As empty storefronts increasingly litter the landscape on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, neighbors are growing distressed about the retail blight in their community. Residents Ann Meyerson, Susan Eley and Beth Krieger launched a Facebook group called Upper West Side Save Our Stores after noticing “For Rent” signs popping up all over the area. It instantly took off online and caught the eye of city councilwoman Helen Rosenthal. Rosenthal, who represents District 6, said store vacancies are up over the last 10 years because rents and e-commerce are on the rise. Mayor Bill de Blasio recently revived a proposal to tax landlords who leave storefronts vacant for long periods of time, holding out for higher paying tenants — but Rosenthal believes the real solution is more complicated because each location is different. Read more at NBC New York.
