Sad to see local photo store Ben Ness go. It was a good place to get passport phots done and was staffed with a nice bunch of guys. It will be interesting to see if the space goes to a local business or to a chain. Pinkberry perhaps?

No one is sure why, but Ramen Setagaya has changed its name to Takumi Ramen. Same menu.

Cosi, which closed on the corner of 13th and 6th a while back, finally has a new tenant: PinoMaximo, an all-things-Italian place specializing in pizza and gelato. Not open yet, but looks tasty.

Goodbye Borgo Antico on 13th across from our front door. It’s turned into City Tavern, a rather uninteresting bar with regular old bar food.

NYU, which will lease it back to Forbes for five years before moving in.

Survey says: Union Square (across from Whole Foods) is the sixth noisiest spot in NYC. See the entire list here.

The new and huge Union Square Park Playground looks like this.

You will soon, with the impending arrival of Baked by Melissa, the second branch of a Soho cupcake favorite. It will be opening directly across 14th St. soon. Enjoy.

Grub Street reports the not incredibly surprising news that Union Square restaurant Irving Mill will close on January 1. The restaurant, known for its chef turnover, a major lawsuit, and its one-time super porky menu, has been, how shall we say, underpopulated of late (or, the last year of its life really). Regardless, the owners—two brothers and one’s wife—meant well and it’s a beautiful, large space. And that Ryan Skeen burger had some serious potential back in the day. Life goes on, and this space will go on, reopening as a Brother Jimmy’s BBQ, the fratty barbecue chain, in March. Just think: a new TGI Friday’s and a Brother Jimmy’s? Union Square is looking like the place to be in 2010.

An interesting photo of Lane’s Department Store, before it was transformed into the New School back in the mid-’60s.