Vacant Commercial Spaces Spreading in New York

Between 2016 and 2017 vacant store fronts nearly tripled in New York.

1 minute read

September 17, 2018, 8:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


New York Vacant Storefront

Jazz Guy / Flickr

From Prospect Heights to Times Square, vacant commercial spaces are spreading all over New York. "A survey conducted by Douglas Elliman found that about 20 percent of all retail space in Manhattan is currently vacant, she said, compared with roughly 7 percent in 2016," Corey Kilgannon reports for the New York Times.

A growing economy is pushing up costs, especially in neighborhoods that are becoming wealthy. Other factors cited by retail watchers include the continued growth of online retail and a practice called "warehousing" store fronts. Some believe that property owners with the means to forgo rents will keep properties off the market in order to secure longer leases or higher rents. Mayor, Bill de Blasio, has said he would support a vacancy tax to try to dissuade the practice.

Whatever the cause, the effect is clear. "Soaring rents and competition from online shopping have forced out many beloved mom-and-pop shops, which many residents say decimates neighborhoods and threatens New York’s unique character," Kilgannon writes.

Thursday, September 6, 2018 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

6 hours ago - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Public Market sign over Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington with pop-up booths on street.

Seattle’s Pike Place Market Leans Into Pedestrian Infrastructure

After decades of debate, the market is testing a car ban in one of its busiest areas and adding walking links to the surrounding neighborhood.

5 hours ago - Cascade PBS

Yellow and silver light rain train in downtown Long Beach, California.

The World’s Longest Light Rail Line is in… Los Angeles?

In a city not known for its public transit, the 48.5-mile A Line is the longest of its kind on the planet.

7 hours ago - Secret Los Angeles

Man reaching for young girl sliding down playground slide.

Quantifying Social Infrastructure

New developments have clear rules for ensuring surrounding roads, water, and sewers can handle new users. Why not do the same for community amenities?

May 15 - Happy Cities