The preponderance of big chain stores on the Upper West Side could be severely reversed under a plan introduced by the Department of City Planning. Acting on concerns from the Upper West Side community and elected officials, the city is considering rezoning part of the neighborhood to create two Special Enhanced Commercial Districts. Each of these zones would limit the frontage of new and expanding banks and residential lobbies along Broadway, Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues. Overall store size would not be restricted, so big chains could still burrow underground, but city planners argue that "over time the general multi-store character of Amsterdam and Columbus avenues would be maintained, while promoting a more varied and active retail environment on Broadway."
You can check out the proposal below. The proposal comes as more Upper West Side residents (and residents of other neighborhoods) have felt the erosion of New York's unique commercial character, as ubiquitous banks and chain pharmacies sprout up on seemingly every block. The area to be rezoned currently has no fewer than 29 banks, and a plethora of generic chain retail outlets. Under the new zoning, the ground-floor width of all new stores would be limited to 40 feet, while banks would be limited to 25 feet wide. “When a bank closes at night, it becomes dead space," the former chairman of the local community board tells the Times. "A retail establishment, on the other hand, is interesting to look at. Even when it’s closed, it engages the pedestrian."
Food stores like Trader Joe's would be exempt from the rezoning, which has the support of the local City Council representatives and the mayor. "This proposal will preserve the historic fabric of the Upper West Side that provides a diverse repository of unique small businesses, a place where the entrepreneurial spirit can flourish, and economic stability that yields jobs and job training experiences," says City Council Member Inez E. Dickens.
But The Real Estate Board of New York, which represents landlords, is not, um, on board. Steven Spinola, the board’s president, argues that stores like Duane Reade and CVS have "become the new five-and-dimes," where customers do all their shopping at one location. He asks the Times, "If CVS is such a terrible store for the area, then why are they getting a tremendous number of customers?" Gee, maybe because these giant chain stores put all the local alternatives out of business?
