As If This Neighborhood Needs More Coffee Shops

What used to be the TD Bank at the corner of University and 11th will soon be a new outpost of the quickly expanding Blank Street Coffee Chain. OK, but isn’t better to support local businesses? Go to NewsBar instead.

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  • Oh, Rats (hopefully not)…Composting Has Arrived

    Please be advised that curbside composting began on October 6, 2024. The program is mandatory and requires buildings to separate food and yard waste from other trash and recycling items. However, there is a grace period until April 2025 to allow buildings to implement the proper procedures and get everything in order.

    • We have ordered one bin for each building and have ordered a second for each building in anticipation of participation.
    • Residents are required to bring their food waste materials down and place them in the composting bin. The bins are on the second floor of 14th Street and in the garbage area in the back of the lobby on 13th Street. They are in place and ready for use.
    • Acceptable materials for the composting bin include all food scraps, bones, dairy, prepared/cooked foods, and food-soiled paper (napkins, paper plates, coffee filters).
    • Recycling and trash procedures remain unchanged.

    Please see the attached DSNY flyer detailing acceptable materials for the composting bin. Additional guidance and recommendations include:

    • Drain liquids before placing food scraps in the composting bin.
    • Store composting materials in a plastic bag, brown paper bag, yogurt tub, or a designated organics container. Empty the scraps into the composting bin in the basement.
    • To prevent odors, store scraps in the freezer if you cannot bring them down immediately.
    • Newspapers, paper bags and certified compostable bags are acceptable in the composting bin. Plastic bags may be thrown in the bin as the DSNY has a method for removing them. Hard plastic, metal, and glass are not permitted.

    As a reminder, plastic, cardboard, metal, and glass should be recycled separately and not placed in the composting bin. Regular trash items including Styrofoam, pet waste, or diapers must not be thrown into the composting bin.

    Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or Mecca at 212-986-0001 or via email at TCunningham@akam.com or MWhite@akam.com.

    Thank you.

  • Gotham Bar and Grill Closes… Again

    Eater reports:

    The 40-year-old icon Gotham Bar and Grill has shuttered again — this time for good. Earlier this year, it was the victim of a cyberattack in which it lost $45,000. “The restaurant could not claw back from the theft,” owner Cassandra Csencsitz said of the decision not to reopen. “The goal was to go back to our investors to reopen this fall, and time just kept going by until it became clear we could not reopen this fall or for the holidays. It is over,” she told writer Andrea Strong. This is the second permanent shutter since 2020, with Gotham closing permanently the first round in 2020 — after 36 years — before reopening in 2021. In 2019, Victoria Blamey took over the kitchen from longtime chef Alfred Portale. Chef Ron Paprocki, a former Gotham pastry chef, most recently led the kitchen.

  • Latest Facts and Figures from the Union Square Partnership

    See it all here. 

    Union Square-14th Street has demonstrated incredible resilience during the unprecedented past year. There are strong signs the district will not only continue its
    upward trajectory but also thrive as one of the City’s best neighborhoods to live, work, and invest in. In this report, outline the neighborhood’s key advantages and highlight the positive indicators of continued economic growth and success.

    Among Union Square’s many advantages is its function as a true “15-minute neighborhood,” with its wealth of local amenities and resources accessible within walking distance or a short bike ride. The availability of public space, in particular, has emerged as an even greater asset this year as Union Square Park and nearby streets and plazas have been key for safe recreation, social activity, and commerce.

    New developments across Union Square-14th Street are picking up momentum, introducing a range of transformative projects to the district’s skyline and public realm. Among the exciting projects underway, which include a civic center, two modern residential towers, and a boutique hotel, several projects have recently reached key milestones:
    ∫ Completion of the landmark restoration of Tammany Hall has introduced a new architectural icon at 44 Union
    Square, including office and retail opportunities.
    ∫ Zero Irving’s Tech Training Center is on track to complete in Spring 2021. The project aims to bring 550 permanent jobs to the area.
    ∫ The City implemented a dedicated busway, improving access along 14th Street with the rollout of M14 Select Bus Service. In the months following its installation, ridership on the route increased 14% and travel times decreased 24%.
    ∫ USP unveiled the Union Square-14th Street District Vision Plan, an ambitious proposal that envisions a 33% increase in public space, and significant improvements to district accessibility and the overall pedestrian environment.

    Investment in Union Square’s future remains strong, with over $850 million committed to projects across the commercial, residential, and health sectors, totaling over 1 million square feet of new development. Since January 2020, there have been over $500 million in residential sales around Union Square and there are more than 200 residential units in development. We look forward to welcoming our new neighbors to the district soon.

    Since January 2020, 33 businesses have opened or plan to open in Union Square, including a mix of eateries, retailers, beauty, and professional services. These include 25 brand new to the district, five that relocated to a new or renovated space within the district, and three that have announced plans to open soon. Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome these new additions, including Rookie and the Urbanspace Food Hallin 2021, and Target in 2023.

    With nearly 73,000 residents and 142,000 employees within a 1/2 radius, Union Square remains one of NYC’s most desirable places to live and work.
    ∫ Its 2:1 employee to residential population makes Union Square a true mixed-use neighborhood, supported by a diverse array of commercial businesses, retail,
    and restaurants.
    ∫ 38.5% of Union Square’s residences are owner-occupied, a number far above Manhattan’s 24%

    RESIDENTIAL OVERVIEW
    Union Square Manhattan NYC
    Total Population 72,928
    Housing Units 42,603
    Median Asking Rent $4,304
    Median Home Value $1,336,014
    % Owner Occupied 38.5%
    Median Household Income $142,526
    Median Age 35
    Average Household Size 1.6