filed Nov. 14 in Madison County Circuit Court.

The road work began on Nov. 24, 2010, and is now finished. However, because of the road's new design, customers still cannot turn left onto Choe's property, the suit states.

Because of the new bridge and altered traffic pattern, Choe lost income, the complaint says.

In addition, she claims she sustained property damage to her building when construction workers caused cracks in the wall and ceiling. Choe does not specify how the road work caused the property damage.

In her complaint, Choe names Keller Construction as a defendant, saying it performed the road work that caused customers to be unable to make a left turn and that caused the cracks in her building's walls.

She also names road designer Juneau Associates and Granite City as defendants, saying they designed and allowed the road to be constructed in such a fashion that caused her to lose business.

In her three-count complaint, Choe is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

She will be represented by Bill T. Walker of Granite City and James E. Parrot of St. Louis.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-1214.