> NYC is a reflection of america. The old school Greek diner has been replaced by Starbucks and non luxury retail is largely homogenized. Good. If the old scho

> NYC is a reflection of america. The old school Greek diner has been replaced by Starbucks and non luxury retail is largely homogenized. Good. If the old school greek diner that has been in the neighbourhood since 1970s does not own the bricks is probably is a sucky diner that has not kept up with the times. It also probably means that it is way too large. Corner stores in Manhattan give you what a old school greek diner gave you food wise. The diner simply did not adapt. > New development of fancy building that lay empty as speculative investments starve out the storefronts. So? They collapse and new places go in there. That's why we have abundance of popup stores in such spaces in Manhattan and developed portions of Brooklyn ( think Williamsburg, Dumbo, Park Slope ) Most of the complains are coming from old timers, such as the ones that live in rent regulated or rent controlled apartments sometimes paying $250 a month for FOUR BEDROOM. I'm sure what they would really want is that the stores where they shop were also regulated so they could pay 3% of the prices those who showed up after them pay.