Instead of Thai Food, Jewelry

NYU has decided not to build a fourth soaring tower adjacent to the three Silver Towers that already loom over Bleecker and Houston Streets. Instead, they’ll build a squatter and bulkier version on the location of the current Morton Williams supermarket. Why the change? Because the community–and IM Pei–didn’t like it.

Witnick Real Estate Partners purchased a mixed-use, multifamily apartment building in Union Square for $23 million. The building, located at 30 East 14th Street between Fifth Avenue and University Place, came with 30,720 square feet of air rights and sold for approximately $1,124 per square foot, meaning that a larger building might be on the way. But, plans for the property are unclear and Witnick did not respond to a request for comment.

Read this excellent post at Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York to learn the complete history of the doomed building at 61Fifth Ave. on the corner of 13th.

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

NYU, which will lease it back to Forbes for five years before moving in.