Now Open: Greek Taverna

Opening on May 21 at Broadway and 18th St., Minuto Bauli is the first U.S. outpost of the beloved Verona-based baking dynasty, Bauli. But this isn’t your average bakery. It’s a one-product wonderland dedicated entirely to a single, freshly baked, filled-to-order Italian treat: the Minuto Bauli.

What is a Minuto Bauli, exactly? Think of it as the pastry equivalent of a mic drop. The dough, made with Bauli’s century-old Futura mother yeast, is crafted in Italy using high-quality ingredients like flour, eggs, butter and milk, then shipped to New York City, where it rises for 12 hours before being baked and dressed up right before your eyes. Guests can customize their treat with a selection of lush Italian creams, preserves, spreads and gourmet toppings.

Next week (December 19 to December 23), Superstructure and concrete work will continue at 2nd and 3rd floor levels. Sidewalk sheds will continue being erected around the perimeter of the site. The roof protection at USC Condo courtyard will be finished this week.
The following week (December 26 to December 30), we will continue superstructure concrete and slabs on 2nd and 3rd floor levels.
This weekend the site will be closed on Saturday, December 17th.
Looking ahead to the upcoming holidays, the New School construction site will be closed on Saturdays, December 24 and December 31st, also on Mondays, December 26th and January 2nd.

The renovated W Union Square Hotel now boasts a hot new restaurant that the New York Post loves:

It took Seahorse, the new seafood spot in the W hotel, four years to open after it was first planned — and only two weeks to conquer Manhattan.

The wonderful eatery from owner John McDonald and chef John Villa is a rare, instant artistic and commercial success that’s just what Union Square needed.

The blocks around the park lost their culinary cred after Brazilian-style Coffee Shop closed in 2018 and Blue Water Grill a year later, leaving the famous Greenmarket its only claim to glory. Seahorse, on Park Avenue South at East 17th Street, puts the juice back. The corner will be even more of a food destination when a giant STK Steakhouse opens soon across the street.

McDonald’s Mercer Street Hospitality owns a half dozen crowd-pleasing eateries including Bowery Meat Company, Bar Mercer and, most famously, Lure Fishbar in Soho, which might lose its home of 20 years to Prada.

Seahorse tops them all. The stunning design by David Rockwell offers everyone open views of the sea of booths, banquettes and tables. Nautical blue trim sets the theme. Walls of rich teak refer to, but don’t copy, Lure and its yacht cabin vibes.

Villa is equally at home in corporate and individual-restaurant settings. He was recently culinary head of Tao Group, but I remember him as well for Pico — a great modern-Portuguese restaurant that didn’t survive Tribeca’s street closings after 9/11.

Now upstairs at Chard, formerly Le Croque Monsieur, on 13th St., is Singlish, a Singapore-flavored high-end speakeasy with delicious and breathtakingly expensive drinks. Save it for special occasions. Reservations recommended.

The Feil Organization announced Maison Kayser will bring its artisanal breads and baked goods to Union Square, signing a 15-year lease at the historic 841 Broadway for its eighth location in Manhattan.

The bakery will occupy 3,000 sq. ft. on the ground and mezzanine floors of the 108,000 sq. ft., eight-level Romanesque building, where COSI used to be.

“The activity in and around Union Square is buzzing, and the demand for this location was extraordinary, allowing us to maximize the income,” states Nicolas Forelli, director of leasing for The Feil Organization.  “While we were marketing this location, we had an overwhelming response from every food concept you can imagine. With its reputation for quality and unique product for this market, Maison Kayser was the best fit for the building and neighborhood.”

Built in 1894, the Romanesque building is located at the intersection of 13th Street just one block from Union Square Park. In the past year, Feil completely renovated the building, restoring the terracotta façade, creating a brass-accented lobby, and installing new elevators and windows.

Union Square’s Competitive Edge

Exemplifying a “15-minute neighborhood,” Union Square offers a wealth of local amenities including dining, shopping, culture, entertainment, and healthcare, all within walking distance or a short bike-ride. A true mixed-use neighborhood, Union Square’s residents, offices, retail, and institutions help sustain a vibrant public realm, with recent visitor traffic reaching 98% of 2019 levels. Office leasing remains active, with over 450K sf of office space leased since January 2022 across tech, finance, publishing, and other sectors.

Union Square’s 126 new businesses are comprised of 54% eateries, 28% retail, and 18% neighborhood services such as health and wellness. USP and creative partners work year-round to bring unique cultural, food, and art experiences to the square. Events like the eight-week Summer in the Square series, Urbanspace’s Holiday Market, and seasonal pop-ups draw foot traffic and support local business and arts communities.

Union Square’s Rich Mix of Commercial Businesses

Union Square-14th Street is home to high-profile institutions and headquarters across a range of sectors including technology, media, finance, and design. This rich mix of commercial tenants continues to be a major draw. Additionally, Union Square is center of gravity for live entertainment, arts, and culture. According to the data platform Replica, spending on entertainment doubled between 2019 and 2023 and visits in the district rose by 10% between 2022 and 2023, reaching a high of 98% compared to August 2019, a 10% higher average than Midtown Manhattan.

“Industry leaders like Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, and Wellington Management are choosing Union Square for their newest offices. Coupled with strong leasing activity at the ground floor, these new tenancies demonstrate the area’s appeal across sectors,” says Julie Stein, Executive Director, Union Square Partnership. “National retailers including Parachute, Crate & Barrel and Target are joining local favorites ABC Carpet, Fishs Eddy and Design Within Reach to solidify Union Square as a retail destination for interior design and home essentials.”

USQ Thrives as a Job Center

Union Square is a job center with 144K+ workers across sectors. Top employers include Con Edison, Mount Sinai Downtown, New York University, and The New School. In the coming year, the addition of national brands, and new and renovated hotels in the area will bring additional retail and hospitality job opportunities. This summer, Microsoft moved into its new 150K sf office space at 122 Fifth Avenue. The building’s ground floor is nearly fully leased with prominent brands Allbirds, Parachute, and Pandora, and Levain Bakery planning to open in early 2024.

Zero Irving (124 East 14th Street) has made headlines for leasing nearly 100% of its office space to major tech and finance firms including GameChanger (25K sf) and Sequoia Capital (13K sf). Additionally, the 10K sf Urbanspace food hall introduced 13 vendors to the 14th Street food scene. Over 65K sf of retail space has been leased since January 2022 to national brands, such as Petco’s 30k sf flagship location on Union Square East, and NYC favorites such as Hex & Co board game café, Sweet Chick, and Kazunori.

“Because we’re located in the heart of the NYC tech community, Civic Hall @ Union Square’s six floors of state-of-the-art training and conference center space at the new Zero Irving building will drive sustainable pathways to high-tech jobs. Civic Hall will help supply the tech workforce and spur innovation for industry leaders, the community, the City of New York, and beyond.” Seema Shah, Executive Director, Civic Hall

New and Coming Soon’

Looking ahead into the Fall, we are excited to welcome Upright Citizens Brigade, Crate & Barrel, Saatva, Mission Ceviche, and many more businesses to the neighborhood.

• FÖRENA, a 50-unit luxury condominium development at 540 Sixth Avenue featuring 6K SF of new retail space for lease, finished construction in July 2023.

• NYU is relocating the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service to 105 East 17th Street in Fall 2024, bringing over 860 students and over 200 faculty to Union Square.

• Target will open a 33K SF store at 10 Union Square East, establishing over 75 new jobs and creating a retail anchor and local amenity for 14th Street.