Darts, Anyone?

ByDon

State of Play Hospitality group has signed a lease to open Flight Club, a technology-enabled darts gaming facility, at 31 Union Square West in Flatiron, Manhattan. This will be the group’s first venue in Manhattan, and its ninth lease for the Flight Club brand in North America. The location will be a global flagship for the brand. Flight Club will occupy a 10,700-square-foot space at 31 Union Square West, a 16-story Renaissance Revival building designed by architect Bruce Price. The building was constructed in 1902-03 as the headquarters of the Bank of Metropolis. It was designated a city landmark in 1988 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

The brand’s new location is scheduled to open in late 2025, joining the building’s history of housing venues like Zippers nightclub in the early 1980s, Metropolis restaurant and club in the late 1980s, and Blue Water Grill from 1996 until recently.

“We’ve been looking for the right real estate opportunity to land Flight Club in New York for over five years, and this site has the potential to be a genuine landmark for the city and the group,” said Toby Harris, CEO of State of Play Hospitality. “Both 31 Union Square as a building and the stunning split level Flight Club space are as close to the physical brief for the brand that we could wish for. I’m confident that by complementing and retaining the character of the building, we will be able to do it justice.”

Since launching the first U.S. Flight Club in Chicago in 2018, State of Play has expanded the brand to Boston, Houston, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Denver, with new venues set to open in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia in late 2024.

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  • Regal 14 Theater Gains Three More Screens But Still Isn’t Open

    ByDon
    After 18 months of remodeling, Regal Union Square in New York was hoping to welcome moviegoers to the theatrical experience of the future.
    The Manhattan branch went through an extensive facelift, changing the 14-screen theater to a 17-screen location. It now includes a panoramic Screen X, as well as an enhanced 4DX experience which combines smell and motion to the filmgoing experience. It’s added a bar, as well as a Lavazza coffee shop downstairs. The building is intended to be one of the flagship experiences in the Regal Cinema’s chain.
    “We’ve had enough of being locked up in our homes, watching movies on handheld devices, TVs,” said Regal Cinemas regional director Andy Stone. “It’s all about going out, socializing, and sharing an experience.”
    It looks like they’ll have to wait a little bit longer. Because of the coronavirus, New York movie theaters are still under orders to remain closed.
    On top of that, the U.S. filmgoing public seems a bit hesitant to return to the movies, even if theaters are given the green light by local governments. Many were hoping that the release of films like The New Mutants and Tenet would kickstart the movie theater business. As of September 28, only New York, North Carolina, and New Mexico have not reopened indoor movie theaters, though some large cities like Los Angeles have kept their theaters shut.
    Regal’s Stone says that for any movies that do release, Regal Union Square and its sister branches are ready to run them for the public. In addition to updating its air filtration system, it has other new safety rules in place, including a requirement to wear masks. Hand sanitizing stations are easily found, and plexiglass dividers have been installed to put a barrier between patron and employee. Its ticket sales system is set up to restrict crowds to meet government requirements on capacity.
    It’s also updated ticket buying so people can scan their tickets themselves on their smartphone. You can also order your popcorn and snacks via an app and pick it up at the end of the counter, eliminating the need to interact with concession employees. Many of these modernizations were in development before the pandemic and ready in time for the age of social distancing.
    “As a business, you know, we really do embrace technology,” Stone explained. “And during this time what it’s done is actually given us that opportunity to work through some of the technological changes that we were looking to implement.”
    In addition to serving cinephiles, Regal is also eager to reopen for the many employees who work at the theaters. The company has had to furlough most of its staff as theaters remain shuttered. Revenue has been down 99 percent year-over-year.
    Stone, who started his own theater career as a concessionist popping popcorn and worked his way up, pointed out his journey is not a unique one. While many teens and young adults work at movie theaters, many chains like Regal have career progression plans which can employ people for life. Closed theaters cut off their livelihood, in addition to the third-party vendors that rely on the movies for business.
    “It’s more than just serving from behind a concession stand and cleaning an auditorium,” he explained.
    He has his fingers crossed that Regal Union Square will be able to open its doors soon.
    “Although there has been a period where we have been starved of our movies, there’s still so much more to come,” Stone said.

  • Coronavirus Update from AKAM

    ByDon

    As per the Governor’s Executive Order issued April 15, everyone is required to wear face covering in the form of a mask, scarf, or other reliable protection of the nose and mouth while in public.  Also, every building occupant is to wear face covering while you are within any common area of the building including hallways, stairwells, elevator, lobby, laundry room, etc.

    Most shareholders/owners are signed up for online payment of maintenance/common charges.  We strongly encourage those who are not already signed up to please contact your AKAM Management Executive for additional information.

    Below are a few other reminders and best practices (as applicable to your building):

    • Continue notifying your AKAM Mgt. Executive should anyone in your household test positive
    • Essential repairs within apartments/units will be made in accordance to COVID-19 protocols
    • We will advise when restrictions on renovations are lifted
    • Be mindful of noise emanating from your apartment/unit to avoid disturbance to your neighbors
    • Be aware of potential impostors/scams looking to gain access into your apartment/unit
    • Continue practicing social distancing everywhere

    Please see the following COVID-19 related links you may find helpful:

    CDC.gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices / NYC.Gov – COVID-19 Updates and Best Practices

    As the New York Pause period now extends through May 15, 2020, we have listed various types of stay-at-home things to do which may interest you:

    • The New York Philharmonic has launched “NY Phil Plays On”. It is a new free digital portal streaming 150 hours of free performances online.  Go to www.nyphil.org/playson to watch.
    • Nowadays is streaming virtual DJ sets every night live from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM.  Go to www.nowadays.nyc/stream for disco beats, tutorials and deep-listening sessions.
    • The New York Public Library is offering more than 30,000 free titles available to download on their app SimplyE.  You need to be a New York City resident with a library card which you can apply for on SimplyE.  Go to www.nypl.org.com for details.
    • The Tribeca Film Festival will be releasing 15 free VR films starting on April 17th.  They will be available on Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets.  Go to www.tribecafilm.com for details.
    • The Metropolitan Opera is offering free online performances.  Every day a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is released. Go to www.metopera.org to watch.
    • The Children’s Museum of the Arts is offering a free online series. These free interactive sessions take place over Zoom and invite children of all ages to participate in sing-a-longs, create their own artwork and explore creative movement. Go to www.cmany.org for more information.
    • BroadwayHD is currently offering a free seven-day trial. You can enjoy Broadway classics like “Cats”, “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music”. Go to www.brodawayhd.com to register.
    • Headspace is offering free sleep, meditation, and movement exercises. Visit www.headspace.com/ny for details.
    • Taste Buds is hosting free online cooking classes every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:00PM using basic pantry supplies you likely have in the house. The classes are for adults and kids to cook together. Go to www.tastebudskitchen/cooking-club to enroll.
    • Visit Timeout NYC – At home entertainment / City Guide NY – At home entertainment for updates!

    Please join us in continuing to thank all building staff members for their continued hard-work and dedication.  We would also like to thank all building volunteers, including members of the Board, for their valuable time and input.

  • Sno-Cones!

    ByDon

    UNION SQUARE—Starting today, sandwich shop Num Pang is serving snow cones. Choose from Lime Lemongrass topped with Lychee and Pineapple Ginger topped with Toasted Coconut.

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  • Our New Neighbor Reyna Is Not Quite Ready

    ByDon

    Reyna, the new restaurant that is taking over the Le Midi space in our building on the 13th St. side, is now about seven months late, but work is proceeding quickly. You may have noticed they have already installed not one, not two, but EIGHT AC units and fans on the roof of the courtyard, and we can only imagine what they will sound like when they all turn on. Such is life in the big city. To learn more about Reyna, which originated in Toronto, visit their Web site.