14th St. Coalition Alerts the Area to Huge Traffic Changes, Here’s How to Complain

Next week (March 19 to March 23), Superstructure work will continue at the 8th floor level. Deliveries for the internal systems of the building have been ongoing and will continue, although they should not greatly affect the flow of pedestrian and road traffic.

The following week (March 26 to March 30), we will continue superstructure concrete and slabs on the 8th and 9th floor levels. Deliveries for the internal systems of the building have been ongoing and will continue, although they should not greatly affect the flow of pedestrian and road traffic.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, March 17th for superstructure related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. To control noise levels within the site, work activities will be limited to the placement of formwork and concrete, plumbing and electrical work, rebar for concrete placement, using the crane and equipment to support all activities. Safety horns are used, and required by law, to coordinate lifting with the crane and to alert the workers of the danger overhead. We have directed the operators to limit the use of horns to one short sounding and to use the crane later in the day so as to avoid any excess noise.

In addition, tomorrow, Friday the 16th, we will be starting operations at 6am in anticipation of a large concrete pour and will more than likely, with notification of the Department of Buildings, be going later into the evening to finish. Also on the weekend of the 10th the 14th St. Con Ed Vault utility connection street work will continue per DOT Permit granted for weekends only.

Here’s an article about an upcoming book that sounds like it takes a very interesting and pictorial look at the history of our own Union Square.

Crumbs Bakery on University and 13th has closed…for the second time.

Toy store chain Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy protection last September, and it has been downhill ever since. Today, the company informed 33,000 employees it would be selling or closing all of its 700 U.S. stores, according to published reports. In addition, Toys “R” Us said today it would close its 75 remaining stores in the U.K., CNN reported, after failing to find a buyer to save it from insolvency administration, which is similar to bankruptcy. (It already closed 25 stores in Britain.) Stores in New York State include a Babies “R” Us at 24-30 Union Square East and a Babies “R” Us at 139-19 20th Avenue in College Point, Queens.

From the press release:

Soon New Yorkers, known for their culinary palettes, will be able to enjoy the taste of Nutella® in a variety of unique dishes tailored especially for them. Ferrero, a global confectionery company and the maker of Nutella® The Original Hazelnut Spread®, today announced it will be opening a Nutella Cafe at 13th Street and University Place, near Union Square, by the end of the year. Nutella Cafe New York will feature a Nutella-inspired cafe menu and specialty espresso beverages. The first Nutella Cafe opened on May 31, 2017 in Chicago.

“There truly is nothing like the taste of Nutella® hazelnut spread, and with the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Nutella Cafe Chicago, we know our fans feel the same way. It’s their excitement that propelled us to open another Nutella Cafe and continue to showcase the uniqueness and versatility of this beloved product,” said Rick Fossali, vice president of operations, Nutella Cafe.

“Nutella is global power brand and the popularity of the spread is built on Ferrero’s uncompromising focus on quality ingredients. As a multicultural epi-center, New York gives us the opportunity to explore and offer new ways for our local fans to enjoy Nutella, while reaching millions of tourists visiting the city,” added Fossali.

For more information and updates on the Nutella Cafe New York, please check out the Nutella USA Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Gotham Bar & Grill, the longest-running high-end dining establishment in the neighborhood, is done.

According to Eater.com…

After 36 years — and one major, recent chef change — fine dining trailblazer Gotham Bar & Grill is closing. Saturday, March 14 will be its last night of service, according to an email sent to customers.

Restaurants across the city are closing temporarily as new measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak have led to declines in sales, but Gotham will not be reopening.

The closure follows a brief tenure from its new chef Victoria Blamey, who started leading the kitchen only last year — and was a significant change for the longtime regulars of the storied American fine dining restaurant. The previous chef, Alfred Portale, ran the kitchen for more than three decades and through its many accolades, including Michelin stars and James Beard Awards. He left to open his first solo restaurant, Portale, in Chelsea.

Blamey did not come into an easy situation. Much of the staff and the clientele were intensely loyal to Portale, who created dishes that became icons, like a riff on tuna tartare. He’d also been there for most of the restaurant’s tenure. Gotham opened in Greenwich Village in 1984, and he took over the large, white tablecloth establishment a year later.

Moreover, Gotham is a fine dining legend; its menu shaped what American fine dining looks like in New York. The pressure was on for Blamey, who was expected to bring a younger crowd to the restaurant. And under her, Gotham retained its three stars in the New York Times, with Pete Wells delighting in her additions to the menu.