LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

No more vacancies on Kappock

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Kappock storefronts littered with vacancies,” July 26)

Thank you for your recent article about empty stores on Kappock Street and Knolls Crescent. This is an issue that has concerned many of us in the immediate neighborhood for quite some time.

As residents of the area, we think our local politicians need to take a strong stand against the proliferation of vacant commercial properties here and in other nearby locales, including Johnson Avenue.

This area of Spuyten Duyvil is heavily populated. Many residents rely on these retailers for everyday needs including groceries and prepared foods, health and beauty products, and banking. This is particularly vital to our senior citizens, and those without automobiles.

As your article aptly stated, it is depressing for those who work in the area to see the vacant storefronts every day. Moreover, it has a direct effect on the quality of life and the property value for those of us who reside in the area.

We at River Point Towers Cooperative have raised this issue to our local politicians. We are advocating for them to enact legislation that would negatively impact landlords who are “warehousing” these vacant locations as opposed to current laws that allow them to benefit via tax write-offs for loss rental income.

We understand the real estate lobby is quite active in seeking/keeping laws on the books that benefit the bottom lines of developers and landlords, often at the expense of local residents. If we let this practice continue, it can very well lead to the demise of our district.

We hope you will continue to track this issue, keeping it front and center, placing pressure on all parties to act in the best interest of the community.

Bonnie Press

The author is president of River Point Towers’ board of directors, and writes this on behalf of the board.

Bonnie Press,

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