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And hence the reason why they just sit empty gathering dust and rodents and becoming eyesores dragging the once bustling neighborhood down even further. Someone has to come up with something because I've seen these empty lots just remaining empty for years on the UWS and UES and it's a shame. They could be used for something...!
And it's not only Manhattan. I see empty retail spaces along Northern Blvd in Queens and parts of Flushing. Prime spots but empty spaces just gathering dust.
The landlords want medical offices, law offices, banks as tenants but they're not biting. So, they just sit...empty.
I have been watching the same thing play out in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Plenty of empty storefronts. The only new thing we've had lately are banks, even ones that aren't known around here. For awhile we had a million new pharmacies, aside from Rite Aid/Walgreens/etc. We had a rush of "spas" and nail salons.
The other thing I noticed is that we have these random businesses set-up with barely any thought and very little product. Then they close in a few months. Repeat. Usually from two different ethnic groups.
At some point, what is the purpose of living in overpriced NYC? Its advantages of being walkable to stores and subways (now breaking down regularly while also getting filthy and smelly, see here) are now negated.
We (my coop) have a store front on Third Avenue that has been going begging for 3 or 4 years without a tenant. It was formerly a restaurant called FETCH, I think.
We are not greedy landlords, just too many restaurants in the area (UES.) They come and go so fast. Papa Johns on Second failed (good riddance) and the building (not ours) lucked out with a VERIZON outlet moving in. Probably mucho dinero.
I have been watching the same thing play out in my neighborhood in Brooklyn. Plenty of empty storefronts. The only new thing we've had lately are banks, even ones that aren't known around here.
I noticed a new bank branch pop up on E98th near the Rutland Road, Sutter Avenue station. The bank was so obscure that I can never, ever remember it and have to Bing it to talk about it--Salamanca. I was like, Salamanca? WTH is Salamanca?
Quote:
Originally Posted by city living
For awhile we had a million new pharmacies, aside from Rite Aid/Walgreens/etc. We had a rush of "spas" and nail salons.
Lucky. We've not only had those crappy spas and nail salons but pawn shops all over East Flatbush. 711 is trying to make inroads but with no luck, just the one on Utica. We saw one new pharmacy pop up at Utica right off Church, which is bizarre because there are already three in that exact area--the Walgreens and two family-owned businesses, and there are two Rite Aids and a Duane Reade's within less than a mile from there. It's so stupid.
By sheer dumb miraculous luck, we got a bona-fide sushi restaurant two years ago, but more towards the Brownsville side. No, not one of those crappy half Chinese/half Mexican/half American places. I mean, genuine sushi and Japanese menu with udon noodles, sashimi, saki, the whole works.
I have a feeling that NYC is going to turn into something similar to one of China's ghost cities--just tons and tons of vacant spaces everywhere "owned" by somebody waiting...waiting...waiting...waiting for the moment when people move in...if it takes years, a decade or longer.
I noticed a new bank branch pop up on E98th near the Rutland Road, Sutter Avenue station. The bank was so obscure that I can never, ever remember it and have to Bing it to talk about it--Salamanca. I was like, Salamanca? WTH is Salamanca?
Do you mean SANTANDER Bank? It is the 37th biggest banking corporation in the world. It bought up some other bank whose name escapes me? Sovereign? Banco Popular?
I noticed a new bank branch pop up on E98th near the Rutland Road, Sutter Avenue station. The bank was so obscure that I can never, ever remember it and have to Bing it to talk about it--Salamanca. I was like, Salamanca? WTH is Salamanca?
Do you mean SANTANDER Bank? It is the 37th biggest banking corporation in the world. It bought up some other bank whose name escapes me? Sovereign? Banco Popular?
Maybe. I don't remember. I never heard of it until a branch opened up out there.
By sheer dumb miraculous luck, we got a bona-fide sushi restaurant two years ago. No, not one of those crappy half Chinese/half Mexican/half American places. I mean, genuine sushi and Japanese menu with udon noodles, sashimi, saki, the whole works.
We are having the opposite going on uptown. We had lots of empty storefronts and rent so cheap everybody and their mother opened a barbershop. Now all the mom and pop places that were downtown are moving up here. Here in Hamilton Heights it seems a new bar, yoga studio or restaurant opens every week. I’ve only seen one close and the space immediately reopened as something else.
I lived in the Village in the good old days. Dive bars, tattoo parlors and smoke shops galore. When I’m down there now adays it sucks. Even the chess shops are gone. The Village is dead, mannnn...
I lived in the Village in the good old days. Dive bars, tattoo parlors and smoke shops galore. When I’m down there now adays it sucks. Even the chess shops are gone. The Village is dead, mannnn...
The writing was on the wall when the Kmart moved in. Now it's just one gigantic mall rat shopping district, at least when I was last there years ago. Do they even have flea markets anymore?
The writing was on the wall when the Kmart moved in. Now it's just one gigantic mall rat shopping district, at least when I was last there years ago. Do they even have flea markets anymore?
Not really. There is one on Bleeker, the rest is now ATM rooms, banks and very expensive restaurants that go in and out of business every other year.
Another reason these places are not getting rented out is because not many people live there anymore. Half the Village has been bought by wealthy Euro trash and Russians who let the apartments sit empty. When I lived there a lot of two bedrooms would have 6 actors or artists living in them. Now whole town homes sit empty as stores of wealth.
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