Autumn in New York

A private middle school partially funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has released renderings of its planned interior — which is slated to open near Union Square this fall.

AltSchool, a private school that uses a technology-driven approach to design individualized lesson plans for students, has started building out its new school at 90 Fifth Ave. on the corner of 14th Street.

The school, which charges about $30,000 tuition per year, revolves around a Montessori-like curriculum and bills itself as a hybrid tech company and education startup. It’s the brainchild of a team of Silicon Valley types with a long history in companies like Google, where AltSchool CEO Max Ventilla worked for more than a decade.

The new space takes up an office-building floor previously occupied by The New School. It will be divided into two main areas — each of which have a classroom and group area space, as well as a larger communal area with a small kitchenette, a lunch area, and amphitheater-style seating.

Next week, 03/18/2013 – 03/22/2013 mMaterial and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors inside the building. Roof work, work on the new sidewalks around the building, dismantling of the exterior construction hoist and related exterior building work will also continue. Take-down of the 14th Street sidewalk shed will begin this week and will be followed by continued site work on 14th Street.

The following week, 03/25/2013 – 03/29/2013 material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors and roofs. Sidewalk work and dismantling of the exterior construction hoist and related exterior work will also continue. Site work on 14th Street will continue.

The site will be open this weekend for continued hoist removal related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.

Next week (October 1 to October 5), Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on upper floors will continue. Curtain wall installation on the lower floors will proceed along 5th ave inside the construction site. The crane that is on site will remain for the duration of curtain wall installation and will not affect pedestrian or automotive traffic.

The following week (October 8 to October 12) Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on the lower floors will proceed along 5th ave inside the construction site. The site will be open on Monday the 8th.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, September 29th for superstructure related activities and curtain wall installation between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. Con Ed is on site working in the street at 14th Street and 5 Avenue.

By now we all know that the Bowlmor Lanes building on University Place is scheduled for demolition and will be replaced by condos. Goodbye, Stromboli Pizza, Japonica, and Vive La Crepe. Luckily, the newsstand is relocating across the street. Changes….

Ikea opens in Red Hook on June 18 and promoted that fact with pop-up apartment in Union Square. How do you feel about promotions such as this that sometimes take over the south end of the park. Do these advertisers pay for the privilege? And if so, who gets the money?