Frozen Yogurt on University

Karaoke Boho has struggled to open at the old Crunch location on East 13th St. for six months. Now a slight change: in addition to karaoke, the store is offering a full Korean restaurant, some competition for the adorable Do Sirak on our block.

Next week (August 12 to August 16), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors inside the building. New School Students will be moving into the building starting August 15th and will continue gradually through the end of August.

The following week (August 19 to August 23), material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, August 10th for interior, and sidewalk activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.

According to The New School, the terrifying red crane that has been looming over us for months is scheduled for “demobilization” soon. We’ll wait and see when that actually happens.

The Union Square Partnership has released its latest annual survey of people’s opinions about our neighborhood’s livability in terms of cleanliness, safety, landscaping, lighting, and quality of life. It makes for an interesting read. One highlight:

“USP is committed to enhancing livability in the Union Square 14th Street district through its Clean + Safe program. According to the 2024 survey results, satisfaction for district conditions improved or remained consistent compared to 2023 results, with satisfaction for public safety increasing by 15%. This notable increase follows USP’s deployment of Public Safety Officers (PSOs) in June 2023, and survey respondents noted that their patrols have had a positive impact in Union Square Park and the playground. Despite this improvement, respondents dissatisfied with the conditions expressed ongoing safety, sanitation, and quality of life concerns around the district, including the lack of City enforcement and City services for those in need. USP is dedicated to continuing investment in the PSO program and increasing coordination with City agencies and law enforcement in response to the community’s quality of life concerns.”

So which end of Union Square is this?

As reported by Eater.com
Corkbuzz was up first, Laura Maniec, formerly the beverage director at BR Guest and one of 18 female Master Sommeliers, seeks to open Corkbuzz at 13 East 13th Street and obviously needs a full liquor license for this restaurant… or is it obvious? Corkbuzz would primarily be a restaurant but would also seek to celebrate, explore and enjoy wine. The community was very mixed on this one. Although there was tons of support for the wine-centric restaurant coming to the neighborhood, some wondered why they were seeking a full license and not just wine and beer. The community members did not want another full license on this block, especially since this location had not been licensed before. One board member actually had the audacity to grill her on her experience, even though she clearly mentioned that she had been involved in nearly 10 restaurant openings and was made partner at BR Guest after a relatively brief time there. In the end, they voted to deny the application unless certain stipulations were met (including closing at 1AM on Thursday-Saturday, not using outside promoters), because they thought the applicant was unique and special.

2) The man behind Caliente Cab Company is looking to pick up the old Buona Sera space at 94 University Place. They were hoping for a full liquor license for their restaurant, which would be a sort of Mexican and Asian-fusion. There would be a limited food counter and a limited bar and they’re working with a chef at Nobu on the menu development. They actually came having already reduced their hours, but they still received somewhat mixed reviews from the community. They were approved with a deny unless they agreed to certain stipulations. Oh, and don’t expect a happy hour here…they think it isn’t pro-community and attracts the college crowds.