Amazing Map Shows Neighborhood History

It’s hard to run a business in Manhattan. So hard, in fact, that even the beloved City Bakery couldn’t survive.

The spectacular old stable building at 128 East 13th has finally been converted into the Peridance Center with six studios, a theater, and a cafe.

A new Panera express shop has opened at 110 University, the first retail shop to open in the pedestal of that high-rise apartment building since it was completed three years ago. The format is entirely new, will be 40% smaller than the average Panera café at 2,000 square feet and will be designed toward to go-customers with dedicated shelves for rapid pickup, a digital menu, tracking screen technology with detailed order statuses, and very limited seating.

Yes, it happened. Spice has replaced Tong on 13th St. Too bad. Tong was an unusual take on Thai. Perhaps too unusual for the masses. Next question: what will become of the Spice space? Let’s hope it’s not destined to become a bank.

The original location of New York mini-chain Heartland Brewery is slated to close on January 1.  The Post reports that the building at 35 Union Square West has a new owner who is asking for more than the Heartland team can afford to pay.  Owner Jon Bloostein says that when he opened the pub in 1994, the rent was $150,000 a year, but now the new landlord is asking for about $2 million a year.

The stubby little building at 31 East 17th St. on the northern border of Union Square Park next to Barnes and Noble sits on a plot of land that has a very interesting history. Read all about it here.