14th St. in 1899, Our Building in the Background

After all the posts here about the imminent 14th St. Busway project, it died, perhaps because residents made such a fuss.

The Union Square Night Market by Urbanspace returns to the South Plaza, featuring over 35 rotating local food vendors serving a diverse mix of flavors and summer fun.

Open from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., it’s the perfect place to enjoy bold bites, good company, and the energy of summer evenings.

2025 Schedule:

• Thursdays & Fridays: Now through June 27

• Thursdays only: July 24 – August 7

• Thursdays & Fridays: September 4 – October 17

Open House New York, the annual architecture tour, is offering tours of the new Zero Irving at 124 E 14th St on Friday, October 21st.

Reserve at https://ohny.org/

Later this year, Capital One will open a new banking concept in New York City’s Union Square with a large café, operated by Peet’s Coffee, and an upstairs lounge that will function as a communal work space, complete with free Wi-Fi.

Not unlike the Apple Store, the bank will serve customers with mobile tellers, who will have iPads on which they will handle transactions, rather than the standard glass window setup.

The bank already operates a number of Capital One 360 Cafés, where customers are invited to enjoy coffee while they learn about ways to manage their finances, but the upcoming location takes a page from the rising popularity of communal office spaces, which are increasingly common in New York City.

The basement of the café at 853 Broadway will be used as a classroom. Customers can take courses on mortgage financing and other topics.

The elevated café concept is expected to expand beyond Union Square; the bank is reportedly already looking to open a location in the SoHo neighborhood, but a deal has not yet been made.

Mystery solved. The New School’s anchor retail tenant, for better or worse, is CVS. Because we all need more pharmacies.

To get a sense of the pulse of the neighborhood, check out the USP’s ANNUAL REPORT. It’s full of interesting plans and action items, such as:

Public Space Activations: This summer, USP is rolling
out new seating areas, enhanced landscaping, the
second annual mural along the 14th Street Busway,
and hosting an Oonee Pod Mini, a prototype for safe
bike storage.

Park Upgrades: In partnership with NYC Parks, USP
will develop a Union Square Park infrastructure
plan that includes upgraded utilities, irrigation, and
bathrooms amenities, as well as a preservation plan
of the entire district’s tree canopy.

Since January 2021, 46 new businesses have opened in and around Union Square.