The Significance of Corner Storefronts
Corner storefronts are the centerpiece of urban neighborhoods. At one time, before big box retailers, they were the places where you walked to get your daily needs. Over the years these once vital storefronts ceased to be vital – as people fled to the suburbs and so did the local businesses. During these dark years many of these storefronts received tragic makeovers.
Such is the case shown on the right.
Dark and heavy this storefront is hardly inviting. This building, located on South Macklind, was originally a corner market serving the neighborhood. My own corner storefront also served as a meat market (ironic since I’m a vegetarian). In fact, most storefronts served as some sort of food market as modern refrigeration didn’t exist in people’s homes at the time. The massive supermarket, therefore, wasn’t feasible.
But once the market closed this storefront, like mine, got a terrible enclosure attempting to modernize the appearance. Instead of being open and welcoming it is closed, ugly and totally inappropriate for the building. What were they thinking?
Move forward to 2005 and the storefront is rebuilt anew. The former market will now serve as the office of Daniel Link Chiropractic.
I’m proud to say I was the REALTOR® for the buyer on this building and I played a part in the renovation plans. Yes, I know, a shameless plug.
Many storefronts all over the city have or are being converted to residential use. While this is a better use than being vacant I’d like to see the day when these storefronts again serve the local community by providing daily needs and services. Not everything has to be purchased from a big box.
These storefronts can again become a significant part of our daily lives.
– Steve
Here in St. George, Staten Island–a short walk from where the Manhattan ferry docks–I have, within 1/2 block of where I’m typing right now, a Puerto Rican deli; within one block, a Korean deli; and within 1 1/2 blocks, a Dominican deli.
The common factor is immigration, for which every New Yorker should be profoundly grateful. Immigrants have reinvigorated dead retail strips and brought life to neighborhoods formerly considered doomed.
How a city makes itself an attractive destination for new immigrants–particularly now that the Bushies have made even legal entry difficult for non-Americans–I don’t know.But these new neighbors and businesses have been a real boon to people who, like me, prefer to walk, not drive, to get a container of milk.
Macklind Avenue has potential to keep getting better, especially since so many of the corners have the type of buildings you describe.
Inappropriate alterations have been done to the storefronts over, but thanks to new owners, some beautiful work has taken place more recently.
Even the dumpy gas station/repair shop at Neosho and Macklind has been converted into a very clean and preserved auto repair shop. Some may squint at the bright green, white and red colors, but if you saw the old “Dutch’s” in the same location, you know Tom Bess is a major improvement.
Macklind is a ward boundary, but also the centerline of the Southampton neighborhood.
Southampton’s identity is much more positively presented by an improved Macklind corridor, than by it’s busy Hampton, Chippewa, and Kingshighway borders.
At one time, there was even talk of branding Macklind Avenue through Southampton as the “Macklind Loop”.
RB
Steve,
Tell ’em to put some awnings on it for petes sake! I am sure they probably already are doing this since this is the ideal place for signage, but small stores like this greatly benefit from awnings (canvas please- not metal or shingle!) since they reduce solar exposure in the summer and welcome the exterior to become part of the experience.
Nice work on a small corner storefront. While its not always feasable to make a retail or office at EVERY one of these, there is another good example nearby of one that had been made into a residence. They kept the storefronts as glass. I dont have the exact address, but its a nice rehab. Finally- Puhleeze get someone to buy the Lion Realty space. its been going downhill for a couple years now, and its got a prominent corner location right on Eichelberger.
jason