The Post‘s Steve Cuozzo this morning spoke for the financial district masses who actually inhabit the neighborhood much touted for its supposed 24-7 renaissance over the last decade.
The need for the shout-out? The fact that, while luxury retailers down there reap attention (we once called sales at the then-new Hermes store near the Stock Exchange “The Tie Jones Average”), workaday residents are bereft of more affordable, everyday shopping options.
The district’s historic heart is particularly bereft of the kinds of midpriced shopping and dining options that residents and office workers have a right to expect.
While Tiffany and Hermes draw disproportionate attention, narrow old streets, including Nassau, Fulton, William, Ann and Gold, are dominated by low-end fast food, junk and convenience stores.
Right on, brother. As a former FiDi resident, we can attest to the fact that for every jewelry story catering to the Fairfield County resident in for the business day, there are literally three dry-cleaners of dubious quality, plus any number of pawn shops, bodegas and faux Irish pubs, legitimate actors in any New York streetscape, yes, but hardly a sign of retail Valhalla for local residents (maybe brokers and some landlords).
Mr. Cuozzo again, taking a shot at a favored rival:
A New York Times column last week cited dramatic hikes in asking rents along Broadway as evidence of a “revival.” Absurdly, in some quarters the closing of the huge former Borders is regarded as a boon because the space might appeal to a popular apparel purveyor like H&M or Topshop.
They indeed would be welcome. But losing the 32,000-square-foot Borders can’t be good news for residents or for merchants on Broadway nearby, which is mostly dead after dark.
