August 2023

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Expanded pedestrian space and more cycling lanes are central to a planned redesign of Manhattan’s Broadway between E. 17th and E. 21st streets, city officials announced on Monday.

The changes are subject to public outreach — but Department of Transportation officials said they could mimic a change to other areas of Broadway between Union Square and E. 50th Street, where crews in recent years have added more pedestrian plazas, outdoor dining space and wider crosswalks designed to keep pedestrians safe from crashes.

DOT officials also said they’re considering adding a two-way bike lane between E. 17th and E. 21st streets, which already has a one-way southbound lane for cyclists.

The city earlier this year completed an overhaul of Broadway between E. 25th and E. 32nd streets, adding more space for pedestrians, another two-way bike lane and other infrastructure designed to make motorists drive slower.

“This next phase of Broadway Vision will provide the same kind of vibrant public spaces connecting Union Square and Flatiron, just like our administration is doing with incredible success across the entire city,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

The latest planned improvements are just north of Union Square — and just south of where a taxi driver jumped a sidewalk last year, sending several pedestrians to the hospital.

Beacon’s Closet has a competitor. 2nd St., a Japanese company, is now selling high-end vintage clothing at 110 University Place.

If you like Thai food, Pranakhon on University Place is VERY good.

65 University Place, between East 10th and 11th Streets, is very much on the rise, with its pricey 28 residential units above. The project represents Indian-based developer Bsafal’s first foray into the United States. The firm, in partnership with Argo Real Estate, purchased the site for $30 million in July 2019 and in February 2021, demolition permits were filed to take down the nondescript four-story commercial building at 64-66 University Place. While the offices on upper floors were long vacant, the ground-floor retail tenant, gourmet grocer Agata & Valentina, had announced plans to close following a dramatic rent increase at the end of 2019.
While designer Kohn Pedersen Fox‘s New York City portfolio includes such skyscrapers as Two Waterline Square and 111 Murray Street, the new building is rising to a more moderate scale of 125 feet high. Renderings depict a context-sensitive structure that holds University Place’s strong streetwall and faces its main facade with oversized arched windows framed by corbelled brickwork.
One can only guess at what the condo prices will be.

Glaze teriyaki bowls will soon arrive at 110 University Place. It’s the fourth location for this growing chain.

It’s not quite ready yet, but after two years there is finally movement at the new location of Serafina Express at 110 University Place. Italian food soon.

Note that the entire western side of 3rd Ave. between 10th and 11th Streets save for the southernmost building has been bought up and is destined to meet the wrecking ball. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation says there are significant buildings with important stories on the block, but it seems unlikely the city will step in to stop redevelopment.

From the Union Square Partnership:

Union Square Partnership invites you to share your opinion about our work in our 2023 Annual Community Opinion Survey. Your feedback helps us better understand our community’s priorities and perceptions of the Union Square-14th Street neighborhood and plan for future projects. The survey will be open until 5:00 PM on Thursday, August 24th, 2023. It takes about 10 minutes.Survey participants will be entered for a chance to win one of six (6) $50 gift certificates from one of the following neighborhood businesses: 

  • Books of Wonder
  • Café Salmagundi
  • Caffè Panna
  • Fishs Eddy
  • Sweet Chick
  • Urbanspace Union Square Food Hall

The Survey is Here:  https://www.unionsquarenyc.org/2023-community-survey. Thank you for your participation! Your feedback is invaluable.Sincerely,Union Square Partnership Team

Sebco Laundry will no longer be accepting pre-paid cards to use the machines in our buildings. They are switching to an app which is called My Magic Pass. Residents will need to download the app and use the site code 7–11 EAST 13TH STREET.

You will be able to pay for use of the machines by using the app. Directions on how to use the app are posted in each laundry room.

If residents have money on their current cards Damian will provide an envelope to mail to Sebco to get refunded. Please let us know if you need an envelope. THere are also envelopes available in the laundry rooms.

Partea, an arcade with bubble tea and fried chicken sandwiches, opened in Flushing, Queens back in September 2020. Now, the team has expanded across the water to Manhattan, with a new outpost at 220 E. 14th Street, near Third Avenue, in Union Square. Like in Queens, certain meal combos come with “surprise” plushie toys, and there’s a snack menu to pick from that includes Taiwanese sausages, cuttlefish balls, and spicy wings. The Union Square location is currently open, and a grand opening party is planned for August 18. Meanwhile, the team is already plotting a west coast expansion, with Parteas planned for West Covina and Little Tokyo, in Los Angeles. Partea Union Square will stay open most nights until 11 p.m.