"Reimagining NYC’s Retail Corridors in an Age of Hybrid Work & E-Commerce"
A Center for an Urban Future Policy Symposium

Replay of the Event

Event Materials

The storefront vacancies that were so common across New York City in 2020 and 2021 have diminished greatly over the past year. But even as a wave of new stores has breathed life into commercial corridors around the city, New York’s retail sector faces significant challenges. Several neighborhoods today struggle with an unhealthy number of empty storefronts, and the retail sector still has 47,000 fewer jobs than before the pandemic. Hybrid work is hampering sales for many retailers in office districts from Midtown to Downtown Brooklyn. E-commerce is continuing to wreak havoc on retailers selling clothing, accessories, and other merchandise, even as it leads to new jobs elsewhere in the city. And a range of other issues, from theft to an oversaturation of weed stores, has created new challenges for many retail districts.

This policy forum discussed what New York can do to strengthen New York’s retail corridors at a time when hybrid work, e-commerce, and other challenges are creating new uncertainties. A forward-looking conversation, it focused on generating creative ideas and solutions for reimagining storefront retail and rethinking what’s critical to creating thriving commercial districts. 

Speakers included:

• ​Barbara Askins, President & CEO, 125th Street BID
• Jarrod Grim, Vice President of Real Estate & Economic Development, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
• Larisa Ortiz, Managing Director, Public Nonprofit Solutions, Streetsense
• Andrew Rigie, Executive Director, NYC Hospitality Alliance
• Steven Soutendijk, Executive Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield
• Alberto Valentin, Executive Director, Graham Avenue BID

A video of the event is available here.

This symposium was made possible through generous support from Matt Fassler and Mandy Greenfield. We are also grateful for general support from The Clark Foundation, the Altman Foundation, and ongoing support from a number of other philanthropic funders.