Union Square Partnership’s Annual Report Has Arrived

DOB has granted our request to start placing our concrete at 6am, which will allow us to finish this work earlier in the evening. We have 5 more instances like this until we finish our superstructure in early June.

Therefore next week (April 23 to April 27), Superstructure work will continue at the 14th and 15th floor levels. Monday, April 23rd, and Thursday, April 26th, we will have a pour with a 6 am start time and similar end time, weather permitting. 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 (April 30 to May 4), we will continue superstructure concrete and slabs on the 15th and 16th 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, April 21st 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 to the normal work on the job site, we will have an additional crane on site at 13th st. and 5th ave. to install the stair trusses on the west side of the building. The crane will be completely on site and should not interfere with pedestrian or automotive traffic in the area.

From Bedford + Bowery:

A Union Square institution, Coffee Shop, served its final brunch Sunday with one last samba performance by Maucha Adnet, her trio, and a pair of roving carnival dancers. Charles Milite and Eric Petterson– who own the restaurant with Karolyn Effer, wife of music producer Jellybean Benitez— were on hand for the farewell, and fondly remembered a New York magazine story about the Brazilian diner’s opening 28 years ago. It noted “the  late-nighters who’ve been thronging Coffee Shop and its secret room in the back–artists, actors and young models wearing black tights and gold medallions.” At the time, Patterson said he wanted the 23-hour diner to recreate the feeling of Brazil: “the sensuality, the music, the friendliness of the people.”

Since then, Coffee Shop has held on, despite never really being a foodie destination; its basement, once an after-hours party spot for ’90s cool kids, recently served as a chill-out zone for off-duty models during Fashion Week. And its outdoor tables were a dependable spot for leisurely people-watching. But back in July, it was announced that the restaurant would close. “The times have changed in our industry,” Milite, himself a former model, told the New York Post. “The rents are very high and now the minimum wage is going up and we have a huge number of employees.”

The USP says: “We want to hear from you! Our 2025 Community Opinion Survey is now live. Share your feedback, ideas, and opinions to help shape the future of the Union Square-14th Street District. Your responses help us understand the community’s priorities and how we can better serve you. The survey closes 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 18th, 2025 — take it today!”

Here’s the link.

The downtown location of popular vegan restaurant Blossom is out after two years. The team announced the closure of their University Place outpost in an Instagram post, saying that they were “grateful for the chance to focus our energies and resources on our flagship Upper West Side location.”

Manhattan-based fans the of Indian culinary institution Jackson Diner will once again have to hop the subway to Queens to get their fix. The University Place outpost, which opened in 2010 with its primo cheap eats lunch buffet, closed this weekend, and it won’t be returning. Owner Manjit Singh told DNAinfo that the restaurant’s lease had expired and that the landlord planned to raise the rent to an unspecified amount. Already paying $25,000 a month, Singh decided it was best to leave. This morning, a sign with the name of the closest Indian Restaurant — Curry Kitchen on 8th Street — was posted outside the restaurant. No word yet on who will take over the space.

Here’s a fascinating history of our very close neighbor.