3 Fresno businesses to be acquired by city for rail crossing project

Several Fresno business owners want to pump the brakes on the city's plan to acquire land around a railroad improvement project.

On Thursday, the Fresno City Council approved the acquisition of three businesses for a railway project near McKinley and Blackstone avenues.

As the City of Fresno prepares to seize the property near the intersection, the impacted business owners are speaking out.

"If you want to take my building, there's no reason," said Art Terzian, who has owned A&T Ceramic for 30 years.

The four-way intersection has two railroad crossings at the busy street level.

A new project would lower the road, eliminating the rail crossings altogether.

But the city has to make room.

Art and his son Tony say it will impact their business and nearly 20 others.

"They're saying they need the whole parcel to deviate the road for approximately six months, possibly more," explained Tony.

The Fresno City Council has already taken the first step to take the Terzian's property after negotiations stalled.

"They're in the process of eminent domain. They have to file an action and go through the court process," Tony said.

City officials say several properties near the intersection are necessary to make way for the new, safer crossing.

The city council also approved resolutions to start the eminent domain process for three other properties.

While the long process to seize some of the private property is underway, some property owners have accepted purchase offers from the city.

The Terzians say their offer wasn't enough.

"They offered us $2.2 million for the property... Just to move out, it's going to cost me $800,000," said Art.

"And the $2.2 million won't put me a down payment on another property."

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