The underground parking garage under construction at South Fifth Avenue between East Liberty and East William Streets was expected to be complete by today.

But, it again missed its deadline as the project extends into February, and orange construction barrels and cement trucks will continue to line the street, leading to prolonged dissatisfaction of local business owners.

Ali Ramlawi, owner of Jerusalem Garden, claims that business at his Mediterranean restaurant has significantly slowed since the beginning of the project in September 2009. The delays in opening the road for traffic have only added to Ramlawi’s frustration.

“These folks (planning the construction) are completely out of touch with the project they’ve initiated,” he said.

Ramlawi added that officials working on the project have told him several different dates for the road to be reopened — last August, Dec. 31, 2011 and Jan. 31 — and none have been met.

The cause of the delay is uncertain, but may be tied to difficulties of working outdoors. According to a Jan. 24 annarbor.com article, Susan Pollay, executive director of the DDA, said the remaining work at the site is dependent on the weather and moisture in the area, which may hinder development.

Pollay did not respond to multiple interview requests from the Daily.

Regardless of the circumstances, Ramlawi said he is disappointed in how the city is handling the prolonged delay and how the construction has continued to negatively impact businesses in the area.

City Council member Stephen Kunselman (D–Ward 3) said he understands the frustration from business owners who have seen a decrease in sales because of the project.

“The fact that it is delayed is unfortunate because we know it’s been very difficult for some of the local businesses … as a council member, I am very concerned about our local businesses,” Kunselman said.

He added he hopes the project will be completed before the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which are scheduled for mid-July. If the construction is not finished by that time, Kunselman said it could be “very concerning” to both business owners and the community at large.

“All I can hope is that everyone involved is working expediently to get the road open as timely as they can,” he added.

LSA freshman Caroline Rourke said the construction hasn’t personally affected her as a consumer, but is concerned about its negative impact on local businesses.

“Personally, it hasn’t really bothered me … (but) it’s not okay that this is their third deadline missed,” Rourke said. “They definitely need to take action.”

At this point, it is unclear when Fifth Avenue will reopen to traffic. For now, Ramlawi said businesses like his are just “weathering the storm.”