Vacant Storefronts Proliferate in NYC, And It’s No Easier To Identify Owners
arrow A vacant storefront on the Upper East Side Beth Fertig / WNYC
Taking a walk along Third Avenue in the 80s and 90s near his home, City Councilman Ben Kallos points to one empty storefront after another and recalls some of his favorite Upper East Side shops and restaurants.
“This was an amazing steakhouse,” said the Manhattan native, referring to a place on the west side of the avenue. Across the street was a Modell’s Sporting Goods; he also sees a former taco place and a storefront with a red awning that used to be Pesce Pasta. “It was a great place for an Italian lunch and it s been vacant for a number of years,” he said.