The two-year construction of an underground parking deck is set to begin downtown tomorrow, but the owners of Jerusalem Garden and Herb David Guitar Studio say they have been overlooked in the process.

On Feb. 17, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority approved the construction of a new underground parking deck on South Fifth Avenue. The construction will also include water mains, pedestrian walkways and electric transformers to encourage new businesses to build on the location, according to the DDA’s website.

Despite the apparent benefits of the underground deck, two local businesses are fighting back against the project.

The owners of Jerusalem Garden and Herb David Guitar Studio filed a complaint with the city attorney last month claiming the vibrations from the construction would damage their buildings.

The 300 block of South Fifth Avenue, where both businesses are located, will also be closed for six months starting December 2010 due to construction.

Ali Ramlawi, owner of Jerusalem Garden, said closure would deter customers from his business.

However, Adrian Iraola, senior project manager from Park Avenue Consultants, the company hired for the job, said some of the negative feedback has been caused by misinformation about the project.

“I don’t think this project will affect the businesses any more than any other construction projects,” Iraola said. “There will be the noise and vibration, but there are measures we take to reduce it.”

Iraola said his company has chosen not to use hydraulic hammers, and that they will monitor the decibel levels of the equipment to ensure that it doesn’t exceed local noise regulations.

The DDA has also stated on its website that “construction is not to begin before 7 a.m. and construction activities will be required to comply with the city's noise control ordinance." The city will also construct fences and use water sprays to minimize dust.

Financing for the project came in part from the Build America Bond program, which was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“This bond program was designed to encourage big construction projects like this as a way of generating jobs,” according to the DDA’s website. The interest rate for the bond is 3.81 percent, essentially saving the city approximately $22 million.

Ramlawi, however, feels that his business, which was founded in 1987, has been overlooked by the city throughout the planning stages.

“(The DDA) has not communicated when or how (the construction) will happen, and we learn just like everyone else does — through the newspapers,” Ramlawi said. “They never asked for our concern or our opinions.”

“In this city‘s attempt to attract industry,” he added, “they’ve forgotten the businesses that are already here.”

According to Ramlawi, structural damage to his building is inevitable because the sidewalks will be torn up and the water supply, an essential component of running a restaurant, will be cut off while the water mains are built.

AnnArbor.com reported last week that Ramlawi and the owner of Herb David filed a lawsuit against the city. Ramlawi said, however, that he “only filed a complaint.”

“We haven’t sued yet because there hasn’t been a loss,” he said. “However, if we face structural damage or significant loss of business, we will.”