Still, "my business wasn't that established yet, and I knew I'd be home in about seven months," says Hazley, who grew up in Kensington, lives in Feasterville with his wife, Kim, and their two kids, and runs Can Do Mechanical from Tacony.
"And I didn't think our unit would get new orders for at least another five years. By then, I'd be almost at [military] retirement, so it wouldn't be an issue."
He returned home just in time to buy a great location for his business: a small, no-frills garage and office, at 7160 Wissinoming Ave., on a block with other light industry - "so there's no homeowners to complain about noise."
The building sits aside Interstate 95, just south of the Cottman Avenue off-ramp, so it would be a snap to get to and from home. Better still, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was building a new exchange there, which would make it easier to get on and off the highway. Hazley knew he would lose some sidewalk, which PennDot was taking via eminent domain for the project, but the location was worth it.
"I redid the lighting, installed an alarm system, fixed up the office, put up a big sign on the roof so drivers could see it from the highway," says Hazley. "I brought in a partner" - fellow Seabee reservist Al Deaner - "and business chugged along. It was perfect."
Not for long.
This time last year, Hazley learned that the PennDot project was more extensive than anyone had been told. (PennDot didn't return a call yesterday for comment.)
When Hazley inspected the project blueprints at a community meeting, his jaw dropped: It indicated that new water and sewer lines would be laid right beneath his building.
PennDot planned to use eminent domain to take his shop.
