Latest New School Construction Update

Spice Cafe, the Thai place at 10th and Unversity, is moving on Dec. 29 to 39 East 13th St. That’s weird because that’s the current location of Tong. Is the brand new Tong going out of business already?

In other news, Tokyo Lamen on University is “closed for renovations” and promises to reopen as a higher-end noodle place, like the three or four other noodle hot spots that have opened recently in the East Village.

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe announced the selection of the City Farm Café as the new operator of a seasonal café in Union Square Park, managed by O-V Hospitality Group, LLC (“O-V”), a New York-based restaurant management firm.

From May through October, anticipated to begin in 2012, this seasonal café will provide park users with a casual and affordable food service in the newly restored historic Pavilion in Union Square Park, part of a long tradition of unique and diverse food services in City parks. In keeping with Union Square Park’s history as the birthplace of the City’s first Greenmarket and with the Parks Department’s initiative to provide varied and healthy food options in City parks, City Farm Café’s menu will feature seasonal produce and other food products from the Union Square Greenmarket.

In the off-season, the Pavilion will be used for a range of educational and recreational activities open to the public from November through April. The Parks Department plans to sponsor childrens’ programs, fitness programs, and films, and the Greenmarket plans to organize public education programs to encourage healthy eating habits.

“City Farm Café submitted an inventive proposal for a seasonal café that will take full advantage of the locally grown and produced fresh food sold at the Union Square Greenmarket,” said Commissioner Benepe.

P.F. Chang’s has finally opened on the corner of University and 13th, golden horse included. However, Eater.com hates it. A lot.

USP received valuable feedback on streetscape elements and public space amenities around the neighborhood, including priorities for infrastructure improvements on surrounding streets and within Union Square Park.

Street trees (91%) and City Benches (87%) received the highest rates of satisfaction among City-operated elements, and seasonal plantings (95%) and bistro tables + chairs (92%) received the highest rates among USP-operated amenities. Respondents expressed a desire for additional trees and seating districtwide, as well as bike racks, protected bus shelters, and investments in the park to enhance landscaping, lighting, public restrooms, and the dog run.

The survey also revealed top priorities for public realm investments, which align with the Union Square-14th Street District Vision Plan. The transportation improvements rated with the highest level of importance include safer pedestrian crossings (97%), pedestrian streets (92%), and an ADA-accessible subway (87%). 90% of respondents would like Street Seats implemented around the district. USP is incorporating this feedback into the next phases of Vision Plan planning and design efforts.

People often complain that Whole Foods is too expensive, but did you know they offer plenty of decent coupons?

The latest gossip from The Villager:

While the fate of two prime-time storefronts on the south side of Union Square has yet to be determined, recent whispers have indicated that more big-box stores could be headed for the space currently occupied by a pair of retail behemoths.

Electronics retailer Circuit City, which filed for bankruptcy late last year, will shutter its location on 14th St. at Fourth Ave. at the end of next month as part of plan to auction off all its properties and leases nationwide.

A sales associate at the store said that Walmart was interested in the space, which is owned by developer The Related Companies, although a New York-based spokesperson for Walmart said the big-box chain currently has no announced projects in the city.

Best Buy, which has a store less than a mile away on W. 23rd St., is another name that has been floated as a future tenant. A company spokesperson said the electronics-and-entertainment retailer does not currently have any plans for the site and could not speculate on potential deals.

Rumors have also swirled for months over the possible departure of the adjacent Virgin Megastore, where Related — which owns a controlling interest of the Virgin stores — is also the landlord.

“We’ve made no decision about that property,” Related spokesperson Joanna Rose told Mixed Use, echoing her statements to this paper from last May regarding Virgin’s long-speculated exit. However, Rose did confirm that brokerage Winick Realty Group continues to handle the leasing assignment for the nearly 60,000-square-foot property.

A spokesperson for the Union Square Partnership did not have any information on who could open in either space, where brokers have pegged asking prices for the marquee addresses at upward of $300 to $350 per square foot.