Remembering Dan Gallagher

It looks like shuttered Indian restaurant Babu Ji may be rising from its wage theft lawsuit ashes into the old All’onda space at 22 East 13th Street. A neighbor happened upon the space at an opportune moment, when a garbage bag hanging over a brand-new sign at the address fell down, revealing the words “Babu Ji” for all to see. It’s an unexpected changeover for the space — up until very recently, Red Farm restaurateur Ed Schoenfeld was planning to take the space for a new restaurant called The Mess. The restaurant with chef Zod Arifai was completely built out and had even hired staff and hosted friends and family in February when all work came to a halt in March. Schoenfeld previously told Eater the hold-up was initially a result of issues with the Community Board, who recommended a denial of the space’s liquor license. Schoenfeld did not immediately respond to inquiries, and Babu Ji owners Jennifer and Jessi Singh declined to comment.

Sebco Laundry will no longer be accepting pre-paid cards to use the machines in our buildings. They are switching to an app which is called My Magic Pass. Residents will need to download the app and use the site code 7–11 EAST 13TH STREET.

You will be able to pay for use of the machines by using the app. Directions on how to use the app are posted in each laundry room.

If residents have money on their current cards Damian will provide an envelope to mail to Sebco to get refunded. Please let us know if you need an envelope. THere are also envelopes available in the laundry rooms.

Our new downstairs neighbor, The Drop House, seems to be some kind of short-term music pop-up experience. It’s a bit hard to decode.

The New York Post reports this robbery just one block away:

A woman who left her Union Square apartment to check in on a 102-year-old neighbor returned to find a well-dressed burglar grabbing $50,000 worth of her jewelry, cops said yesterday.

The thief — decked out in a black suit and tie — had sneaked into an apartment building on University Place at 3 p.m. Monday and was prowling around for an unlocked door when he hit the jackpot at Linda Kaplan’s home, sources said.

As the thief was stashing bling in a canvas bag, Kaplan, 76, walked in.

She demanded to know what he was doing, and he responded, “I’m with the Fire Department,” according to cops.

When Kaplan demanded to see ID, the 6-foot-2 bandit threw her down.

“He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to the ground,” Kaplan said. “I grabbed his legs. I tried to stop him from leaving.

“Once he knocked me down, I started screaming for help.”

Among those who ran to her aid was a painter working in an apartment upstairs. Minutes earlier, the thief had poked his head in that unit but fled when he saw the worker.

Cops said the bandit operated like an “office creeper,” a well-dressed thief who looks for laptop computers or purses at unoccupied office desks.

The East 12th and 13th Street Block Association is fighting against the arrival of Caliente Cab Co. at University and 12th on the grounds that they expect it to be a noisy all-night boozefest. The owners had petitioned for 4AM closing 7 nights a week, open windows, and sidewalk cafe. They’ve backed off, but that’s still not good enough for those who are against it.

You can speak your mind at the licensing meeting on April 12th at 6PM at 268 Mulberry St.

The complete Community Board meeting is APril 21st at 6PM at 116 West 11th St.

The 4th Quarter Union Square Partnership Business Report, available here, has some interesting updates:

Union Square finished the year strong, with storefront occupancy in the BID1 reaching 91% in Q4 2025 (compared to 85% in Q4 2024). This growth reflects continued   confidence in the district and demand from both national operators and emerging local players. Around Union Square Park, five long-vacant corner storefronts are slated to welcome new business openings in 2026, including global apparel anchor UNIQLO as well as Flight Club and Voodoo Doughnut, both new to NYC.

60 businesses opened in Union Square in 2025 (11 more than in 2024). Q4’s 16 openings ranged from top retailers like Pacsun, Ulta Beauty, and Aritzia (which expanded into a new space three times its previous size), to more intimate establishments like Maison Welles and Stars. Nespresso debuted its 13,000+ SF flagship that merges traditional retail with multi-sensory coffee tastings, interactive masterclasses, and a speakeasy. While Nespresso leads in scale, smaller coffee-forward openings include unique experiences this quarter, including Ioannis Coffee Chef’s “farm-to-cup” workshops and luckin coffee’s tech-driven model. With rising occupancy and a robust tenant pipeline, Union Square enters 2026 primed for an exciting year.