storefront on 7th ave, btw. 12th 13th?

I was wondering about the old storefront on this block that has been vacant for over 5 years now. I remember it was a pizza/italian joint before it closed. Does anyone know why it has sat vacant for so long?

I can tell you it sat vacant for a long time before that. In fact that whole area was dormant for quite sometime. Once the renaissance started taking over that section started to breathe life again. That was when the building across the street was really a factory, well a closed factory......