By Gus Saltonstall
The number of ground-floor vacant commercial storefronts along Broadway on the Upper West Side has increased over the past year, according to a West Side Rag survey completed this month.
Overall, on Broadway from West 59th to 110th streets, the Rag counted 80 vacant storefronts in October 2025 — five more than the 75 vacancies the Rag found along the same stretch last October, but five fewer than the 85 empty Broadway storefronts we found in August of 2023.
Below is a map of the Broadway commercial vacancies from 59th to 110th streets in 2025.
Where do we see the most vacancies on the UWS?
There are more vacant storefronts along Broadway in the northern section of the Upper West Side than in the southern. The 20 blocks from 60th to 79th streets have 22 vacancies, while 90th to 110th streets have 41 vacancies, according to the Rag count.
- 60th-69th: 11 vacancies
- 70th-79th: 11 vacancies
- 80th-89th: 17 vacancies
- 90th-99th: 21 vacancies
- 100th-110th: 20 vacancies
Despite the higher number of vacancies in the northern stretch of the neighborhood, there was noticeable improvement in some areas.
Specifically, the vacant storefront count in the blocks in the West 90s dropped from 27 in October of 2024 to 21 in October of 2025, including multiple openings this year on West 93rd and 92nd streets. The corridor from West 100th to 110th streets saw an increase in vacancies, however, going from 15 to 20 vacancies over the past year, including such closures as Silver Moon Bakery and a Shakespeare & Co. outlet.
It is typical for the southernmost section of the UWS, which includes major areas with little commercial business, to post a lower number of vacant storefronts than other parts of the neighborhood. But the number of empty storefronts there did go from 16 vacancies in the West 60s and 70s last year, to 22 vacancies this year, according to the WSR count.
“The owners of buildings are afraid they will rent to somebody who won’t be there long because they’re competing against online shopping,” Upper West Side City Councilmember Gale Brewer told West Side Rag in a phone interview. “And then the rent is too high on Broadway for people to go for those experiment-type stores.” Brewer used the example of Bleeker Trading UWS on West 80th as an example of a successful “experiment-type” business.
Large Vacancies and Problem Blocks
There are a handful of larger storefront vacancies in the neighborhood that create a particularly empty feeling on some blocks
The former home to Marshall’s at the corner of West 78th Street and Broadway has sat vacant for nearly three years. P.C. Richard & Son’s old location between West 86th and 87th streets on Broadway shuttered in 2024, after it moved to the old DSW location on the corner of West 79th Street and Broadway. The old Face Values & Beyond storefront on Broadway near West 90th Street has been vacant for years.
Pharmacy closures are also especially noticeable. Large storefronts that formerly were home to Duane Reade and CVS are empty on Broadway at West 70th, 93rd, and 106th streets.
Then there are clusters of vacancies along certain stretches of Broadway.
There are eight storefront vacancies on Broadway from West 107th to 110th streets. And the stretch from West 96th to 99th streets has 11 vacancies, including four on the west side of Broadway between West 96th and 97th streets, which is the largest number on any one block in the neighborhood.
There are also six vacancies all on the west side of Broadway from West 75th to 77th streets and six more vacancies from West 61st to 63rd streets.
When the number of vacancies on the Upper West Side dropped in 2024, it was in part due to the influx of illegal smoke shops that proliferated in 2023.
The blight of closed illegal smoke shops then began in 2024, with most of the former shops still remaining closed as 2025 nears its end.
As is the case for all of our vacant storefront counts, we do not count storefronts as empty if there is signage up on the facade that makes it clear a business is opening soon. We do, though, count a business as vacant even if it is leased, when there is no signage or indication that the business will be opening in the near future.
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The vacant storefront on the east side of Amsterdam Avenue between 66th & 67th Streets that housed a variety store must hold some kind of record – it must be 20 years since it closed,
That isn’t really vacant. Apple rents the space and uses the back of it as like HR or employee training. They are supposedly trying to sub lease the front half but it isn’t much square footage and Apple doesn’t need the income.
And Lenny’s ostensibly closed because of higher rent.
This kind of long term vacancy because of a rent increase sure gives credence to the idea that there’s a [federal] tax advantage to an empty retail space in a subset of buildings — usually seems to be co-ops not rental buildings.
Cue up denials.
There is no federal, state or city “tax advantage” for landlords to have empty space.
Since you’re apparently such a tax expert please cite the tax code which incentivizes empty space.
There is not a landlord in the country who magically comes out financially ahead by deliberately keeping their property empty.
Almost every single empty space in the city has a “For Rent” sign along with a # to call. The landlords are trying to rent these spaces to stable businesses but they can’t. The truth is the economy has changed and much of these storefronts are worthless at any rent and the landlord is not going to give their space away at a rock bottom rent for ten years (the term of most leases) just to fill it up.
There are many stories of businesses occupying space and not paying rent and the landlord can’t get rid of them, ie Silver Moon Bakery.
Nobody likes empty storefronts but ranting nonsense is not going to help matters.
They write off the lack of rent as ‘operating losses’. Of course that’s an incentive.
Otis,
Look up “cue”.
Also, it sure seems that some subset of landlords (it probably depends on what type of corporate entity the building is — as I wrote it’s usually co-ops) have figured out how to make the empty storefronts a long-term expense that is then tax deductible.
I can’t say exactly how it’s done, perhaps management of the retail spaces can be transferred to a subsidiary of the landlord, which then charges the parent company “management” fees. Big rental unit only buildings seem to do it a lot less; meaning the storefronts are rented out faster.
Questions for Otis – why don’t landlords just lower their asking rents if they’re just losing money with them empty?
I’ve also assumed, OK perhaps incorrectly, that there were some incentives for them to keep places empty — other than the obvious hold out that maybe a really wealthy long term tenant is just around the corner. But Landlords own multiple things. If some are very profitable, they can’t offset some of those profits by losses on vacant spaces? People do things like sell a few crap stocks at a loss to offset a bonus.
Also, why the steady slow walk of improving spaces? Lots of vacant spaces show signs of life for a short bit but ultimately stay empty. The vacant bank on the NW corner of 102 and bway seems to do this every few months.
Also, strange, is that some of these empty stores are in Coops. You’d think the residents would also want places that are active even if it means less rent. It makes for a better, safer neighborhood.
Thanks!!
I agree with Otis (I have no skin in the game of commercial real estate).
Agree.
Here is an article from 2019.
https://www.westsiderag.com/2019/03/21/the-answer-column-do-landlords-get-tax-breaks-for-vacant-retail-space.
Individuals can do this too! You can get a “tax break” on your income taxes by quitting your job!
Good Grief,
No, you just make your income into a different type of income. This is how private equity types make “their” big bucks.
It’s harder for the hoi poli, and usually less rewarding in terms of percentages saved from taxation.
You make money by writing it off as a loss far larger than the actual loss. This is a classic real estate maneuver Trump has been using for decades.
This is called tax fraud. These is no tax break for empty space. Begging you guys to do the slightest bit of research into this.
Are you suggesting that because it’s tax fraud, it doesn’t happen? Look at Trump! No consequences.
There is no “writing off” of empty space by a landlord.
If I quit my job do I get to write off my lost salary?
Trump had huge losses on his real estate projects. All this means is that his expenses were higher than his revenue. It does not mean he got to “write off” empty space.
Wrong. It has always been a tax write-off. Hence, the empty space. Otherwise, some rent would be preferable to no rent: i.e. Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. They kicked out the cinema and replaced it with … nothing. This has been going on for decades in NYC.
What plans did Milstein have for Lincoln Plaza Cinemas space? Like you I’m angry that the Cinemas are gone and the space still sits empty. Was he simply punishing the Talbots?
???How is it possible to “write it off”… if you have no income from the property??
From the WSR 2019: Do landlords get tax benefits from having empty stores?
To answer his question, we called an Upper West Side landlord and leading tax attorney, who said the following:
“…there is no benefit to the landlord derived from leaving retail space vacant. There is no tax benefit other than the fact that s/he receives less income and therefore pays less tax. It would be similar to taking a cut in salary just to pay less in taxes.
“Furthermore, when a space is vacant the landlord not only loses the rental and the contribution by the tenant to his/her real estate taxes, but also incurs the broker fees and renovation costs when the space is rented…
“The landlord can petition for a reduction in real estate taxes because of an alleged diminution in the value of the property due to loss of commercial rental income, however this will not offset the economic loss suffered as a result of vacant space.”
Each individual store is not an independent cost (or tax) center. The landlord has one tax return for a company that owns many properties. Losses on one property are deducted against income on the others. So if they can find a way to claim major losses on unrented storefronts, they can take it as a tax deduction against income from other sources.
But I’m not a tax accountant, I just think it probably works that way.
Such a bold face … landlord cop-out. They kick out renters and replace them with …nothing. Ask any business that was thrown out of a space. It’s nonsense.
Just to say, I’m not an expert at all and might be wrong about this, but assuming it works like any other business, if you have a real estate rental business with 10 properties, half of which are profitably filled, you can presumably deduct the losses from ALL your properties from your income, and then end up paying less or no tax on the income from the properties that are making you money.
Of course you would still be better off with the other properties making you money TOO, but it does mean you’re not actually losing money on vacant storefronts if you’re making a high enough profit from the ones that are filled, which would give you a cushion to hold out for a higher rent and a more stable tenant. Which ultimately does drive up rent and lead to more vacant storefronts, and also disadvantages smaller landlords as opposed to giant corporate ones with huge portfolios of properties all over the city.
IMO it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the city to levy a fee on the owners of storefronts vacant for more than 6 months and use it to pay for improvements to the block that might make it more attractive to businesses, whether that’s planting trees or adding benches or paying for extra police presence. If a block is in really bad shape so no one can rent on it, the fees will eventually turn it around and the landlords will ultimately benefit when they can more easily rent or sell. And it would give landlords more incentive to lower rent and get in tenants if they can.
What you’re describing is a situation where a landlord funds his money-losing property using the cash flow from a money-making property. A losing property still has fixed expenses to cover. No one buys and holds a good property just to fund a bad one.
Landlords should be fined for longterm vacancy. Fine can go into an account to reduce the rent of the business that moves in. Online shopping isn’t going away—it’s the rent that’s the problem.
Do you really think that if retail rents were lower, more people would stop shopping on line? Everyone who is expecting someone else to give up revenue to enable stores to return should look closely at whether they are contributing by shopping on line instead of at neighborhood stores.
So punish a landlord that’s not making money renting the space??? That actually makes sense to you? So the landlord should either 1) lose money to the state in the form of a fine, or 2) lose money to the bank because to avoid the fine the landlord has to rent for less than its mortgage. Pure economic genius.
Pretty easy to bake in an exception for mortgage/building value (if paid off). But yes, there should be a law so that landlords – especially large ones – can’t coordinate to fix prices or drive up the market. Equally important – these vacancies cause blight which causes crime and drives up taxpayer costs and drives down quality of life. It also results in a decrease of tax income when businesses that could exist, don’t, because rents are artificially high.
I could see landlords purposely taking out additional loans to trigger such an exception, but that would at least result in improvements that justify these inflated rents
What is economic genius is not realizing the number of landlords/real estate people here bs-ing others. We ALL know folks who were kicked out of their small businesses by greedy landlords whose properties sit vacant. Clearly, the lower rent housed a business when the higher rent doesn’t. That means they are profiting by not having anyone in the space. The insults don’t buffer your case, they just prove it erroneous. YES, the landlords MUST profit — otherwise they would rent at a lower rent. The businesses ARE there. They can’t afford the rents. That is simply FACT. Lincoln Plaza Cinema was KICKED out and the cinema sits empty to this day, so please take the nonsense elsewhere. Duane Reade left 63rd and Broadway because the place leaked and the rents went up and they use their Columbus Circle space instead. I speak with the renters. Best Buy left also. Full stop, dude.
And bachelors should be fined for being bachelors at 35, right?
We already have that in the income tax code.
Nah, too weak now, and the “Singles” focus dilutes it further. Need proper fascist/communist tax on male bachelors in particular. Let the genius above spread their wings fully.
They already are fined for vacancy. It’s called real estate taxes. The taxes are owed regardless of whether the space has a paying tenant.
Since 2010, the city has increased this penalty by 100% and faster than inflation growth.
https://www.credaily.com/briefs/nycs-real-estate-tax-revenue-hits-record-37b/
An incredible example of government over-reach. It presumes that there is lots of demand for these empty stores and that landlords are holding out for … what? Above-market rents? Co-op conversion?
As a small business owner in this neighborhood, I expect far more proactive support from Gale Brewer for the local businesses who are fighting every day to survive — especially as we compete against Amazon and the shift toward online shopping.
Broadway needs to be a destination again, and that requires clean, safe streets and accountability. Right now, we face constant public safety and quality-of-life concerns that discourage people from walking and shopping here. We see individuals who clearly need mental health intervention and support, yet they are left without care — and the result is harassment, intimidation, and an unsafe environment for residents, visitors, and businesses alike.
Meanwhile, additional shelters are brought into our area without a plan for proper oversight or neighborhood impact — despite the fact that we are already struggling with public disorder in the 90s and 100s. Decisions are being made without meaningful input or visible action to maintain safety and economic stability.
Ask any local business owner: we do not feel supported. And that lack of support is a major driver of storefront vacancies. High rent is one challenge — but the bigger question is:
Why would new businesses open here when the street feels unsafe and unmonitored?
For five years, this has been the reality on Broadway. We need leadership that shows up, takes responsibility, and restores this corridor as a clean, welcoming, and prosperous place to live, work, and shop.
Gale Brewer — it’s time to step up and fight for this neighborhood. We need action, not silence.
You don’t want shelters? You’d rather there be homeless on the streets? What’s the problem with public disorder? Crime rates are pretty low, particularly violent crime. ‘Feeling unsafe’ is also the sort of gaslighting BS that got Adams elected. And how has 4 years of a dirty cop as mayor turned out?
If you’re scared of people from a different socioeconomic background or who are less fortunate than you, move. This is the UWS. We’ve had low income, supportive and affordable housing here for DECADES. And are proud to be a welcoming neighborhood, unlike the Upper East Side
I’ve lived and worked on the UWS for over 25 years and deeply value the diversity and history of this neighborhood. My comment was not about opposing shelters or supporting displacement — it was about proper oversight, mental-health services, and public safety so that everyone, including vulnerable individuals, gets the support they need.
We can care about compassion and expect accountability and safe, welcoming streets for residents, visitors, and small businesses. That’s the balance our neighborhood deserves.
It’s not Gale Brewer’s district. It’s Sean Abreu’s district.
It’s Gale Brewer all the way up to 95th Street. Then it’s Sean Abreu – however that was only changed last year. It was Gale Brewer all the way up to at least 100th street before last year.
Frankly, I don’t think cleaner streets would lead more people to shop in local stores. On principle, I always shop in person for food, drug store items, clothes, and meds (prescription or not). I almost always shop local for hardware. I try to shop local for other specialized items (mostly art supplies) but unfortunately my lovely local art supply store (Janoff) is small and just doesn’t often have what I need, so I have to go elsewhere in the city or shop on line, avoiding Amazon as much as possible. The aesthetics of my neighbor have no bearing on this; the availability of what I need in local stores does.
A lot of people don’t want to take the time to shop in person, don’t want to carry groceries home, like the idea of summoning anything they want instantly via food delivery or amazon prime, etc. And of course buying non-food items on line is usually cheaper. That’s what’s creating the problems for stores, not what the streets look like. We live here, we go in and our of our apartments all the time, we are dealing with the streets whether or not we shop in person.
It is not cleaner streets that’s the issue – it’s the mentally ill and aggressive people coming up to passers-by that make people not want to walk on Broadway and shop. Or they may plan to go to a local shop and pass it by because there is someone in front of it unstable and sounding threatening. Clean streets would help but getting control of the unstable people and doing something about it would make it safe again.
You would have more selection of products here IF people would want to come and open a storefront because it is a welcoming environment. If a storefront is going to pay a high rent and we know it’s a high rent – this is MANHATTAN – then we should have a safe, clean, welcoming environment for shoppers, not this.
Elected officials should be helping the small local businesses they say they care about but they ignore the issues. The article states right here how many years there are these substantial vacancies. The officials should be doing something to help businesses.
Couldn’t have explained things more accurately or clearly! Instead of helping, she’s actually greenlighting (or at least welcoming with open arms) more shelters to the area!
How convenient she blains it on “on-line shopping”. Do people who live in the UES, W Village, Amsterdam in the 80s, Greenpoint, Propsect or Crown Heights not shop in line?!
There’s no regard for business owners or the local economy, no stimulus, no help not ANY care given to residents in these areas (or biz owners) actual quality of life.
Thank you. Exactly right. Gale Brewer and Sean Abreu should be making this one of their first priorities and instead, they COMPLETELY ignore the state of Broadway and the neighborhood. Do you ever hear them even mention it? No. I truly wish people would call them and force them to address this – for everyone’s sake.
How far north on Broadway does CM Brewer’s district extend? Who represents Broadway in the 100s?
Shawn Abreu
You are spot on. As I walked past Health Nuts last night on my way home from the subway, I was thinking of going inside to pick up a few things but there was a homeless, mentally unwell man (who I’ve seen sleeping in front of various residences and businesses in the neighborhood lately) sprawled out and screaming in front of the door. I decided to keep walking and just order from FreshDirect.
LOOOOOL
That was your choice. If you want to support local stores, shop at them. That homeless man isn’t going to prevent you from doing that. Don’t blame your City Council member.
But if you think the homeless man is the problem, have you donated to organizations that can help him? Have you talked to him? Asked him his name, since you see him often enough to recognize him? He’s a person too.
If someone is scared of an unstable man screaming, they are not going to walk by them or interact with them. That could be dangerous. The man was screaming.
A business should not have anyone in front, interfering with their business, especially unstable people. THIS is why we have vacant stores for years. Why pay a high rent if the environment is not welcoming in customers.
The elected officials should make it safe and comfortable, it is not up to residents or the businesses. It’s called public safety and that is their job.
Consider this before you vote for Mayor and DA this week.
All of our bleeding heart neighbors what to “protect the rights” of these people by letting them rot away on the streets. That is insulting to them and bad for everyone else. Spend the money wisely to create places that can help them. And do it outside of NYC where real estate is much cheaper. This is not because I am NIMBY. It is because I like to use our tax dollars wisely.
On target!
I am surprised you made no mention of Columbus Ave north of 86th. Many spaces have been vacant for 5-10 years. Hunan Park Chinese on the corner of 95th has been empty for 10+ years. Columbus Natural foods empty. Pop up sample sale shop taking empty space north of this. Rite Aid empty. It goes on and on.
The old Hunan Park and Columbus Natural Foods stores are supposed to be knocked down at some point for new construction. When Columbus Natural Foods closed, the landlord had told them they could have one more year on their lease and that’s it. The owners decided it wasn’t worth the work for one more year.
There are four vacancies on the east side of Columbus between 96 and 95, the whole block. Just south of there the bakery associated with the school still hasn’t opened. But a little further south you have Jacob’s Pickles and Trader Joe’s so it’s looking up for that area.
That atrocious free-standing building on the NE corner of 95th and Columbus Avenue, someone do something with it, rip it down, build something.
It’s a blight on the neighborhood; they have left it empty for this long.
Can someone please open a pizzeria on Columbus Avenue in the 90s?
And that bakery that’s affiliated with the MCC (Manhattan children’s school) is not public. It’s a training center for students with autism.
The bakery is supposed to open to the public:
https://whatnow.com/new-york/restaurants/bears-boomin-bakery-to-open-in-the-upper-west-side/
Yes! We need more of that to move north. A great opportunity for the city and Gale Brewer to resurrect and promote mom and pop shops again. I miss Urban Cottage, Liberty House, Pondicherry and so many others.
Gale’s neighborhood doesn’t go above 96th.
Peter’s pharmacy was a wonderful pharmacy and it closed shortly before the pandemic. What a shame because Peter was a lovely, fine man.
And a provided a wonderful service for everybody on the Upper West Side . Then when the pandemic came in, it was impossible for small businesses to stay open or to reopen.
The wonderful restaurant, La Picola Cachina managed to keep up their fine quality of food and piping hot deliveries, until it became impossible to sustain the high rents..
I haven’t been to Europe in many years but the photographs I see don’t reflect what we see here with vacant stores boarded up and the streets looking rather shabby. Why is that? How do Canada and European streets seems so clean and charming.
It used to be fun to go shopping but now it’s not the same. You have to walk under wooden bridges, try to find stores that are still open under all the construction going on..
I’m in native Manhattanite and it makes me sad because New York is my home and it used to be more cheerful and charming and far far less expensive.
I feel sorry for small businesses and I sincerely hope they can get back on their feet because they are the charm of our city.
They have the same problems in Europe and Canada. The left wing American media doesn’t report on them so most Americans have no idea.
No surprise here.
1. Shoplifting/Crime
2. Taxes
3. Quality of Life issues,
Feel free to pick the order.
Rents. The cinema, which I keep mentioning (because it is a great example of a business kicked out by a landlord), did not suffer from shoplifting or quality of life issues. They suffered from “Greedy Landlord Syndrome.” High rent is the primary reason storefronts are empty.
If you address 1 and 3 you can have a successful business and pay your rent and taxes
No complaints here if 1 and 3 get addressed.
Thanks for the interesting article. I wonder how many of the new vacancies are former Starbucks shops.
The old Starbucks at 93rd and Broadway has been vacant for many years…. Prime location on the corner yet never seems like any interest as a rental for some reason
Crime, thieves, rent…,this is the NEW New York. I believe things will get worse ( starting soon ) , than better.
Crime is way down last four years.
many aren’t reported. why bother? shoplifting? why would you bother?
last week I saw a deranged man urinate openly waiting to cross the street at a crosswalk. he didn’t turn away or anything, he just unzipped and let loose. is that a crime? not sure, maybe it’s a citation, but stuff like that that has increased and made life miserable. I am less willing to spend lot so money is a neoghborhoodlike this.
Dear god the ‘it’s not documented but it’s happening’ line is really tired. This city is wildly safe. Spend some time in Memphis or Houston or Phoenix if you want to see actually dangerous burgs
Oh really? Then why don’t they unlock the toothpaste and shampoo at CVS? And why do I see so many people get on the bus without paying the fare? The quality of life in NYC is down, down, down!
That’s an utter, blatant, shameful lie.
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/pdf/analysis_and_planning/historical-crime-data/seven-major-felony-offenses-2000-2024.pdf
you’re statistically illiterate. Those numbers prove his point that crime is down from the past. It is below Bloomberg & Giuliani levels
I think he meant in the last 4 years relative to previous periods, not between 2020 and 2024. Your data prove his point.
What is a crime in NYC in 2025? When the DA downgrades felonies to misdemeanors or drops charges that doesn’t mean crime is down. It’s not down. Activities that would get you time in Rikers when Bloomberg was Mayor are ignored now. The inmate population at Rikers is smaller than in the past because people aren’t getting arrested.
That is because no one is reporting anything. And I consider being harassed by an insane homeless person a crime but that also doesn’t count. Yes, I know, it was worse 40 years ago. Doesn’t help me now.
I would love to see some analysis on why rents keep going up and up despite these obvious challenges.
Good one! I’d like to see interviews with a few of these landlords — let them talk anonymously — but really push them on the financials of the empties and why they aren’t considering nontraditional uses (e.g. popups, etc).
If you are a merchant or property owner between 80th-110th streets on Broadway, PLEASE fill out the survey at Better Broadway and include your name and the name of your business: https://bway.nyc/
Very sad to read. UWS had a plethora of stores years ago. I am sure rent has a lot to do with it. Small businesses can’t afford high rents and we all know how the economy has gone down and people don’t buy like they used to or go out to dinner often.
Please don’t buy anything on line if you want stores to survive!
Give landlords incentives to put the space to good uses as community centers
Fantastic reporting. This is an issue that concerns us greatly, and this level of detail is truly appreciated.
Also southeast corner of W112th and Broadway vacant.
Where have you been? It’s an excellent pizza place! Try their mushroom pizza with lemon-cream sauce, sounds weird as anything but yum! I have to try hard not to eat it too often. ;-)))
Is it possible that many of these vacancies are because owners can claim a income loss on their taxes. Raise the rent to an unreasonable amount to force store to close then claim the new rent as a business loss. Peter’s Pharmacy, Mystery Ink are examples of neighborhood forced out in this way. A time limit on the tax breaks might solve some of the problem.
You should quit your job and deduct the lost income on your taxes. Think the IRS will agree with you?
That’s not how it works
Politicians need to do more to help people rent and start businesses. Perhaps some incentives, city funding, shared rents, business grants, tax incentives.
That sounds good when a rando on wsr says it – it starts looking a lot like corruption when a politician does it
Do landlords get tax breaks for empty store fronts? If so…what can we do about it….If not, why aren’t they hurrying to fill their spots?
The west 100’s, 110’s are a ghost town. The economy, borrowing, loans, building supplies is very bad right now.
Commercial rents are too high in this neighborhood. That’s just the reality. Landlords will not be able to rent these spaces to a new business or a new location of a business at these prices. It’s unsustainable. It’s not always just about making the most money, or at least it shouldn’t be. Sustainable businesses, sustainable and sensible rent prices will help neighborhoods and communities thrive and be resilient. There are very few commercial landlords who think this way. And it’s an unfortunate reality of how people think about the idea of business in this city and this neighborhood.
I wish landlords would let artists rent stores while empty to paint in. Of course, at very reduced rates. Would add beauty to neighborhood. Could open studio to students in area to introduce art to them. Win…win.
There is a Commercial Rent tax in Manhattan for businesses located between 59th -96th streets that pay more than $250,000 per year in rent. This another expense for small business. Get rid of this tax Gale Brewer!
The continual and excessive rise in Real Estate taxes for so many buildings with one or 2 retail stores have made rents escalate dramatically over the last 10 years. Many of the small buildings on 72nd St. are paying 120k to 200k a year in real estate taxes and that’s causing rents of 20k+ a month for the retail tenant.
Simple solution to all this. For in person stores: no sales tax. This gives a 8.75% incentive over Amazon and online.
But politicians will never do it, because they want to pick your pocket every way they can. So we’ve had the obvious long goodbye to in person and jobs
Online retailers would line up in court to challenge such a biased tax policy. It’s a SALES TAX that applies to all sales made in NY. And it goes beyond simply buying something while domiciled in NY. It’s a Sales & Use tax that applies to purchases made out-of-state for items used in NY. You can’t buy an item that is not subject to sales tax in another jurisdiction and bring it to NY without incurring a tax liability for its use in NY.
What a great idea Julian. There used to be no sales tax on-line — that’s what jump started that industry. Let’s reverse it.
Would it not make sense to lower rents, some is better than NONE ? The city could also help by lowering its commercial rent tax.
Nobody mentioned all the awful scaffolding
I cannot believe your article didn’t specifically mention the empty storefronts from West 86th to West 87th ( formerly The Gap, Banana Republic and Club Monaco and others). And Gristedes. I’ve lost count how many years they’ve been empty. Easily 8 or so. Outrageous.
To shift the blame away from landlords is disingenuous. How many stories do we have to read about long standing businesses being evicted over a huge rent increase? It is simple- the rents have to go down.
People say all the time that NYC is “the greatest city in the world.” How can that be when in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in town is blighted this way with so many empty stores and scaffolding covering every other building?
I travel to Europe quite a bit. I am ASSURE you that it is not like this. Retail of every kind is represented and cities find ways to assure that small businesses are given a fair shot. Cities like Paris work with landlords to give preferential rents to book stores because the powers that be recognize that they are in important cultural asset. Can you imagine NYC having this posture? Of course not.
Yes, online shopping is a big problem. But like other posters have mentioned, other neighborhoods have been able to support small businesses- walks around downtown or even over to the east side.
i honestly feel like this is a problem that none of our elected officials prioritize.
Define huge rent increase ?
If a lease expires after say 15 years, the new rent is going to be higher.
(landlord expenses rise also ).
There are 2 sides to the “huge rent” increase.,
What are the landlord’s expenses that are rising? Genuinely curious.
Have you considered that retailers say the cause is the rent, but the reality is that their business isn’t doing too well? People can’t just say “huge rent increase” and be taken seriously without showing some real numbers.
Five years ago when Pier 72 went out of business, the owner claimed it was the rent. There was a huge GoFundMe and a petition to the landlord on the door of the restaurant.
Then WSR interviewed the co-op board who was his landlord, and they said they cut Pier 72’s rent and begged them to sign.
You make an important point David – this is not an issue on the East Side. Why isn’t it a problem for them? What is different?
Also, the reason Amsterdam Ave is thriving g is they are not allowed to create huge store spaces. Those smaller storefronts make it more welcoming to shops and cafes. Broadway was ruined back when they first enlarged stores or created big store spaces in the new buildings and brought in banks, then CVSs, then mall chain stores like Gap, Victoria Secret, Brooks Brothers etc (now all gone). No one needs those stores in a residential neighborhood. Break up those spaces and bring in services for residents: cleaners, hair salons, donut shops, coffee shops, and places like Williams Chicken where I used to pick up dinner. I miss the old Broadway.
And in my opinion empty dark stores create environment for street problems.
And this is just Broadway.
The old Sterling Optical spot (2645? Bway) has been vacant for over 20 years, since my daughter was in elementary school. She’s now 30.
Actually, I think Sterling moved to 88th/Amsterdam about 35 years ago. And the Broadway location has been empty ever since. I remember that they moved out in the 1980’s because of the daunting rent increases…
Most of the six vacancies referenced on the west side of Broadway from West 75th to 77th are directly tied to the 11+ year scaffolding at the Astor which no one seems to have any answers about.
scaffolding is a scam. it started off a safety thing after a death from falling debris, but since then there have been far more injuries FROM scaffolding itself than there ever had been before.
Do you have data on injuries from scaffolding?
Not that I totally disagree on it being a scam. I think the ever-increasing FISP requirements are a ploy by the construction industry to have an every-increasing source of work. Except that with Trump’s immigration raids, it is now much harder for contractors to get labor, so they can’t provide the services buildings need.
REMINDER FOR EVERYONE. SUPPORT THE SET-UP OF THE 80s-110th St:
https://bway.nyc/
This article was on Westside Rag a few weeks back.
For those who don’t follow unidentified links, that’s to the Broadway Business Improvement District website, which is conducting a survey on what people like or don’t like about the neighborhood.
A number of these are upcoming tear downs for example one of the snaps is of the old version store at 79&Bway. Once the gyms lease is up the building is coming down. A number of others are illegal pot shops that were selling much more than pot. Best Buds connivence and the store at 104. Those are in varying legal situations that will add additional hurdles to getting them rented again
The majority are smaller size stories and just not economically viable to open a new biz in considering all of our neighbors and electeds that praise mum & pop store, but actually
buy online mostly for food to shoes. Take a look at your buildings package, room/area and what packaging gets put out in the trash/recycling
As one who has lived on the UWS for 60 years, let me provide the series of facts that have led us to this point in the “empty store front” issue.
It did BEGIN, as first, with greedy, rapacious commercial landlords kicking out good rent-paying commercial tenants in order to get higher-paying tenants. This led to an increase in banks, big box stores and the few others who could pay the higher rents. But then landlords raised the rents even further (since they were only signing short-term leases; no more 20-year leases, etc.), and even banks and huge stores could no longer justify the rent they were paying. (And btw, while landlords may not “make” money from tax breaks on empty storefronts, they DO GET tax breaks that help defray (but do not eliminate) the lack of rental income.)
Then came the Internet, and “bricks and mortar” stores were no longer necessary in many, even most, cases, since you could get almost anything online – often much cheaper, and with fairly quick delivery. And you didn’t have to move or walk anywhere to do so. This is why almost every “new” opening for the past few years has been a SERVICE-oriented tenant, since these are the only things you cannot get online: beauty salons, nail and “spa” places, restaurants, etc. But these could not “fill” ALL of the empty storefronts, so they started “piling up.”
Finally, we got the pandemic, and many stores and restaurants closed due to the lack of patronage.
So…we went from greedy, rapacious landlords (not so prevalent anymore) to the Internet (and the closing of “bricks and mortar” stores) to the pandemic – and the empty storefronts simply continued to pile up.
The ONLY way to get tenants into these empty spaces would be either with incentives of some type or with a new “commercial rent control” or other policy that would protect commercial tenants. Otherwise, I do not see how we will EVER fill all those empty storefronts.
There are no “tax breaks” for landlords to have empty space. Please provide the federal, state or NYC tax codes that allow “tax breaks” for empty space.
And landlords run for profit businesses, not charities. As such, they have the right to maximise their profits by seeking the tenants who will pay them the highest rent.
This is not being “greedy”. This is being rational.
Since you’re so bothered by “greedy” landlords you should invest in commercial property and lease your space to whichever tenants is willing to pay you the least in rent.
Good analysis Ian but I would push back on two points. First, the Upper East Side has not lost as much retail, and has few empty storefronts. What are they doing that the Upper West Side isn’t? Second, and this is the real problem: Landlords tell banks they can rent empty space at higher rents than the market will bear. This inflates the value of the building artificially, and allows the landlords to borrow more money off this inflated value, and buy more property. The bank benefits by lending more money; the landlord benefits by buying more property. Win win except it’s based on a false premise about how much rent the market will bear. Result: empty storefronts.
That’s nonsense. Banks do their own analysis and don’t base their lending amounts on artificially inflated valuations. I know this from firsthand experience and not from half-baked hypotheses not rooted in reality.
Good breakdown
Simple:
1. Shoplifting/Crime
2. Taxes
3. Quality of Life issues,
Actually, these issues – all of which I accept are very real – RARELY lead to the actual closing of stores. Of the three, taxes MIGHT be a SMALL factor in this. But the other two, while certainly annoying and – in the case of shoplifting/theft – costing money, do not usually lead to stores actually closing. In fact, SOME shoplifting/theft is assumed , accepted and “built in” to a store’s financial structure.
Agree that there is some “shrinkage” built in that we all pay for.
But, not to the brazen degree we are seeing now where thieves just walk in and carry out merchandise.
I remember the old days when you could pick your toothpaste with out assistance.
Remember the good old days when laundry detergent was not locked up.
If the vacancies ever get filled, I would predict a business that does not have merchandise on shelves.
(eg. Nail/Hair Salon.restaurants,walk-in Dr offices.
Only service type establishments.
And how do you know this? Have you owned a very small business in NYC?
Wrong twice. High rent is the number one issue. Ask anyone who suffers from it.
How about WSR convening a panel of city officials (including Gale Brewer and Shaun Abreu), small business owners, and local landlords to explore positive solutions to this very significant qlaity of life issue? We need proaactive, creative approaches.
Maybe Gale, when she was previously our district’s City Councilwoman, shouldn’t have passed the legislation limiting the number of banks and brokerages on the UWS.
Question: Why don’t the owners of these vacant properties lose them in tax-lien foreclosures? The city/state could take possession and sell them to new landlords who could then charge far more reasonable rents.
Because obviously owners are paying their taxes and servicing any debt.
If you go away to Europe for several months or years and leave your home empty, would you lose it via a lien sale or foreclosure? No, you would not long as bills are being paid.
What are the landlords paying the taxes with if they’re not earning rent? Better to give up the property than throw good money from some other source into a vacant property that is likely to never be filled given the existing retail environment and trends. Let the market do it’s stuff. New owners can buy cheap and make healthy NPV returns at lower rents.
No one is going to do that. Charge more reasonable rent? That would make the building less valuable and the property taxes would go down. The new mayor is going to want more taxes and spending. No one mentions lowering taxes and cutting spending.
More vacancies to come when the city falls apart due to Mamdani!!
Not my first choice but the city is not going to fall apart… It will be amusing to watch the NYPost contort themselves so they can blame Mamdani for everything wrong with the city for the next four (eight?) years.
Rents for store fronts are ridiculous. consumers are very careful how to spend their money. In 2024 you bought something for a dollar and now it’s two dollars and change. Consumers will buy what they really need not like before only if you need it, you will buy it and keep looking for a better price somewhere else. if one went to a restaurant 2-3 times a week. times a week now you probably go once a month on payday because their prices are also ridiculous but consumers understand. They also have to pay rent and employees, but the rents are ridiculous.
I have to say Socialism always improves business I’m sure Mamdani has a plan that will have business flocking to NYC.
I thought the author was specifically covering storefronts on Broadway itself. Unless that actually means Broadway as well as where it’s not?
They should let artists and community groups use the spaces in the meantime, at least put them to some good use and better the quality of life for the community.
Can we stop with all these nonsensical comments about temporary alternatives for vacant retail spaces? They are not workable for numerous reasons.
Can you explain the reasons? I could imagine some of them, but I don’t know for sure. But lots of people really have no idea why they are not suitable. Generously informing them, with no sarcasm or anger, would be a lot more interesting than insulting them for being nonsensical.
The Manhattan Valley area along Broadway has been slammed since Covid. The closing of Columbia/Barnard campuses didn’t help. Bus depots surrounding Straus Park and Sidewalk bridges that stay for years on end haven’t helped either. Freezing residential rents will only make it harder for landlords to improve these buildings for tenants and for commercial use. Incentivizing businesses however it’s done, needs to happen!
I think the way to get rid of these empty spaces on Broadway is to start thinking outside the box big time. THINGS CHANGE overtime. And due to progress, changing life styles, zoning, politics, landmarks, etc. ,we are NOT adjusting to our new reality, retail shopping is forever changed.. This takes a mountain with community advocates and politicians to make change. We need a BID on Broadway this could help but there aren’t enough retail stores to help contribute to it. We need to elect officials who will address our neighborhood challenges and help advocate for change – move forward to what our community should look like.
Things haven’t changed on the East Side. This is an Upper West Side problem.
People are organizing a BID for Broadway. PLEASE fill out and help the cause- https://bway.nyc/
Clean Broadway, put up more trees, put up more lighting and cameras on every block, and get rid of all the scaffolding and make it more inviting for businesses, shoppers, and tourists.
The neighborhood takes a noticeable nosedive as soon as you walk north of 86th St., so this data is unsurprising.
Housing costs less north of 86th too!
Mamdami gonna install free grocery stores on any or all of those vacancies?
Free grocery stores? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s talking about government-owned grocery stores, presumably in food deserts (not on the UWS!), but no one is talking about them being free.
Obviously, there’s backroom dealing that gives the landlords reasons not to lower rents. Want to fill the vacancy?… lower the rent or hold out while the equity makes more money than the operation
Be great if Mamdani convinces them to covert to low income housing and free grocery stores.
Where do you folks get this notion of free grocery stores? He’s talking about five city-owned stores, presumably in low-income food deserts. The UWS doesn’t qualify, in case you hadn’t noticed.