Many reasons have been given for the empty storefronts that dot several North Shore communities.
Some have pointed to high property taxes and the internet’s impact on brick and mortar stores.
But then a quick look at the Americana Manhasset, Wheatley Plaza and Roosevelt Field, where there are few if any vacancies, provides a strong rebuttal to those arguments.
Others cite government regulations, an overly long and overly costly application process, unrealistic landlords, a lack of parking and concerns about traffic.
Several villages with the help of the state, county or both have initiated their own efforts to bolster business districts.
The villages of Mineola and Great Neck Plaza along with Nassau County have identified the need to increase the number of people living in business districts near LIRR railroad stations.
The theory being that people living in these urban-transit areas — many of whom are expected to work in New York City — will shop downtown in the evenings and weekends.
Under a master plan developed when state Sen. Jack Martins was mayor, Mineola has encouraged the construction of apartment complexes on or near Old Country Road. Some are now near completion.
Most recently, village trustees approved a mixed-use development on Second Street despite the opposition of residents who expressed concerns about parking and traffic. We believe they made the right call.
Great Neck Plaza, which already has a number of multi-unit buildings in the area, changed their zoning to allow more apartments above retail stores. Plaza trustees has approved one project and is considering at least one other, but nothing has yet to be built.
In New Hyde Park, the village has been working for years on a ambitious program to beautify and improve safety on Jericho Turnpike, with center medians, brick sidewalks and public amenities such as benches. The first phase of that project was completed last year.
Missing from these projects is any coordinated efforts with other villages, the Town or North Hempstead or Nassau County.
Local village government offer residents a direct say in their communities.
But without coordination, local governments can cancel out each other’s efforts,
In Great Neck with its nine villages, one village’s policy on zoning or business applications can easily negatively impact another village’s efforts to boost business.
The shopping malls, which compete with businesses in local shopping districts, don’t have this problem.
The operators of the shopping centers can and do present a coordinated campaign with look, design, traffic patterns, sanitation and even marketing.
The businesses that make up local shopping districts provide not only convenience and needed services but a sense of place for the entire community.
But government must do more to help them compete. Or we’ll continue to see too many empty storefronts.
