The Holiday Market Is Back

As reported by Eater.com
Corkbuzz was up first, Laura Maniec, formerly the beverage director at BR Guest and one of 18 female Master Sommeliers, seeks to open Corkbuzz at 13 East 13th Street and obviously needs a full liquor license for this restaurant… or is it obvious? Corkbuzz would primarily be a restaurant but would also seek to celebrate, explore and enjoy wine. The community was very mixed on this one. Although there was tons of support for the wine-centric restaurant coming to the neighborhood, some wondered why they were seeking a full license and not just wine and beer. The community members did not want another full license on this block, especially since this location had not been licensed before. One board member actually had the audacity to grill her on her experience, even though she clearly mentioned that she had been involved in nearly 10 restaurant openings and was made partner at BR Guest after a relatively brief time there. In the end, they voted to deny the application unless certain stipulations were met (including closing at 1AM on Thursday-Saturday, not using outside promoters), because they thought the applicant was unique and special.

2) The man behind Caliente Cab Company is looking to pick up the old Buona Sera space at 94 University Place. They were hoping for a full liquor license for their restaurant, which would be a sort of Mexican and Asian-fusion. There would be a limited food counter and a limited bar and they’re working with a chef at Nobu on the menu development. They actually came having already reduced their hours, but they still received somewhat mixed reviews from the community. They were approved with a deny unless they agreed to certain stipulations. Oh, and don’t expect a happy hour here…they think it isn’t pro-community and attracts the college crowds.

Not exactly Occupy Wall Street, but this is what Union Square looked like on Labor Day 1882. Fun parade.

From the Union Square Partnership:

Union Square’s fourth quarter performance capped a strong
2024, marked by year-over-year growth across key metrics:

Ground Floor Leasing: 49 new businesses opened in 2024,
with Union Square’s signature culinary scene driving 65%
of leasing activity.

Foot Traffic: An average of 370k daily trips in 2024
reflected a 4% increase over 2023, which itself saw a 15%
rise compared to 2022.

Consumer Spending: A 5% increase in 2024 over 2023,
fueled by higher spending at restaurants and bars (+7%),
entertainment (+18%), and retail (+3%), continuing upward
trajectories from 2023 (+8%) and 2022 (+17%).

In Q4, the district experienced a 23% surge in visits and a
28% jump in consumer spending during Urbanspace’s Union
Square Holiday Market, highlighting Union Square’s appeal for
unique experiences and shopping. With notable Q4 restaurant
openings such as Leon’s and Le Basque driving momentum,
18 new businesses are already set to debut in 2025. These
include Seahorse at the newly renovated W New York – Union
Square, Café Zaffri at The Twenty Two, and Flight Club,
signaling strong economic growth for the year ahead

Union Square-14th Street continues to demonstrate incredible resilience with strong signs that 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, we 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 draw of Union Square’s diverse retail, food, culture, health, and entertainment offerings, and Union Square Park, its crown jewel, produced positive outcomes with foot traffic and spending reaching near pre-pandemic levels.

Microsoft has leased 150K sf across 10 floors at The Bromley Companies’ 122 Fifth Avenue. The building is undergoing a complete renovation of its commercial and retail spaces, which also welcomed Allbirds to the ground floor in March 2022.

∫ The Zero Irving Tech Center made headlines as its first commercial tenants, Melio (25K sf), and Sigma (15.5K sf), signed leases in the state-of-the-art building, which is ontrack to open in 2022.

∫ NYU announced plans to relocate the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service to its formerly administrative
office space at 105 East 17th Street. It plans to open to its 864 students and 200+ faculty members in Fall 2024.

∫ Longtime district partner Barnes & Noble unveiled Union Square & Co, the name for a new subsidiary of Sterling
Publishing, further reinforcing the strength of the Union Square brand and neighborhood identity.

∫ Over 80K sf of retail space has been leased since 2020 to national brands, such as Allbirds and Sephora, and
newcomers, such as Rookie and Modern Age, who chose Union Square to locate their flagship storefront.

With over 76,000 residents and 145,000 employees within a 1/2 mile radius, Union Square remains one of NYC’s most desirable places to live and work.

∫ Its 2:1 employee to residential population and significant population density, 24% higher than Manhattan, make Union Square a true mixed-use neighborhood, supported by a diverse array of commercial businesses, retail, and restaurants.

∫ Union Square is comprised of 32.5% owner-occupied
housing, which is well above Manhattan’s 24%.

See the entire report here. 

A fire engine passes by the Star Theater, where today’s Regal 14 Cineplex is located.

Simo Pizza is scheduled to arrive on University Place in the former home of Argo Tea (and before that, good ol’ Dean and DeLuca) sometime in the fall. They already have a branch in the Meatpacking District, and the pizza looks good…and affordable.