Archives: Union Square 19th Century

A state Supreme Court judge has lifted a temporary order blocking the city from rolling out its bedeviled 14th Street busway pilot. Justice Eileen Rakoff ruled that the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) complied with state law that mandates the agency study the impact of banning private cars on the surrounding residential streets.

After reviewing documents from the city and the coalition of Manhattan residents petitioning the busway, Rankoff lifted the temporary restraining order that blocked the pilot’s July launch on Tuesday. DOT spokesperson Alana Morales says the agency is beginning work “immediately” and will launch the busway on Monday, August 12.

Transit advocates who have long called for the pilot program, which was originally timed to launch with work on the L train’s Canarsie Tunnel, praised the ruling as a “huge victory.”

“When riders organize, the whole city wins,” says Danny Pearlstein with the Riders Alliance. “The 14th Street busway will provide faster and more reliable bus trips, saving precious time for tens of thousands of people who badly need it.”

Others charge that the ruling sets a key precedent for other streets where residents seek to use the courts to “circumvent the democratic process in order to preserve the car-dominant status quo”— such as Central Park West where members of an Upper West Side condo board are suing to block a bike lane, says Marco Conner, the deputy director of Transportation Alternatives.

A new bar-restaurant is now open at the Hyatt Union Square

At Bowery Road, a neighborhood American restaurant, Chef Ron Rosselli’s flavorful and thoughtfully prepared dishes are inspired by long relationships with local farmers and purveyors and loaded with seasonal produce from the Union Square Greenmarket. The restaurant takes its name from its location on 4th Avenue, which was formerly called Bowery Road when it served as the pathway to Peter Stuyvesant’s farm.

Located directly off the lobby, Bowery Road is open from 7am-11pm for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
Rosselli has also worked at Locanda Verde and The Standard Grill.

The hotel now also sports The Library of Distilled Spirits, which: “pays tribute to liquor makers and their craft with over 700 bottles made around the world. Explore the collection neat, or shaken and stirred into more than 150 classic cocktails. Barkeepers and encyclopedic volumes of single spirits will help you choose.”

The Fourth and Singl, the hotel’s two dining-drinking options, have closed. The two new establishments are operated by APICII, “a multi-concept restaurant company.”

See it all here. 

Union Square-14th Street has demonstrated incredible resilience during the unprecedented past year. There are strong signs the district will not only continue its
upward trajectory but also thrive as one of the City’s best neighborhoods to live, work, and invest in. In this report, outline the neighborhood’s key advantages and highlight the positive indicators of continued economic growth and success.

Among Union Square’s many advantages is its function as a true “15-minute neighborhood,” with its wealth of local amenities and resources accessible within walking distance or a short bike ride. The availability of public space, in particular, has emerged as an even greater asset this year as Union Square Park and nearby streets and plazas have been key for safe recreation, social activity, and commerce.

New developments across Union Square-14th Street are picking up momentum, introducing a range of transformative projects to the district’s skyline and public realm. Among the exciting projects underway, which include a civic center, two modern residential towers, and a boutique hotel, several projects have recently reached key milestones:
∫ Completion of the landmark restoration of Tammany Hall has introduced a new architectural icon at 44 Union
Square, including office and retail opportunities.
∫ Zero Irving’s Tech Training Center is on track to complete in Spring 2021. The project aims to bring 550 permanent jobs to the area.
∫ The City implemented a dedicated busway, improving access along 14th Street with the rollout of M14 Select Bus Service. In the months following its installation, ridership on the route increased 14% and travel times decreased 24%.
∫ USP unveiled the Union Square-14th Street District Vision Plan, an ambitious proposal that envisions a 33% increase in public space, and significant improvements to district accessibility and the overall pedestrian environment.

Investment in Union Square’s future remains strong, with over $850 million committed to projects across the commercial, residential, and health sectors, totaling over 1 million square feet of new development. Since January 2020, there have been over $500 million in residential sales around Union Square and there are more than 200 residential units in development. We look forward to welcoming our new neighbors to the district soon.

Since January 2020, 33 businesses have opened or plan to open in Union Square, including a mix of eateries, retailers, beauty, and professional services. These include 25 brand new to the district, five that relocated to a new or renovated space within the district, and three that have announced plans to open soon. Looking ahead, we are excited to welcome these new additions, including Rookie and the Urbanspace Food Hallin 2021, and Target in 2023.

With nearly 73,000 residents and 142,000 employees within a 1/2 radius, Union Square remains one of NYC’s most desirable places to live and work.
∫ Its 2:1 employee to residential population makes Union Square a true mixed-use neighborhood, supported by a diverse array of commercial businesses, retail,
and restaurants.
∫ 38.5% of Union Square’s residences are owner-occupied, a number far above Manhattan’s 24%

RESIDENTIAL OVERVIEW
Union Square Manhattan NYC
Total Population 72,928
Housing Units 42,603
Median Asking Rent $4,304
Median Home Value $1,336,014
% Owner Occupied 38.5%
Median Household Income $142,526
Median Age 35
Average Household Size 1.6

The Union Square Partnership Annual Report is full of fascinating statistics. Check it out.

What used to be a fur shop is now Petco. Somehow appropriate.

A bit surprising to see Goodwill pop up here at a time when everything is skewing high-end, but here it is, in the former location of the much-missed Metro Drugs.