Empty Storefronts on the Streets of NYC — Letters that should have been in the new york times

11.24.19

To the editor:

Tim Wu writes persuasively about the impact of e-commerce on brick and mortar small businesses that have historically fulfilled an important service while being part of the social fabric of the neighborhoods in which we live (NYT, Better, cheaper and faster than Amazon, 11.24.19). What I don't understand is how landlords prefer to have empty storefronts generating no income rather than supporting businesses that are part of the character of our communities. How does a landlord profit from having no tenant in a space for years on end? What role does the city play in regulating occupancy rates? If this is the new normal during economically good times, what will happen during hard times? As a lifelong resident of New York City I would like to know what, if anything, city agencies are doing to confront the epidemic of lost businesses on the streets of New York.

Sincerely,

Larry S. Sandberg