Street Fair on University: August 8

The Union Square Business Improvement District is considering expanding its boundaries. If you have an opinion about that, take this survey.

From YIMBY.com:
Earlier this month, developer Ranger Properties paid $22,000,000 for two buildings at the corner of University Place and East 13th Street, in the heart of the Village near Union Square. Then EV Grieve reported that longtime stalwart University Place Gourmet had shuttered, along with a Chinese laundry around the corner on 13th Street.

Now plans have been filed to construct a seven-story apartment building on the site at 34 East 13th Street, and Adjmi Architects is designing. There will be six apartments spread across 15,550 square feet of residential space, for a very spacious average unit of 2,591 square feet. They’ll definitely be condos, with just one apartment per floor. Six stories of apartments will be stacked on top of 3,200 square feet of ground floor retail

Amenities listed on the Schedule A include a “private/public” roof deck (maybe there will be both!) and a gym in the cellar.

The 3,300-square-foot property is currently home to three buildings—a four-story apartment building on the corner that has University Gourmet on the ground floor, a single-story building housing a doggy day care, and a three-story apartment building with the laundromat.

Demolition permits have not yet been filed to knock them down.

Before Ranger Properties snapped up the assemblage for $1,100 per buildable square foot, the site hadn’t changed hands since 1980.

However, 34 East 13th Street will seem small compared to the 23-story tower planned one block south at 100 University Place. Harry Macklowe is developing the building, which will stand 309 feet tall and include 52 apartments. Other projects in the hood will also be high-end condos, including 17 East 12th Street and the nearly complete garage conversion at 12 East 13th Street.

The annual shareholder’s meeting will take place on Wednesday June 30th at 7PM at the Seafarers’ and Interational House at 123 East 15th St, second floor.

At the meeting, the Board of Directors will be seeking at least one new member. If you wish to become a candidate for the Board and have your name placed on the ballot, please feel free to provide a short biography of yourself via fax (212) 986-0002 or e-mail to ymartinez@akam.com. The Board will also welcome nominations at the meeting itself.

In Union Square Park, the 16th Street transverse and eastern plaza are now open to pedestrians, complete with additional park benches along the north sides of the transverse. New asphalt pavers and crushed bluestone allow the stately elm trees along the transverse to thrive while removing the previous trip hazard, and the entrance to the center lawn is now accessible to wheelchairs. The park’s new and expanded 15,000-square-foot play space is nearing completion with Parks Department final site inspections scheduled in the next few weeks. Soon, area kids will have endless hours of fun in this creative, colorful and beautifully landscaped play space designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. The North End Project is 91% complete and the remainder of the project, including new restroom facilities and the Pavilion, are expected to be finished by the end of the year.