QUESTION
What are the main issues contributing to commercial vacancies on Third Avenue?
1:46:28
·
137 sec
Pedro Suarez explains that theft and safety concerns are major factors leading to commercial vacancies on Third Avenue.
- Businesses like CVS and Burlington Coat Factory face rampant theft issues
- Small businesses cannot afford to hire off-duty police officers for security
- The area is at the center of New York City's opioid epidemic
- High rates of drug addiction, poverty, and mental health issues contribute to theft
- Businesses like Walgreens have closed due to persistent theft problems
- Safety issues deter customers from visiting the district
Oswald Feliz
1:46:28
Quick question, what are the top issues that you've heard on the ground that are leading to the commercial vacancies that we continue to thing.
Pedro Suarez
1:46:38
I mean, Seth, as mentioned by by my colleague on the call, is a huge one.
1:46:44
I can tell you, you know, I was just talking into a local business last week.
1:46:49
Tannons who sells educational supplies, for local teachers and and educators.
1:46:57
You know, there there's things being stolen from CVS just down the block that are being sold.
1:47:03
By unlicensed illegal vendors on the street.
1:47:09
It's that blatant in terms of the theft that's happening.
1:47:12
Burlington Coat Factory has had to, you know, hire off duty police officers which is very expensive.
1:47:21
Most businesses in the corridor particularly small mom and pop shops can't afford to hire off duty police officers And so security, there is a need for additional security, security cameras in general crime prevention, but a lot of that is also a reflection of poverty rates, folks struggling with mental mental health as well as drug addiction that that are robbing a lot of these stores.
1:47:45
As you know, the Third Avenue Business Improvement District is at the center of the opioid epidemic in the city.
1:47:52
And so if that issue is not addressed, you're going to continue to see high rates of theft and and and mental mental issues of of of folks in in the district, which is contributing to that.
1:48:04
So I would say Seth has been a huge one.
1:48:06
We lost Walgreens.
1:48:08
I wanna say a few years ago was my understanding due to the theft issue as well.
1:48:12
And that continues to be a huge issue that local business owners have flagged in the area.
1:48:19
And so safety, you know, is gonna deter people from coming to the district.
1:48:23
And so we really need to address that.
1:48:24
We're working very closely with the precinct and have applied for additional funding to to to implement meant more public safety initiatives in the corridor.
1:48:34
But again, the underlying issues need to be addressed in terms of drug addiction, poverty rates, which which which are at a record rate right now in the Third Avenue area.
