New on East 12th: Figa

Be sure to check out Num Pang, the tiny new Cambodian sandwich shop on 12th St. just around the corner from University Place. The sandwiches, prices around $7.50 are fresh, spicy, and unusual, very much like Vietnamese banh mi. Crowds have overwhelmed the place in its early days, and it’s been sold out a few times. Still, very much worth a visit, even if the prices are more than double what you would pay for something similar down in Chinatown.

Bak Korean Kitchen, which shared our building on 13th St., i\s no more. It was the fifth restaurant in that location in eight years. However, the Karaoke Cave downstairs is undergoing renovation and will reopen.

An incredible story about how peepers spend hours looking up the skirts of girls who sit on the steps of Union Square Park.

Coffee Shop, and its neon signage, are gone. Here comes Chase Bank.

It’s not quite ready yet, but after two years there is finally movement at the new location of Serafina Express at 110 University Place. Italian food soon.

Next week (February 20 to February 24), Superstructure work will continue at 5th and 6th floor levels. Deliveries for the internal systems of the building have been ongoing and will continue, although they should not greatly affect the flow of pedestrian and road traffic.

The following week (February 27 to March 2), we will continue superstructure concrete and slabs on the 5th and 6th floor levels. Deliveries will continue to arrive at the site. The site will not be open on Monday the 20th, Presidents’ Day holiday.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, February 18th for superstructure related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. To control noise levels within the site, work activities will be limited to the placement of formwork and concrete, plumbing and electrical work, rebar for concrete placement, using the crane and equipment to support all activities. Safety horns are used, and required by law, to coordinate lifting with the crane and to alert the workers of the danger overhead. We have directed the operators to limit the use of horns to one short sounding and to use the crane later in the day so as to avoid any excess noise.