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MONTREAL — On the corner of Montreal’s historic St-Laurent Blvd. and trendy St-Viateur Street — known for the 24-hour St-Viateur Bagel Shop — lies an empty storefront that has become a symbol of the city’s retail woes.

And Danny Lavy, co-owner of the company that owns the building, has joined a list of real estate players fingered as neighbourhood villains in various pockets of the city.

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Lavy and other landlords are accused by local residents, city politicians and small business owners of being major contributors to the wave of vacant storefronts plaguing such storied Montreal arteries as St-Denis Street, Ste-Catherine Street, and Park Ave.

The city last month began holding public consultations to gather suggestions on what to do about the estimated 15 per cent of street-level retail space that sits empty despite a growing population and booming economy. Those who appeared before the committee cited city taxes, lack of parking and changing consumer habits to explain the problem.