Proposed new zoning regulations on the Upper West Side are intended to stem the tide of bank branches and chain stores that occupy large stretches of street level storefront space after smaller businesses have been displaced. The proposed rules will include about 150 blocks on the Upper West Side, mostly affecting storefronts on Columbus, Amsterdam, and Broadway between 73rd and 110th Streets. West Side Rag breaks it down:
These are the basic rules: On Columbus and Amsterdam, there must be at least two establishments per 50 feet of sidewalk frontage, and no one establishment can have more than 40 feet. Banks can only have 25 feet, and residential buildings can only have 15 feet. Stores must be at least 30 feet deep. On Broadway, there is no overall limit on the size of stores, but banks can only have 25 feet of frontage, and lobbies can have 25 feet. If one is worried about where to find the nearest Chase branch or have to pick up anything at a RiteAid every day, several times a day, existing stores will be exempted from the new rules. City Council member Gale Brewer said that 29 banks are already located within the proposed area. Michael Slattery of the Real Estate Board of New York pointed out to amNewYork that a similar initiative on the Upper East Side had failed to accomplish what proponents hoped, and instead resulted in many storefronts being filled with fast food restaurants and electronics stores.
· Zoning proposals for the UWS intended to help small businesses [amNY]
· City Drafts New Rules to Stop Invasion of Big-Bos Stores on The Upper West Side [WestSideRag]
· Unhappy New Year for 96th St. Stores [CurbedNY]
Filed under:
Loading comments...