In the News: De Blasio Considering “Vacancy Tax” on Retail Landlords

••• “As a growing number of vacant storefronts dot the city, Mayor Bill de Blasio on Friday said he wants to penalize landlords who leave the shopfronts sitting empty. ‘I am very interested in fighting for a vacancy fee or a vacancy tax that would penalize landlords who leave their storefronts vacant for long periods of time in neighborhoods because they are looking for some top-dollar rent but they blight neighborhoods by doing it,’ he said on WNYC. ‘That is something we could get done through Albany.'” Such a dumb idea. De Blasio never met a problem he didn’t think he could solve by taxing someone. —New York Post

••• Also, “getting it done through Albany” isn’t that easy. What’s in it for Andrew Cuomo? “After seven years as governor of New York, Andrew M. Cuomo has rewritten the disclaimer language on his campaign website that describes which of his appointees are banned from donating to his campaign, potentially opening the door for more appointees to contribute.” —New York Times

•••”A car traveling north on West Street crashed into the sidewalk shed of 250 West Street, at Hubert Street, late Friday night. The driver, who said he was cut off by a Yellow Cab, appeared to be unscathed. Portions of the shed’s supports came untethered but the structure did not collapse.” —Tribeca Trib

••• A Downtown Express roundup of Seaport District openings says that Fellow Barber is opening somewhere in the Seaport this fall. Also, “Further up Front Street, and now headed into its third incarnation, the restaurant formerly known as Nelson Blue and Kiwi Cuba, at 233 Front St. and Peck Slip, reopens this week as a sports bar, Vintage61.”

 

4 Comments

  1. I suppose having the property owners maintain their empty properties entrance ways of rubbish and otherwise is too much to ask for as well. Besides where would the kids that hassle me and my family everyday sit and leave all their stuff?

  2. Perhaps dibalsio should do something about skyrocketing building costs (water/utility costs, constant code changes/inspectors/fines, taxes) which is why rents , common charges etc keep going up.
    The department of buildings and the department of environmental protections are the modern day mafias that no one is talking about.
    They are fleecing every building right now with 500-5000 fines. Annual building changes that are costing buildings 1000-100,000 in new costs. Killing small buildings, while giving big tax breaks to new buildings and developers.

  3. Speaking of vacancies (and sorry if I missed a post on this!) but does anyone know what is going on at the Chipotle location on Murray and Greenwich? Looks like the equipment is being ripped out and there is a handwritten closed sign on the door.

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