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USP
News
2007 Harvest in the Square ~
A Tremendous
Success! |
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Over 1,250 foodies and Friends of Union Square Park
joined the Union Square Partnership on September 20th
for a night of food, music, and fun on the park's North
Plaza. Guests enjoyed delicious food prepared by fifty
of the area’s hottest chefs, a global selection of
wines, music from The Nashville
Attitude, and cooking demonstrations from TV
personality and Robert Mondavi Private Selection
spokeperson Ted Allen. The
12th Annual Harvest in the Square was the most
successful to date, raising $180,000 for USP's park
improvement projects. "Harvest in the Square
has become a highly-anticipated New York City tradition
and a delicious way to raise money for the park," said
USP Executive Director Jennifer Falk. "I want to thank
all of our sponsors and guests for making this the most
successful and best tasting Harvest ever." The
event featured something for everyone, from haute
cuisine to comfort food, fine wines to marshallow
milkshakes. Guests savored Greenmarket Chicken Roulade
from Tocqueville Restaurant and T-Bone Steaks from
Knickerbocker Bar & Grill, and flocked to the Max
Brenner Chocolate by the Bald Man table for liquid
chocolate - and that's just scratching the surface! To
view photos and read post event coverage, visit the
Harvest event webpage.
Looking forward to seeing everyone next year at
Harvest
2008! |
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Lend a Hand to Beautify Union
Square Park |
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Celebrate It’s My Park! Day
by volunteering with the Union Square Partnership on
Saturday, October 20th from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.
Meet fellow volunteers at the George Washington
statue before launching into groups for mulching,
planting of 5,000 spring bulbs, and other
beautification activities. No equipment or
experience necessary, but please dress
appropriately
for hands-on gardening fun!
It’s My Park! Day is organized by Partnerships for
Parks, a joint program of the City Parks
Foundation and New York City's Department of Parks &
Recreation. To volunteer in Union Square, please RSVP to
info@unionsquarenyc.org
by October 15th.
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| Success Day at Washington Irving
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On
Tuesday, October 30th, leaders in the Union Square
community will visit Washington Square High School for
Success Day 2007, offering students the opportunity to
explore a range of careers and a variety of industries.
Participants will speak with students about how their
academic experiences, work habits, and extracurricular
activities have contributed to professional and personal
success. Each year, volunteers representing the arts,
law, not-for-profit, new media, government, finance, and
many other industries contribute their time and effort
to this special day. If you would like to participate,
please contact Tanya Navas at tnavas@unionsquarenyc.org before October
15th. |
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USP
Welcomes New Staff |
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Please join us in welcoming two new members to the
Union Square Partnership team: Tom
Curitore joins USP as Director of
Operations after serving the City of New York for over
22 years, most recently as Staten Island Borough
Commissioner for the City’s Department of
Transportation. "I am thrilled to join the Partnership
team," said Tom Curitore. "I will be supervising USP's
sanitation and security operations, and working closely
with all relevant City agencies to ensure that Union
Square remains safe, clean, and enjoyable. I look
forward to working with our member businesses and
residents to continue to improve the quality of life
throughout our district, and am just a phone call away
should anyone need assistance." Prior to his tenure with
DOT, Tom worked for the Mayor’s Office as First Deputy
Commissioner in the Community Assistance Unit. He began
his public service career in 1985, and served with the
New York City Police Department for 17 years.
David Savarese also joins the
Partnership this month as an Operations Associate. David
is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Milano The New School for Management and
Urban Policy. The Operations Associate position
is made possible through a fellowship provided by The New
School. |
| Run Doggie Run
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The Union Square Partnership and Friends of Union
Square Dog Run have collaborated to make
several necessary upgrades to the dog run on Union
Square Park's west side. Working with USP's contractors
who are responsible for lawn maintenance in the park,
USP installed new river stones at no charge. "We have
developed an extremely productive relationship with
USP," said Friends of Union Square Dog Run's Patty Jen
Arndt and Peter Wunsch. "This past summer, USP helped us
to devise a plan to deal with our trash disposal issues
and they were also instrumental in getting new ground
cover for the run. This Fall, they will help us to
re-level the walk way leading into the run. We can't
thank USP enough for their invaluable support in these
endeavors." Stop by the park and check out the
improvements with your four-legged
friend! |
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New School Year Kicks Off at
Washington Irving
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The Union Square Partnership Education Program kicked
off the new school year at Washington Irving High School
at the beginning of September. Every aspect of the
program is supported by businesses, residents and
organizations in the Union Square area. Special thanks
goes to The New
School for their continued investments in the
program. The University currently supports the
work-study salaries of eleven New School students who
dedicate their extensive talents and time. "The New
School students are full of energy and enthusiasm, and
connect with our high school students as mentors and
role models," says USP Director of Education Tanya
Navas. Washington Irving juniors and seniors are also
provided with the opportunity to register for a free
college credit course at the university. Last year,
thirty students registered for classes such as Business
Law, Fundamentals of Psychology, and various foreign
languages to get a jumpstart on their college
requirements. Other area organizations that are
interested in Getting Involved with the USP Education
Program can contact Tanya Navas at tnavas@unionsquarenyc.org. |
| Neighborhood Favorites With
Vineyard Theatre's Jennifer
Garvey-Blackwell |
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Jennifer
Garvey-Blackwell, Executive Director of the Vineyard
Theatre, brings creative, original
theatre to the neighborhood, and
coordinates an afterschool drama
program at Washington Irving High School. USP
caught up with Jennifer to ask her about her
favorite places in the Union Square area.
Favorite place
for an afternoon snack. 71 Irving
Place is a great pick me up and you
always run into someone you know from our “small town”
that is the Union Square
neighborhood.
A hidden
gem in the neighborhood.
The statue of Ghandi
is really amazing and a great reminder of his life
and message. I also love the fun
children’s toy store Kidding
Around.
Where to
buy that special gift.
A signed
cookbook or gift certificate to Union Square
Café is great, or some goodies from Max Brenner
Chocolate by the Bald Man. Can you tell
I'm a foodie?
Place for artistic inspiration.
The Vineyard
Theatre of course! It is certainly a daily
inspiration for me. We encourage everyone to come see
our exciting upcoming productions and
readings.
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Neighborhood
News
Adopt a Little New Yorker
Today |
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The Mayor's
Alliance/Maddie's Pet Adoption Festival will
take place on Sunday, October 21st from
12:00 PM - 5:00 PM on Union Square Park's North
Plaza. Join
fellow animal lovers to learn more
about adoption, low-cost microchipping for
dogs and cats, and visit the Ask the
Veterinarian, Ask the Trainer, Ask the Groomer, and
Ask for T-Touch Practitioner booths.
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Celebrating 40 Years of Art in the
Parks |
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On Wednesday, October 3rd
at 1:00 PM, join USP and the City's Department of Parks &
Recreation on
Union Square Park's South Plaza for the kick-off of "Art in the Parks:
Celebrating 40 Years, 1967-2007." To
celebrate the 40th anniversary of the program,
Parks will present 40 installations throughout the five
boroughs. On display in Union Square Park will be "Two
Open Rectangles" by George Rickey, one of the artists
featured in the 1967 Sculpture in the Environment
exhibition. The diverse collection of public art
installations will be complemented by a retrospective
overview in the Arsenal Gallery and an accompanying
booklet with a comprehensive history, photographs and
timeline.
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| openhousenewyork Takes
Manhattan |
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openhousenewyork will host
the 5th Annual openhousenewyork weekend
on October 6th and 7th, featuring talks, tours,
performances, and family-friendly workshops across the
City – including
a variety of sites in the Union Square neighborhood,
which is home to both classic and cutting-edge New
York architecture. The openhouse program will offer
tours of Washington Irving High School, the TEK
Architects office, Rosa Mexicano Restaurant - Union
Square, and
more. |
| Business Alert: Be Prepared
for Emergencies |
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In response to the recent Grand Central Steam Pipe
Emergency, the City's Economic
Development Corporation is asking all businesses
to update their emergency contact information in the
city-wide registry. In the event of an emergency, email
blasts and targeted phone calls will be provided to
participating companies in the ‘frozen zone’ adjacent to
the crisis. Contact information will only be used in
emergencies. USP encourages member businesses to
join the program, which will keep them informed in
the event of an emergency. To sign up, send your
name, company name, and contact information to clientpreparedness@nycedc.com.
The City's Department of Small
Businesses Services has also partnered with the
Office of Emergency
Management to develop the Ready New York
Guide, which provides information for small
businesses, as well as information for all New Yorkers,
on how to survive disasters. |
| LOOKing Out for Bike
Safety |
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On September 18th, the New York City Bicycle
Safety Coalition launched its LOOK
Bicycle Safety campaign in Union Square Park, one
of the City’s major hubs for cyclists, distributing
campaign literature as well as the official New York
City Bicycle Helmet. The
Coalition consists of the City's Department of
Transportation, Health and Mental Hygiene and other
concerned groups."The idea behind the
campaign is simple," said DOT Commissioner Janette
Sadik-Khan. "We’re asking everyone to accept
responsibility to look out for each other on the City’s
streets." The LOOK campaign aims to
educate both drivers and bicyclists, and make the roads
safer for all by increasing each group’s awareness of
the other. |
| Outdoor Dining Continues Into
Autumn |
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On
September 24th, the City's Department of Consumer
Affairs, announced that licensed sidewalk
cafés will be permitted to install approved portable
natural gas heaters, extending the outdoor dining season
well into autumn. "Together with the restaurant
industry, we’ve found a way to hold off winter," said
DCA Commissioner Jonathan Mintz. With sidewalk cafés
ringing Union Square Park and lining the neighborhood’s
sidestreets, Union Square is one of New York’s best
destinations for outdoor dining. The new rule will have
diners enjoying the fresh air for weeks to come!
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| Union Square
Partnership
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The Union
Square Partnership is a community-based, nonprofit
organization working to foster the best possible
metropolitan neighborhood for its residents, businesses,
property owners and employers. We are comprised of a
local development corporation and New York City's first
business improvement district, two organizations that
have served as catalysts behind the area's
transformation. For more information, visit our website
at www.unionsquarenyc.org. |
| Links to Community
Websites |
| The City of New
York
Department of Parks
and Recreation
Department of Small Business
Services
Community Board
2
Community Board 3
Community Board 5
Community Board
6 | |
