City of New Rochelle Adopts Vacant Storefront Registry to Strengthen Commercial Corridors and Data Insights
The City of New Rochelle has adopted an ordinance to establish the City’s first ever Vacant Storefront Registry, a new resource designed to track and reduce commercial vacancies in real time. As part of New Rochelle’s comprehensive Vanguard Initiative to strengthen the local downtown economy and revitalize the city’s retail landscape, the registry will provide valuable data to help the City better understand vacancy patterns, support property owners, and attract the right businesses to available spaces. While the registry applies citywide, special attention will be given to downtown, where roughly 70% of vacant storefronts are concentrated.
The new ordinance requires owners of properties with vacant storefront — those that are located on the ground floor and have not been in use for 90 days or more — to register with the City within 30 days of entering vacancy through a simple online form. Owners who fail to maintain properties to code, adhere to vacancy standards, or enroll in the registry may be subject to warnings or citations.
Throughout the first year, the City will actively engage with property owners to explain the process, share resources, and help fill spaces efficiently. During the program’s first year, there will be no fee for registration, with enforcement focused only on ensuring compliance and proper property maintenance. Beginning in year two, property owners will be required to renew their registration annually for a $1,000 fee. The fee will cover essential administrative and technology costs associated with managing and analyzing registry data.
“Downtown New Rochelle is evolving into a more vibrant, connected, and inclusive place for businesses and residents alike,” said New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Ramos Herbert. “Through our Vanguard Initiative we’re improving the public realm, increasing accessibility, and offering incentives to help small businesses start, grow, and thrive right here. The new Vacant Storefront Registry builds on that momentum — giving us a smart, data-driven way to track vacancies, fill spaces faster, and better understand what our business community needs to succeed.”
“As we anticipate 15,000 newcomers to downtown New Rochelle over the next decade, we’re working to transform our retail sector for current and future community members alike. The Vacant Storefront Registry is a crucial component of our efforts,” said New Rochelle City Manager Wilfredo Melendez. “By creating a transparent, data-driven understanding of local vacancies, we’ll be able to accelerate downtown revitalization, support small business growth, and strengthen public-private collaboration across our commercial corridors. This tool allows us to track ground floor vacancies in real time, address the underlying causes, better support our businesses, and attract new investment to our city.”
“By establishing the Vacant Storefront Registry, we are taking a proactive, insight-led approach to downtown revitalization,” said Adam Salgado, Development Commissioner. “This initiative not only helps us identify and address vacant spaces more efficiently, but it strengthens our partnership with property owners and business leaders. Importantly, it’s a strategy that can be replicated by other cities facing similar challenges, offering a smart, transparent way to keep downtowns vibrant, attract new investment, and support local businesses.”
The Vacant Storefront Registry is one of several strategies driving the City’s comprehensive plan to revitalize downtown New Rochelle’s retail landscape. The signature Vanguard Initiative, launched at the end of 2024, includes public realm and accessibility improvements, retail enhancements, fast-track zoning, and tenant incentives to foster an environment where small businesses can succeed. To date, the City has also awarded funding to 11 downtown businesses through its $2.25 million Retail Tenant Improvement Fund.
New Rochelle is also reinvesting $36 million of development revenue directly back into its downtown. This commitment fuels business openings while funding public art installations, EV charging stations, enhanced public spaces, and other community assets. As a result of these efforts and early successes, the City projects that downtown retail demand will grow by 36 percent within the next decade.