Politics & Government

Restaurant Owner Hopes for Flood-Free 2012

Ozzie Mehdizadeh of Side Street Cafe has spent a total of $49,000 repairing damage to his restaurant caused by flooding.

Many residents started the New Year anticipating a fresh start and better things to come.

owner Ozzie Mehdizadeh is just hoping to keep his restaurant afloat—literally—for another year.

As a result of , Mehdizadeh was forced to shell out $49,000 to pay for repairs to his restaurant, located at the intersection of Beaver Run Lane and York Road in Cockeysville.

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"All I can do is hope," he said. "The county hasn't paid for anything. No repairs, nothing."

But Councilman Todd Huff said business owners are still on his mind. 

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"We are working directly with FEMA and MEMA to potentially obtain some property in the Cockeysville corridor through the federal relief fund to help these businesses out and relocate the businesses," Huff said.

Mehdizadeh previously told Patch that he looked into moving Side Street Cafe, which he has owned for 13 years, to another location but the estimated costs of doing so are too high.

He enlisted John Heagy Remodeling, Restoration & Construction to renovate the restaurant following the September 2011 flood.

"We had to tear down everything," said Brian O'Shea, the marketing director for the John Heagy company. "We had to remove the dry wall and [Mehdizadeh's] floor. Ozzie was a priority. Everyday he was closed, he was losing money."

John Heagy recently set up shop in a space near that previously housed a mortgage company.

"Our target market is in this area and we wanted to be close to the businesses so they can have a better idea of what we do," O'Shea said.

Still, like Mehdizadeh, O'Shea can only hope that no more natural disasters strike the area.

But Mehdizadeh is grateful for one thing throughout this ordeal.

"I'm blessed with having many wonderful customers," he said. "They have been very generous."


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