Dilworth business incentivizes construction crew with a party

(QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Nothing is certain but death and taxes, and Charlotteans can add construction to that phrase.

“A lot of construction going on everywhere,” said Israel Clark. “They need to minimize it.”

“We’ve got a phase one, a phase two, a phase three and phase four,” listed Matt Wohlfarth, owner of Dilworth Neighborhood Grille.

Currently, there are more than 40 storm drainage improvement projects in the city, and hundreds of other, smaller, projects.

“When you’re on the corner and both streets are under construction, it’s hard!” Wohlfarth said

One of them that’s costing taxpayers $41.5 includes installing storm drains and three new sewer lines on the corner of Morehead and McDowell. The need for improvements is apparent on a rainy day like today, and so is the urgency.

“Hopefully, we can speed them up a tad,” Wohlfarth said.

The restaurant owner came up with a sweet incentive to the construction crew: a party if they finish by September 1.

“Give them a goal to shoot for and maybe they can knock it out. We’re looking for football,” he said.

The sign sits just feet from the construction as a daily reminder of what’s at stake.

“Free party for road crew is finished by 9/1/22,” read Brad Adams. “I mean, I think that’s a heck of an incentive.”

“What kind of party it is? Food and drinks? I like that!” said Michael Patrick.

Wohlfarth says his sign has been generating some buzz.

“I was actually at the soccer game and a guy, like five people over, three rows back was like, ‘I’m coming to that party!’” Wohlfarth said.

If the project home page is accurate with a completion date of September, the crew has a chance. “The end goal is to just be through [with] it,” Wohlfarth said, “And we all need something to look forward to anyways.”