Reported on Sept. 23, 2009

Fliers for dog walkers, available French tutors, standardized test help and computer troubleshooters line the west side of Amsterdam Avenue between 92nd and 93rd streets.

Fliers cover a storefront window on Amsterdam Avenue between 92nd and 93rd streets. Photo: Sonam Hajela

Amir Brandwein, director of catering at Supersol Westside, a kosher supermarket across the street, said, “It’s an eyesore. And all you see is those fliers.”

Mike’s Pizzeria is a kosher Italian restaurant at 654 Amsterdam Ave., and the manager, Yakov Maline, said, “It’s a dilapidated street and it just looks like they’re taking their time.”

All that may change soon, however. Ross Kaplan is a broker for Newmark Knight Frank, the company that has been handling the leasing of the stores on this block for the past six to seven months. “Out of the eight stores, we have leased half of them, and we have come close to leasing the other half,” he stated. The stores that are slated to come soon are a 7-Eleven, a dog daycare, a barbershop and a kosher restaurant. Construction has already begun for Playground Pups, the dog daycare store, with a bright yellow awning hanging outside signaling its arrival.

The stores were bought out, Kaplan said, by a previous owner who wanted to add nine floors to the building. He faced hardy opposition to that idea and so, sold it to the new owner who has had it for about a year. However, Denise Strachman, office manager of Strachman, disputed this explanation. She said, “The owner wanted to add a lobby to the residence and the tenants fought not to have it and so the owner sold it.” The store, which sells venetian blinds and glass, moved five years ago from its original Amsterdam Avenue location to just around the block. A flier is posted on the old store to let people know that it has relocated to 212 W. 92nd St.

Arthur Shi is manager of Yuki Sushi, one of the only three functioning stores on the block (the others are Lisca, an Italian restaurant and Talia’s Steakhouse). The restaurant has been there for eight and a half years. When the first owner of the building was buying out the stores, Shi didn’t budge. “He had a good business, so he didn’t take the money,” Kaplan said.

However, Shi’s lease will expire next year and he’s nervous. “We are safe for the moment,” he said. “But we have no idea what will happen and it depends on the increase in rent and if the revenue can cover that.” He added that the absence of other businesses and the recession have definitely hurt his restaurant.

The new stores that are about to come in are wary, Kaplan said, because of the tough market, but they overlook the desolate state of the block because it is a great location. The new stores will pay $90 to $100 per square foot for their space.

“Once the stores come in with a boom, it will be nice,” Maline said.