Union Square Partnership Gathers Resident Opinions

Are you aware of the proposed MTA/DOT “L” train closure plans?

The MTA/DOT plans include a vehicular ban on 14^th Street (between 3^rd Ave & 9^th Ave) for 16-21 hours a day:

 The ban will seriously impede the daily activities of thousands of 14^th St. residents and businesses and will divert cars and trucks to residential side streets – with a 50% projected increase in traffic

The increase will be felt by the West Village, Village, East Village, Chelsea and the Flatiron Districts.

The proposed plans also includes a radical re-design of 13th Street with a two-way Bikeway:

MTA/DOT projects 2,000 – 5,000 cyclists DAILY on 13^th Street 

The bikeway, coupled with a 50% increase in traffic, will seriously impede residential, educational, and emergency services on the street placing pedestrians and bicyclists at risk

The 14th Street Coalition is a growing group of residents and business that was formed in response to the MTA/DOT plans.

We ask the MTA/DOT to balance residential and transportation needs in a more equal way. They MUST consider the impact that will be felt on the quality of life concerns including air pollution, noise, congested streets and increased risks to pedestrians and bicyclists. 

We understand that the Canarsie Tunnel must be repaired.  We seek a temporary solution that is EQUALLY fair to residents, businesses and commuters. 

It’s Time to Take Action – Sign our petition (go to www.change.org and browse: 14^th Street Coalition), join the 14^th Street Coalition on Facebook for links to sample letters to send to our elected officials,

Email us at  14thstcoalition@gmail.com for more information.

Our students have moved into the dormitory which is on the top eight floors with its own entrance. The first day of classes was August 26th and a new semester is now underway. It is anticipated that the academic portion of the building (first eight floors) will be completed in time for this year’s second semester. We will keep you posted. Some of you can see our green roof which is also an exciting addition.

Next week (September 9 to September 13), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on the academic floors inside the building.

The following week (September 16 to September 20), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on academic floors.

As construction for the Union Square tech hub begins, Greenwich Village preservationists have resurrected their call for the city to designate a new historic district in the area, AM New York first reported.

Last October, following a contested upzoning of a lot on 14th Street to build the 21-story training center, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to consider designating a new historic district to protect 193 buildings in the area.

Over the summer, the LPC moved to designate seven of those buildings, but rejected the call for a full historic district. At the time, the LPC said that the area mostly contains buildings erected between the 1830s and 1930s, as well as new and altered ones, and that because of their variety in styles, types, and dates, “[the area] lacks the consistent architectural quality, cohesiveness, and sense of place necessary to merit historic district designation.”

But GVSHP is persistent, and this week resurrected its call for a proper district protecting more buildings in the area. In a letter sent to LPC this week, the group made the case for protecting 10 buildings, including 10 East 14th Street, a cast-iron structure that once housed the NYC Woman Suffrage League headquarters; 72 Fifth Avenue, a masonry structure that was the headquarters of Appleton & Company; and 17 East 13th Street, the brick Erskine Press building. The selection of buildings also includes structures associated with 19th-century architect James Renwick Jr.

“[These buildings] speak to the incredibly rich and important social and architectural history of the area, and to New York’s development as the capital of commerce and culture in the late 19th and 20th centuries,” the letter from GVSHP reads.

“With increased pressure on the area from the beginning of construction on the 14th Street Tech Hub, the recent loss of Renwick’s St. Denis Hotel (1855), and the completion of the woefully out of scale tech office tower at 808 Broadway, the time for the city to act is now,” Andrew Berman, executive director of GVSHP, told Curbed in a statement.

The group is also pushing for city lawmakers to implement protections that would regulate commercial development south of 14th Street through a “protective zoning measure,” which was promised at the time of the tech hub rezoning over a year ago.

City Council member Carlina Rivera, who represents the area, negotiated those commitments from the de Blasio administration, but advocates have said those promises hadn’t materialized.

“Councilwoman Rivera continues to work with the community to ensure the history of the Village is preserved and she is meeting regularly with LPC to discuss future protections for her entire district that should be considered,” Jeremy Unger, a spokesperson for Rivera, said in a statement.

The annual shareholder’s meeting will take place on Wednesday June 30th at 7PM at the Seafarers’ and Interational House at 123 East 15th St, second floor.

At the meeting, the Board of Directors will be seeking at least one new member. If you wish to become a candidate for the Board and have your name placed on the ballot, please feel free to provide a short biography of yourself via fax (212) 986-0002 or e-mail to ymartinez@akam.com. The Board will also welcome nominations at the meeting itself.

Jooy Tea Shoppe has opened at 7 East 14th St. Enjoy.

The Feil Organization announced Maison Kayser will bring its artisanal breads and baked goods to Union Square, signing a 15-year lease at the historic 841 Broadway for its eighth location in Manhattan.

The bakery will occupy 3,000 sq. ft. on the ground and mezzanine floors of the 108,000 sq. ft., eight-level Romanesque building, where COSI used to be.

“The activity in and around Union Square is buzzing, and the demand for this location was extraordinary, allowing us to maximize the income,” states Nicolas Forelli, director of leasing for The Feil Organization.  “While we were marketing this location, we had an overwhelming response from every food concept you can imagine. With its reputation for quality and unique product for this market, Maison Kayser was the best fit for the building and neighborhood.”

Built in 1894, the Romanesque building is located at the intersection of 13th Street just one block from Union Square Park. In the past year, Feil completely renovated the building, restoring the terracotta façade, creating a brass-accented lobby, and installing new elevators and windows.