New Old View of Union Square

As per the Governor’s Executive Order issued April 15, everyone is required to wear face covering in the form of a mask, scarf, or other reliable protection of the nose and mouth while in public.  Also, every building occupant is to wear face covering while you are within any common area of the building including hallways, stairwells, elevator, lobby, laundry room, etc.

Most shareholders/owners are signed up for online payment of maintenance/common charges.  We strongly encourage those who are not already signed up to please contact your AKAM Management Executive for additional information.

Below are a few other reminders and best practices (as applicable to your building):

• Continue notifying your AKAM Mgt. Executive should anyone in your household test positive
• Essential repairs within apartments/units will be made in accordance to COVID-19 protocols
• We will advise when restrictions on renovations are lifted
• Be mindful of noise emanating from your apartment/unit to avoid disturbance to your neighbors
• Be aware of potential impostors/scams looking to gain access into your apartment/unit
• Continue practicing social distancing everywhere

Please see the following COVID-19 related links you may find helpful:

CDC.gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices / NYC.Gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices

As the New York Pause period now extends through May 15, 2020, we have listed various types of stay-at-home things to do which may interest you:

• The New York Philharmonic has launched “NY Phil Plays On”. It is a new free digital portal streaming 150 hours of free performances online.  Go to www.nyphil.org/playson to watch.
• Nowadays is streaming virtual DJ sets every night live from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM.  Go to www.nowadays.nyc/stream for disco beats, tutorials and deep-listening sessions.
• The New York Public Library is offering more than 30,000 free titles available to download on their app SimplyE.  You need to be a New York City resident with a library card which you can apply for on SimplyE.  Go to www.nypl.org.com for details.
• The Tribeca Film Festival will be releasing 15 free VR films starting on April 17^th.  They will be available on Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets.  Go to www.tribecafilm.com for details.
• The Metropolitan Opera is offering free online performances.  Every day a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is released. Go to www.metopera.org to watch.
• The Children’s Museum of the Arts is offering a free online series. These free interactive sessions take place over Zoom and invite children of all ages to participate in sing-a-longs, create their own artwork and explore creative movement. Go to www.cmany.org for more information.
• BroadwayHD is currently offering a free seven-day trial. You can enjoy Broadway classics like “Cats”, “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music”. Go to www.brodawayhd.com to register.
• Headspace is offering free sleep, meditation, and movement exercises. Visit www.headspace.com/ny for details.
• Taste Buds is hosting free online cooking classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00PM using basic pantry supplies you likely have in the house. The classes are for adults and kids to cook together. Go to www.tastebudskitchen/cooking-club to enroll.
• Visit Timeout NYC – At home entertainment / City Guide NY – At home entertainment for updates!

Please join us in continuing to thank all building staff members for their continued hard-work and dedication.  We would also like to thank all building volunteers, including members of the Board, for their valuable time and input.

Just a quick historical look at prices for one-bedroom apartments in Greenwich Village.

From Crain’s New York Business:

The P.C. Richard & Son store near Union Square is going the way of the cathode ray television set and VCRs.

The city’s Economic Development Corp. has announced a request for proposals to redevelop a city-owned site at 124 E. 14th St. that for the past 19 years has been home to a two-level building occupied by the electronics and appliance store.

The EDC is encouraging developers to pitch projects that include new office space for booming industries in the neighborhood, such as technology and creative businesses. According to the city’s guidelines, the development could provide fledgling companies with the space to get started and also a location for young but established firms to transition from incubator and co-working spaces that have sprouted around the city into their own digs.

Proposals may also include residential space, although a spokesman for the city said the EDC’s goal is an office-focused development. Current zoning on the site, however, would seem to encourage a residential component. About 140,000 square feet of housing can be built at the address versus about 93,00 square feet of commercial space. A project could be a blend of the two.

Midtown South has become the city’s hottest office market, with space in the vicinity of Union Square especially popular for its access to transit, shopping, restaurants and tony residential neighborhoods.

“The current site of the PC Richard store will serve as a new tech hub in Union Square, capitalizing on the academic and transit advantages offered by the neighborhood and its proximity to the Flatiron district,” said Maria Torres-Springer, president of the EDC, in a statement. “This is just one example of how we are finding creative uses for the assets we have in a city where space is harder and harder to come by.”

Bids for the property are due by February, the spokesman said, which is the same month that P.C. Richard’s lease is set to expire.

Last month, Union Square had to say good-bye to Food Emporium, formerly located at 10 Union Square East. While we are sorry to see the long-time neighborhood spot go, we are excited to be welcoming Target to this location in 2023! In the meantime, there are still great places to buy your everyday groceries and household essentials with flexible in-store and delivery/pick-up options for a seamless shopping experience. Read up more here in our Grocery Shopping Guide and find a full map of where you can do all your shopping in Union Square.

Brit chain Pret A Manger had moved into the former Tisserie space at 857 Broadway (at 17th Street), and now comes official word that when it opens for a test run this Friday, it will give away 3,000 free sandwiches starting at 12:15 p.m. — provided you snag one of the flyers that will be given away at the Union Square subway entrances between 8 a.m. and 9:25 a.m. that morning. Pret is calling this the “Guinea Pig Day” for what will be their U.S. flagship (the store features a fresh design and free Wi-Fi), but for better or worse, cuy won’t be served — instead, Pret is sourcing food directly from Greenmarket vendors. The location opens fully on June 22.

Curious about how the renovation of Union Square is proceeding? The Villager has all the details here. The bottom line: on schedule.