Our Supertall Neighbor Begins Its (Expensive) Reveal

The New York Times reports on the new busway and the potentially positive effect it has on real estate prices, although it seems certain not everyone would agree.

An invitation from the New School to attend a preview of the new building on May 6:

April 26, 2010

To Our Neighbors, To meet the university’s evolving needs, plans for the construction of a new University Center at 65 Fifth Avenue will continue to move forward this summer. Because The New School has made it a priority to engage the entire university in the project’s development, we invite you to view the next phase of building design at a second exhibition featuring an overview of the current plan. We will also have a model of the building on display. Please join us on May 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Theresa Lang Community and Student Center on the second floor of 55 W. 13th Street. This open house will include new renderings of the building design, academic and social spaces, sustainability systems, and details about the construction schedule. As in the past, attendants will be able submit comments and ask questions of many of the principals, including New School staff, architects and professionals from the design firm and construction trades. We hope to see you there.

To get a sense of the pulse of the neighborhood, check out the USP’s ANNUAL REPORT. It’s full of interesting plans and action items, such as:

Public Space Activations: This summer, USP is rolling
out new seating areas, enhanced landscaping, the
second annual mural along the 14th Street Busway,
and hosting an Oonee Pod Mini, a prototype for safe
bike storage.

Park Upgrades: In partnership with NYC Parks, USP
will develop a Union Square Park infrastructure
plan that includes upgraded utilities, irrigation, and
bathrooms amenities, as well as a preservation plan
of the entire district’s tree canopy.

Since January 2021, 46 new businesses have opened in and around Union Square.

This year’s annual Co-op Board Meeting will take place via Zoom on July 30 at 7 PM. Please see your e-mail or the mailed notification to get the Zoom log on information.

A new Panera express shop has opened at 110 University, the first retail shop to open in the pedestal of that high-rise apartment building since it was completed three years ago. The format is entirely new, will be 40% smaller than the average Panera café at 2,000 square feet and will be designed toward to go-customers with dedicated shelves for rapid pickup, a digital menu, tracking screen technology with detailed order statuses, and very limited seating.

Construction of the glassy turtle shell-shaped dome on top of Union Square’s landmarked Tammany Hall building is officially underway. The building at 44 Union Square, formerly home to NYC’s Democratic party machine, is being transformed into modern office and retail space. New construction photos provided to 6sqft show the start of the unconventional dome’s installation, with the diagonally intersecting glass and steel now visible from the street. The political organization of Tammany Hall formed in New York City in the late 18th century and helped Democrats control city and state politics for decades. After a few different headquarter locations, the society landed in a building on East 17th Street and Union Square. The International Ladies Garment Workers Union bought the building in 1943. Other tenants have included the New York Film Academy and the Union Square Theatre. Designed by BKSK Architects, the redevelopment project consists of a gut renovation and the addition of four stories of retail space in the building’s base, with three levels of office space on the upper levels, including inside the dome. The architects designed the glass dome as an ode to the turtle which Lenape Chief Tamanend stands upon on a Philadelphia statue. Tammany Hall was named after the leader. According to the firm, the dome is “meant to be both evocative and respectful of the building’s past while also bringing architectural spectacle to this rather staid corner of Union Square.” BKSK first submitted plans to revamp the historic building in 2014. After the project was approved a year later by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, developer Reading International secured $57.5 million in financing. Renovations began in 2016. The dome features a framework of intersecting glass and steel, manufactured by German-based firm Gartner. There’s no doubt the top floor will not only be drenched in natural light but also offer unique views of Union Square and beyond.