Peel St. between de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Sherbrooke St. remains closed nearly five weeks after Lea Guilbeault was killed by falling concrete, and it's caused slowdowns for businesses on the typically busy downtown artery.

The City of Montreal has left inspections up to the Residence Marriott Inn, the building from which an 800-pound slab of concrete plummeted 18 floors through the atrium of the Mikasa sushi restaurant on July 16.

Merchants say business has stalled since the accident, because the two-way road has been closed to traffic.

"We're just sitting here waiting for them to decide what to do. Maybe the City of Montreal should take charge of everything," said Marie-Helene Chartray from nearby jewellery store Bleu comme le ciel.

Decorative benches and flowerpots have been set up to beautify the area, but that's only brought Chartray more concern.

"The day I saw the flowers and the benches I thought, 'Oh my God, it's going to last forever,'" said Chartray.

City officials can't provide more details on the Peel St. closure.

"We're hoping to have the street open as soon as possible," said Jean Fran�ois Sonier of the Ville-Marie Borough. "There's no way we can be more specific about the re-opening for cars."

Quebec's R�gie de b�timent, which sets construction standards in the province, says it's playing it safe.

"We're waiting for the safety report from the owner. And for now, we won't push them," said the R�gie's Marjolaine Veillette.

Meanwhile, even though business is down on Peel, some pedestrians, haunted by the memory of the shocking accident that killed Guilbeault, continue to look up.

"Always, whenever I walk, if they're cleaning windows, I'm always watching, because you never know," said pedestrian Elizabeth Bosci.