Square Blog
USP’s Summer in the Square Continues on Thursday, July 29th!
July 12, 2010 12:59 PM
Andrew Lappin
Summer in the Square, USP’s free weekly entertainment and programming series continues on July 29th! Running every Thursday until August 12th in Union Square Park’s South Plaza, this year’s programming is sure to please. To see the full schedule, click here.
USP is excited to have partnered with lululemon athletica and Brooklyn Bridge Bootcamp again to present Fitness in the Square. Come down to the South Plaza to jumpstart your morning with running class at 7:00 AM, then reenergize your body and mind with open level yoga at 8:00 AM and cardio bootcamp at 9:00 AM. If you’re a parent, then you will love Kids in the Square, which offers lots of family fun including Yogi Beans yoga at 10:00 AM in the new playground and music and puppeteer shows at 12:00 PM. The day winds down at 6:00 PM with Music in the Square, presented in partnership with LIVE @ Best Buy, featuring musicians from New York City and beyond as well as some theatrical performances from Million Dollar Quartet and Rock of Ages. Click here for the full schedule of events. With such a wonderful, wide range of programs, Summer in the Square truly offers something for everyone.
Local Eateries to Participate in Restaurant Week
July 11, 2010 12:00 AM
Andrew Lappin
From July 12th to September 6th (excluding Saturdays), foodies can come to Union Square and experience some of the area’s best dining at a greatly discounted rate. NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2010 is returning with the same three-course prix-fixe lunch and prix-fixe dinner prices charged since 2006: $24.07 and $35 (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Participating restaurants include newer establishments like Maialino and Aldea, in addition to the stalwarts of our neighborhood, such as Japonais, Dévi, OLiVES, and Rosa Mexicano. Online reservations are available now, so make sure and reserve your spot today!
USP's Spring Work Around the Square
April 26, 2010 11:02 AM
Andrew Lappin
Spring work is underway throughout the Union Square district. Both USP Clean Team staff and our partner agencies have been hard at work getting the area ready for the busy warm summer months. In Union Square Park, the park's monuments have been power washed, new flags have been installed on the flagpoles, and the sprinkler system has been activated. Blondie's Treehouse, USP's landscaping firm, has installed 200 shrubs and over 900 perennials around the park's statues, along the transverses, and in the triangle park area to the east. Repainting of the park's black wrought iron fencing is also taking place. Our partners at the MTA have been hard at work both inside and outside the 14th Street-Union Square subway station - fixing broken floor tiles and repainting subway entrances. And the Clean team has commenced district painting. To date, 63 green lamp posts, 45 grey lamp posts, 20 green poles by the bus stops, and 10 handrails in the park have all been painted. Stay tuned for more spring work as we begin power washing of the district's most heavily trafficked corners. Should you notice any areas in need of attention, please contact Tom Curitore, Director of Operations, and we'll add your item to our spring to do list.
Whose Falafel Is Your Favorite Union Square?
April 16, 2010 2:00 AM
Andrew Lappin
In an article for Serious Eats, writer Ed Levine compares several "falafeleterias," all of which are located in the Union Square neighborhood. According to this aficionado, Maoz is the best falafel in the area, highlighting their excellent carrot salad and pickled eggplant. To make your own determination and get your falafel fix, USP recommends taking a around the area to check out Maoz, University Pita, Chickpea, Pita Joe, Rainbow Falafel & Shawarma, and Murray's Falafel to make your own determination.
Park Clean Team Is Back At Work!
April 1, 2010 12:00 PM
Tom Curitore
Starting today, USP’s special Park Cleaning Task Force kicks it into high gear to ensure that Union Square Park looks its best during the busy, warm weather months. The park-dedicated team of 5 workers is on site 7 days a week, working closely with our partners at the Parks Department to keep the area looking vibrant. The team’s main focus is to address added sanitation needs as usage of the park increases in the warm, sunny days ahead, and work includes bagging litter, removing trash from plant beds, and power washing the plazas.
Register Your Business and Take Part in a Street Fair
March 31, 2010 6:07 PM
William Kelley
In an effort to give New York City street fairs a local flavor, the Mayor’s Office and City's Department of Small Business Services are collaborating with local neighborhood organizations to encourage district businesses to apply for a booth within a street fair coming to their area. Registered businesses will be given preferred placement in front of their business location. From April through October, the greater Union Square area plays host to over a dozen street fairs. There is also the possibility that participating neighborhood businesses may be eligible for a substantial discount once a level of interest by local businesses has been determined. For more information, send your business name and contact info here.
RSVP Now for Spring Business Forum & Networking Event
March 17, 2010 11:35 AM
William Kelley
Join us on Monday, March 22nd at 5:30 PM to learn about free and low-cost energy efficiency programs that will reduce your business energy costs. USP will also launch our "Go Green to Save Green" grant program aimed at helping qualifying businesses implement energy efficiency measures. Email us to RSVP to this free networking event, or to find out more information about the grant program.
Gearing Up for Spring Cleaning & Street Tree Planting
February 24, 2010 2:23 PM
Tom Curitore
Even though it's cold outside, USP is busy preparing for the district’s spring cleaning and the coming warmer months. Repainting street furniture from lampposts to mailboxes, graffiti removal and power washing are all set to begin in early April as is the additional park Clean Team. Landscapers are busy tagging plants for spring planting and new bistro tables, chairs and umbrellas as well as trash receptacles and lamppost planters on are order for this season. More
In addition, our partners at NYC Parks & Recreation are getting ready for tree planting season and USP has prepared a list of locations that require replacement. Help us keep the district beautiful by reporting any missing or dead street trees along your street, or suggesting areas that require special attention once district cleaning commences.
Spring Weather & Events Are Just Around The Corner!
February 18, 2010 2:26 PM
USP Team
The cold winter months can make us forget that spring doesn't just bring flowers, it is also the start of the busy summer season in Union Square. Don't miss out on the exciting (and free!) happenings in and around the park including annual events like the NYC Grows Festival (Sunday, April 25th). If volunteering is more your thing, roll up your sleeves on Saturday, May 15th for It's My Park! Day, which includes raking, planting and other beautification activities with the USP Team. More
Summer in the Square programming kicks off on Thursday, June 17th with lululemon athletica's new running class and yoga led by area instructors. Kids won't miss out because many of their favorite entertainers will be back at noon to delight, and our partners at Live at Best Buy have special performances in store for our evening timeslots.
Most important, we would be honored if you would join us on Monday, May 24th at our Annual Meeting & Networking Reception to learn more about our work and meet your neighbors.
See you around the Square!
New Union Square Playground Getting Rave Reviews
January 20, 2010 10:00 AM
Jennifer Falk
From The Villager: The new, expanded Union Square Park playground opened two weeks ago... [and] word got around quickly to children and parents, who flocked to the space at the north end of the park... “We couldn’t be more thrilled that the Union Square Park’s expanded playground is open,” Jennifer Falk, executive director of the partnership, said. “The kids have given it a huge thumbs up and parents and caregivers have been overwhelmingly positive.”
New York Times' Sam Sifton Reviews Maialino
January 19, 2010 10:00 AM
Carin Cardone
From the New York Times: Maialino, which the restaurateur Danny Meyer recently opened on the ground floor of the Gramercy Park Hotel. The concept is that of a Roman trattoria. The food fits the bill. The restaurant, though, is more Roman-ish than purely Roman, and is probably best defined as a Danny Meyer restaurant, from first greeting to last, cheerful goodbye. It’s very good."
123 Third Gets the Word Out About 'East Union Square'
January 19, 2010 10:00 AM
William Kelley
From Curbed.com: Freshly topped out at the corner of 14th Street, the new 123 Third Avenue condo building is starting to dip its toe into the menacing waters of the Manhattan real estate market. The narrow 19-story, 47-unit development (with outdoor garden featuring a movie screen) has announced a "late fall 2009" opening for its sales office... If units were to hit the market right now at $1000/ft., mark my words, this would be a run away sellout."
$25 And Under: Dos Toros Taqueria
January 6, 2010 1:00 AM
Emily Karpin
From the New York Times: If the Dos Toros Taqueria just off Union Square brings to mind the sort of fresh, quick and cheap eating found at Mexican joints in the San Francisco Bay Area, that’s by design... the attitude at Dos Toros may be the most Californian thing about it, that laid-back confidence. The Kremers sweat the small things in the kitchen. Then they let the food speak for itself.
New York Mag Features Union Square Wonderland
December 27, 2009 1:00 AM
Jennifer Falk
From New York Mag: The beautiful, brand-new 15,000-square-foot kiddie Shangri-la pictured here has instantly raised the playground bar citywide. It’s the result of a year and a half of construction... and seemingly endless consultations with learning experts, botanists (to make sure the plants wouldn’t be poisonous), and neighborhood parents. Learn more about the 15 Coolest Features.
Nordstrom Rack Scheduled To Open May 2010
December 21, 2009 1:00 AM
William Kelley
From A Fine Blog: I always wondered why there wasn't greater use of windows on the 14th Street frontage of the former Virgin Megastore. Aside from the marquee above the door and a couple of underutilized windows, the Virgin was much like a large cave. Not so with the new Nordstrom Rack that is scheduled to open on May 11th, 2010.
Health Store Joins Union Square Influx
November 23, 2009 1:00 AM
Jennifer Falk
From the New York Observer: Price Wise Health & Beauty Aids is adding its brand to the Union Square assemblage, which reads like an ode to American consumerism: Whole Foods, Jamba Juice, Sephora, lululemon, DSW, Petco, Vitamin Shoppe, Bank of America, Staples, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks. The neighborhood is also home to one of the city’s busiest subway stations.
Union Square: A bright spot in New York's economy
November 11, 2009 1:00 AM
From The Villager: This year has witnessed many milestones in the ongoing renaissance of the Union Square district. While New York City and the nation struggle to break free from this recession, Union Square stands as a rare bright spot and is poised to remain a vibrant neighborhood during these worrisome times.
The Micro-Economy of Union Square
September 27, 2009 12:00 AM
Jennifer Falk
From NY Magazine: Retail activity has slowed throughout New York, but one neighborhood is still a commercial powerhouse.
Culinary Stars Raise Money for Union Square
September 24, 2009 12:00 AM
From NY 1 News: This evening New Yorkers are invited to get a taste of Union Square in one of the city's largest culinary events. During the 14th Annual Harvest in the Square, chefs from area restaurants will cook up dishes for more than 1,200 people.
Commercial Real Estate Booming in Union Square
August 14, 2009 3:00 PM
From NY 1 News: It seems to be the same story throughout the city; rents are down and commercial vacancy rates are way up. Yet, one neighborhood is bucking the trend. NY1's Jill Urban filed the following report.
