Union Square Stats
The Union Square Partnership Annual Report is full of fascinating statistics. Check it out.
We’ll miss Cafe Deville on the corner of 13th and 3rd. Replacing it is Penny Farthing, a gastropub type place that is off to a fast start.
The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has been doing some reconnaissance to find out what exactly developer Billy Macklowe has planned for his new condo building that will replace Village icon Bowlmor Lanes, and what they’ve found has not heartened them: “[The building] will take the form of a short base with retail uses coming out to the streetwall, and a very tall, narrow, residential tower rising above it. At approximately 308 feet in height, this will be one of the tallest, if not the tallest, buildings in the Village. Apparently Mr. Macklowe has told elected officials that the building will be limestone rather than glass or steel
COVID strikes again. No holiday market this year. You’ll have to travel up to Bryant Park to pick up your scented candles and knitted mittens.
Sal Anthony’s Italian restaurant, which recently took over the space of that unremarkable Mexican spot on East 13th St. (which used to be the original Crunch gym), has closed.
Our new neighbor Ann Roth tells us about this incredible image of the 14th St. building that she dug up:
“I found the image on the web, where someone was selling a hand-colored print of the 14th Street facade, from a magazine that dates to 1891. So it clearly dates to that year (or earlier), not 1899, as all the real estate ads say. I ordered it, and they immediately took it off their site, so I can’t send you the link, but I copied the image first, so I’ve attached it. I must say, I wish it still had the fancy spire. The architects were D’Oench & Simon. Albert D’Oench studied in New York and Stuttgart, and then worked for Robert Morris Hunt (who designed the Metropolitan Museum’s facade) for a while. He was the NY Inspector of Buildings for five years, which seems to have mainly involved fire safety. After that, he had a successful architectural partnership with Albert (or Bernard?) Simon, and they designed and built several fire stations in New York. D’Oench later married the mayor’s daughter. Clearly a man with good connections. The plan calls it a “store building,” built it for Mrs. Mary S. Van Beuren, who was the granddaughter and heir of Henry Spingler (who I think has a building on Union Square named after him). She lived nearby, on 14th Street, just west of 5th, and seems to have been a bit of a sharp customer, to judge from some of the legal tussles I found when I searched her name on Google.”
Are you aware of the proposed MTA/DOT “L” train closure plans?
The MTA/DOT plans include a vehicular ban on 14th Street (between 3rd Ave & 9th Ave) for 16-21 hours a day:
The ban will seriously impede the daily activities of thousands of 14th St. residents and businesses and will divert cars and trucks to residential side streets – with a 50% projected increase in traffic
The increase will be felt by the West Village, Village, East Village, Chelsea and the Flatiron Districts.
The proposed plans also includes a radical re-design of 13th Street with a two-way Bikeway:
MTA/DOT projects 2,000 – 5,000 cyclists DAILY on 13th Street
The bikeway, coupled with a 50% increase in traffic, will seriously impede residential, educational, and emergency services on the street placing pedestrians and bicyclists at risk
The 14th Street Coalition is a growing group of residents and business that was formed in response to the MTA/DOT plans.
We ask the MTA/DOT to balance residential and transportation needs in a more equal way. They MUST consider the impact that will be felt on the quality of life concerns including air pollution, noise, congested streets and increased risks to pedestrians and bicyclists.
We understand that the Canarsie Tunnel must be repaired. We seek a temporary solution that is EQUALLY fair to residents, businesses and commuters.
It’s Time to Take Action – Sign our petition (go to www.change.org and browse: 14th Street Coalition), join the 14th Street Coalition on Facebook for links to sample letters to send to our elected officials,
Email us at 14thstcoalition@gmail.com for more information.