USP News 

USP’s Street Facade Improvement Program

The Union Square Partnership has launched a new Street Façade Improvement Program to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the area’s shopping district. “The objective of the façade improvement program is to create a clean, uniform retail environment that will strengthen the Union Square shopping experience,” said Jennifer Falk, USP Executive Director.  “We look forward to meeting with local businesses and exploring options to create a more vibrant, engaging neighborhood.”  This is the latest component of the Partnership’s ongoing effort to ensure 14th Street’s vitality as one of New York City’s main retail districts. Any ground-floor business or retail space located in the Union Square Business Improvement District (BID), may participate in the program, as long as the business meets the following criteria:

• The business must have a minimum of five years remaining on its lease;
• To receive funding for sign or awning replacement, the existing signage or awning should either be non-compliant or in need of replacement due to damage;
• To receive funding for security gate replacement, the existing gate should be all or mostly solid metal.

Businesses wishing to participate in USP’s Street Façade Improvement Program can read more about the program here or can contact us at 212.460.1200.

Have You Captured a Glimpse of the Hare in the Square?

The City’s Department of Parks & Recreation and USP are pleased to announce the exhibition of Barry Flanagan’s Large Left Handed Drummer in Union Square Park. The bronze sculpture is characteristic of Flanagan’s work and depicts a dancing hare playing a drum. The sculpture, located in the park’s southeast traffic island, will be on display through June of 2007.  You can look forward to a rotating series of art installations located on the island and throughout Union Square Park in the future.  For more information, click here to read the Parks & Recreation Department's press release.

Washington Irving High School Club Helps Feed Homeless

Washington Irving High School students from USP’s Culinary Club and their coordinator/instructor, Lance Johnson, helped to serve over 150 homeless individuals on a recent cold Saturday afternoon in February.  The club helped in preparing and serving the needed nourishment at the Grand Central Neighborhood Center.  “It was inspiring to me to see that we can help others with limited resources,” reflected WIHS student Anastayia Panas.  “Our thanks goes out to the wonderful Washington Irving High School students who contributed their time and energy in preparing and distributing meals to the homeless of the Grand Central neighborhood,” said Kenyatta Skyles, Development Director of the Center.  “We would also like to thank the Union Square Partnership for their role in coordinating the students’ volunteering efforts.”  USP’s Culinary Club is just one of the twenty-two Union Square Partnership Education program clubs that attracted over 400 Washington Irving student participants this school year.

The Union Square Partnership, in conjunction with other local area BIDs, New York University, Community Board 5, and the Greenwich Village Chamber of Commerce, is presenting “Community Readiness: What It Means To Our Community To Be Prepared.”  Being properly prepared for catastrophic events may be the key to the survival of your business and safeguarding your employees in case of an emergency.  According to the American Red Cross and NYU’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response, small and mid-size businesses in New York City are poorly prepared for emergencies.   David Berman of NYU’s Center for Catastrophe Preparedness and Response will lead the emergency preparedness discussion.

When:  Thursday March 8, 2007
            6:30 – 8:30 PM
Where: NYU’s University Hall in the Atrium
            110 East 14th Street
            Between Third & Fourth Avenues

The event is free and open to the public with photo ID. To RSVP, please call 212.998.6943.

Union Square Partnership

Union Square Partnership, a non-profit organization, works to ensure the community's vibrancy as a center for business, culture and education and to improve the quality of life for its residents and businesses, by providing supplemental public safety, sanitation, business promotion and economic development services throughout the district. Union Square Partnership, comprised of a Business Improvement District and Local Development Corporation, facilitates economic development by spearheading educational, economic development and park enhancements and acting as a liaison between community, business and government leaders. 

For more information visit the Union Square Partnership website at www.unionsquarenyc.org.

Neighborhood News

USP Welcomes New Greenmarket Director

Michael Hurwitz has been appointed the new Director of Greenmarket.  He will be responsible for the 44 Greenmarkets, including our own in Union Square, which is the longest-running Greenmarket in the City.  Michael was the Co-Founder of Added Value, a nonprofit organization in Red Hook, Brooklyn, working to promote sustainable development by training young adults to be the leaders of change in their communities through the operation of a socially responsible market-farming enterprise.  USP looks forward to working with Michael and the staff of Council on the Environment of New York City to ensure that Union Square's Greenmarket remains a world-class attraction for shoppers from around the world.

L Train Offers Riders Arrival Information

Have you noticed the new electronic signs on the L train platforms?  Displays and automated announcements update riders of the next train’s arrivals and hopefully, will reduce the angst and uncertainty of waiting to get to and from your Union Square meetings.  The L is currently the only line in the system that operates with a computerized system that monitors the location of all the line’s trains, and the Transit Authority plans to implement the information systems throughout the system in the coming years.  Until they do, riders will relax a little bit with the added knowledge of when the next L train will pull into the station. 
 

$1 Million In Business Training Grants Available

The City’s Department of Small Business Services is pleased to announce a new round of funding for the NYC Business Solutions Training Grant. The grant is designed to grow the City’s economy by enabling employers to create and retain jobs, increase wages, build skills, and help workers advance in their careers.

To date, New York City has awarded over $2.3 million to 26 growing companies to train 1,477 New Yorkers, matched by $3.2 million in employer contributions.  Up to $1 million is available in this round for employers in the following sectors: Aviation, Construction, Film/Media, Financial Services, Healthcare/Bioscience, Hospitality/Tourism, Industrial/Manufacturing, Retail, and Technology.  The grant can fund up to 50 percent of eligible training costs ($300,000 maximum), with the employer paying the balance.

The NYC Business Solutions Training Grant is offered quarterly through a Request for Applications (RFA) process. Employers may receive applications and technical assistance now for this round of funding.  Final applications are due by March 28th.  Businesses and intermediaries planning to apply can attend one of two pre-submission information sessions at SBS offices (7th Floor, 110 William Street) on March 7th.  To register, send an email to training@sbs.nyc.gov indicating your organization’s name and which session you plan to attend.

Please visit SBS’s website for additional information and instructions. 

New Union Square Theater Production: Mayumana’s Be

Mayumana, the internationally acclaimed performance art phenomenon from Israel, will make its American premiere with Be, which began previews at the Union Square Theatre on February 23rd, with an official opening slated for March 13th.  The performance schedule for Mayumana's Be is Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday evenings at 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM, and Sundays at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM.

Union Square Theater is located at 100 East 17th Street, between Park Avenue South & Irving Place.  Tickets are $20-$60 and are now available by calling 212.505.0700, or through Ticketmaster.com at 212.307.4100. 

Links to Community and City Websites:

The City of New York

Department of Parks & Recreation

Department of Small Business Services

Community Board #2

Community Board #3

Community Board #5

Community Board #6