Upper West Side Businesses Poo-Poo “Restrictive” Retail Rezoning
By Daniel Edward Rosen March 6, 2012 1:28 pm
reprintsIn light of Community Board 7’s evening vote on the City Council’s proposal to put a cap on the size of storefronts on the Upper West Side, a group of concerned local business owners and residents have banded together to add their harrumphs to the proposal, demanding that the Department of City Planning toss it out completely.
In a statement released yesterday, the group (which includes the West Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and the Columbus Ave BID) slammed the city proposal to rezone sections of Columbus and Amsterdam avenues to limit the size of storefronts to 40 feet or less.
“While the sentiment behind the proposal is a good one, the rezoning could hurt some of our existing businesses should they wish to expand in the future,” said Andrew Albert, Executive Director of the West Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, in a released statement. “It also would foreclose the possibility of seeing new stores open that are similar to those we now treasure, such as Barney Greengrass or Isabella’s Restaurants.”
The plan, if passed, would affect “77 blockfronts each on Amsterdam and Columbus avenues and West 72nd Street on Broadway,” according to Crain’s New York.
Community Board 7 is slated to vote on the zoning proposal tonight.
drosen@observer.com
