Union Square Merch

French country fare in the space formerly occupied by Bak Kitchen in our building on 13th St.

It’s at this time of the year that street life returns to our sidewalks, and with it comes litter, especially on 13th St., where fans of Joe Coffee linger on our stoop, smoke up a storm, and drop their butts. Such is life in the big city. The big problem with this is that we sometimes get sanitation tickets that aren’t our fault. The Board of Directors has a very cordial relationship with Joe’s owner, Jonathan Rubenstein, who is a good guy and a great example of a successful local entrepreneur fighting off the big chains. He’s busy expanding his empire, but he does care and responds to our complaints. In the meantime, feel free to remind visitors to our stoop not to drop their trash, and if you have the time, call 311 to complain because city inspectors will get Joe’s attention.

News from the University Place dining scene: Nino Selimaj has turned one of several Italian restaurants bearing his given name into a nuevo Latino bistro, with Ricardo Cardona as the consulting chef: Osso Buco in Greenwich Village will become Scarpina Bar & Grill (Nov. 4): 88 University Place (12th Street), (212) 645-4525.

From Curbed.com:

Word of the imminent demise of Greenwich Village’s iconic Bowlmor Lanes arrived in early 2014, when EV Grieve reported that site owner Billy Macklowe—whose father is none other than Harry Macklowe of 432 Park Avenue fame—wanted to slap a condo tower up on the site. Details of the new development have been few and far between in the meantime, but 6sqft has gleaned a few primary renderings of the project that seem to confirm 1) that it’s actually happening, and 2) that it will be amongst the tallest residential buildings in the neighborhood. According to 6sqft, the building will rise 23 stories to stand a “modest” 280 feet, and will contain 56 condos averaging more than 2,000 square feet apiece.

Plans filed with the Department of Buildings list SLCE as the Architect of Record, but a design architect has yet to be pegged, at least publicly, for the project. The building, which consumes a majority of the western side of the block between East 12th and East 13th streets, will have bike parking, a ground-floor community facility, a resident lounge and terrace, a parking garage, and ground floor retail.

From the Times: “Venice was Chris Jaeckle’s inspiration for this duplex restaurant. “It has always had the most global outlook of any place in Italy,” said Mr. Jaeckle, the chef and a partner. “And that goes back 800 years.” But Venice is only a starting point. He also applies a touch of Japanese flavor to the typical Venetian rice, noodles and seafood. “With these ingredients, Japanese food has a lot in common with Venetian,” he said. Sardines with typical sweet-and-sour “in saor” flavors are artistically arranged Japanese-style. A touch of miso brightens razor clams. He interprets Venetian liver and onions with monkfish liver and adds a touch of curry to spaghetti with clams. Chris Cannon, the manager and consultant, has created a list with more than 36 Italian sparkling wines (white, rosé, red and even orange varieties) to pair with the food. The upstairs dining room is relaxed and understated; the ground floor is the bar. (Opens Monday): 22 East 13th Street, 212-231-2236, allondanyc.com.”