BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Jason Reichman said his restaurant, the Loughman Lakeside, is still underwater two weeks after Hurricane Ian.
“It’s probably about 3 to 4 feet most everywhere you go,” Reichman said.
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The restaurant and bar is submerged between Loughman Lake and State Road 46, which is still closed because of flooding between Mims and Geneva.
Reichman shared aerial photos that showed his property cut off from dry land. Inside the bar, a closer look at damages could be seen that Reichman believes could total $2 million.
Reichman said everything will have to be redone.
“The best thing I can tell you is it looks like a war zone,” he said.
At this week’s county commission meeting, another north Brevard resident expressed her frustration to commissioners.
“We need help,” she said during public comment.
Commissioner Rita Pritchett, who represents north Brevard, responded.
“We have been working this 24/7,” she said. “We have been spending almost all the resources in north Brevard because of the major flooding.”
The county said more than 1,700 people have applied so far for FEMA assistance.
Reichman said he’s seeking a disaster loan to help rebuild and hopefully reopen in about a year.
“Without this avenue, I would have no recourse,” he said. “We would probably be closed for, possibly, ever.”
To take a break from all the stress, Reichman said he was taking an out-of-the-country vacation starting Thursday. He added that it appears the floodwaters are beginning to recede by about an inch per day.
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