The chaotic scene at Union Square this afternoon

Photos by Steven 

This was a well-covered story this afternoon... reports of "riots" in and around Union Square after promises of an unsanctioned PlayStation 5 video game consoles giveaway via Twitch streamer Kai Cenat turned chaotic.

 

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There are varying reports about the number of people arrested (including Cenat, who reportedly was taken away for his own safety). We'll update you when more reliable information becomes available.

Meanwhile, from 3 p.m. on, it seemed like everyone in the neighborhood was looking skyward at the six (at one point) helicopters on the scene...

Updated: 

Cenat was issued a desk appearance, per the Post ... who also reported that "65 others were taken into custody throughout the three-hour melee, 30 of whom were juveniles." 

The 21-year-old Bronx resident was charged with riot, inciting to riot and unlawful assembly, Gothamist reported.

NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey "said believes the event wouldn’t have flown out of hand if it had been organized through the proper municipal channels, allowing the NYPD the time to set up barriers and deploy an appropriate police presence."

Taking a look inside the incoming Target on Union Square

Work continues over at 10 Union Square East in the base of the Zeckendorf Towers ... where a Target is slated to open later this year. 

Plywood now covers some of the windows... and with handy blogger portals that offer views of the under-construction interior...

To recap!

In February 2020, news broke (via the Post) that Target had signed a lease for a 33,000-square-foot store here. The current tenant, Food Emporium, had a lease until April 2023. Ultimately, the grocer shut down early — in May 2021. 

As previously noted, the space that was once pub-crawl hotspot SideBar on the SW corner of 15th Street and Irving Place is now part of the Target. 

The company's "Future store openings" page doesn't mention a specific opening date. Or even a year. Previous media accounts put the debut at later 2023.

Meanwhile, the Target on 14th Street and Avenue A is coming up on its fifth anniversary. We're looking forward to seeing who might be playing at TRGT on this occasion!

Baya Bar bringing the açai bowls to Union Square

An outpost of Baya Bar is coming soon to 14th Street just west of Irving Plaza in the retail spaces of Zeckendorf Towers. 

The quick-serve brand, which started in Bay Ridge in 2016, specializes in açaí bowls, avocado toast, smoothies and cold-press juices. There are 20 BB outposts in the metropolitan area — with more on the way in 2023. 

Baya Bar is in a chain-friendly corridor with Chipotle, Sticky's Finger Joint and a Subway (sandwich shop).

Preview 2023: Target Union Square

Back in February 2020, news broke (via the Post) that Target had signed a lease for a 33,000-square-foot outpost at 10 Union Square East in the base of the Zeckendorf Towers. However, the takeover wasn't going to take place until 2023.

That sure seemed like a like way off... and the current tenant at the time, Food Emporium, had a lease until April 2023. Ultimately, the grocer shut down early — in May 2021. 

Meanwhile, unlike Wegmans on Astor Place, who placed signage here the same day they announced the Kmart takeover in July 2021, there wasn't any coming-in-2023 notice for the new Target.

While there still isn't any Target branding at the under-construction site, this location is now on the company's "Future store openings" page...

In walking around the Zeckendorf Towers, it appears the space that was once pub-crawl hotspot SideBar on the SW corner of 15th Street and Irving Place has been incorporated into the incoming Target...

No official word about an opening date, though the construction sign on the 15th Street side notes an August 2023 completion date...

Target opened on 14th Street and Avenue A in July 2018 ... complete with a replica CBGB storefront — called TRGT. 

[Updated] Reports: 25-year-old woman shot and killed on 14th Street and Irving Place

Post updated below. Photo from 9/3 at the scene of the shooting.

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old woman early this morning on 14th Street at Irving Place. 

According to published reports and police sources, the shooting occurred just after 5 a.m. on the NW corner of 14th Street and Irving Place — near Chipotle. 

Per PIX11: 

The suspected shooter, who remained at large Thursday morning, was described by police as a heavyset man who wore all black clothing and a mask. Investigators said that they were also seeking a woman, though a description of her, as well as her alleged connection to the slaying, were not immediately specified.

We will update the post when more information becomes available. 

Updated 5 p.m.

NY1 reports that the victim worked at the IHOP on 14th Street.

Updated 9/2

According to the Post, the victim is Imani Armstrong, who worked beyond her usual shift at IHOP because the restaurant was busy. She was headed to the subway when a masked man approached her from behind and shot her in the back of the head.

 "The individual was targeted," Chief of Department Kenneth Corey said Thursday. "We have a number of suspects that we’re looking at, but nothing we want to commit to right now. But I'm very comfortable saying it was not a random attack."

The Post reported that Armstrong, who also worked as an exotic dancer named "Red," had just been served divorce papers by her wife and moved out of the apartment they shared.

Her kids have been in foster care on Staten Island and she was attending anger management classes in hopes of getting them back, coworkers told the Post. But prior to the murder, she didn't seem "like anything was on her mind," one coworker said.

Updated 9/3

Police have made an arrest in the shooting — Clarkson Wilson, a former boyfriend, CBS 2 reports. 

Tonight in Washington Square Park, Union Square

Thousands of people are expected to turn out this evening for rallies scheduled in Washington Square Park at 6:30 and Union Square at 8. More details here.

At the Metro Gala 2022

Photos by Stacie Joy

On Monday evening, the annual Metro Gala took place on the south plaza of Union Square. 

Some background: 

Thrown by the Permanent Magical Culture Society and a loose collective of transformative-attire-and street-pageantry-enthusiasts, the guerrilla-style Metro Gala has grown into a public staple. Part tribute, part parody of the infamous Met Gala, it's a public free-form open-participation runway fashion (and performance) show ... 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these images of Metro Gala 2022 attendees in the Metro Gala finest ...

Wednesday's parting shot

As seen today on Union Square ... photo by Derek Berg

44 Union Square to be filled with pet sounds

After a loooong renovation that included an addition of a glass dome, 44 Union Square (aka 100 E. 17th St. and the Tammany Hall Building) has a retail tenant. (Thanks to @gramercy_local for the above photo and initial tip!) 

Per published reports (Commercial Observer and The Real Deal), Petco has signed a lease for a 3-story space, taking 30,000 of the 73,000-square-foot landmarked building. The animal and pet supply chain will be relocating from 860 Broadway on the other side of Union Square. 

The previous retail tenants, a magazine shop and Frank's Wines & Liquors, closed in 2016...

The 17th Street side housed two cultural institutions, the New York Film Academy and the Union Square Theater. 

As Jeremiah Moss wrote in 2016 about the building's upcoming renovation: "What sort of businesses do you think will replace these small businesses and cultural institutions? Well, almost every single thing around Union Square Park is a national shopping mall chain. ... Those that aren't, like Blue Water Grill, tend to be upscale."

Now we know. 

And address history, per Wikipedia: "The neo-Georgian structure was erected in 1928–1929 and designed by architects Thompson, Holmes & Converse and Charles B. Meyers for the Tammany Society political organization." 

2016 pic by J. Moss

Tuesday's parting shot

Santa practicing for Christmas Eve today on Union Square... photo by Derek Berg...

[Updated] Vandal on skateboard defaces new George Floyd bust in Union Square

Photos by Lola Sáenz 

Updated 10/26: Police reportedly arrested 37-year-old Micah Beals on the LES in connection with this vandalism.

Someone defaced a bust of George Floyd this morning on Union Square. 

According to police and published reports, a man on a skateboard tossed paint on the memorial before taking off around 10 a.m. The NYPD released this surveillance video...

On 10/3/21, at approx. 10:15 AM, in Union Square Park, a person on a skateboard threw gray paint on the face and base of a statue of George Floyd. Info? DM @NYPDTips or ☎️ 1-800-577-TIPS. @NYPDShea @NYPDDetectives @NYPDPBMS @NYPD13Pct @NYCParks @mayorsCAU pic.twitter.com/PxNQs1u6mw

— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) October 4, 2021

Volunteers and producers of the public art installation called SEEINJUSTICE later cleaned the paint off the bust.

Somoene vandalized the same statue of Floyd in June while it was on display in Flatbush, Gothamist reported.

The 10-foot statue of Floyd and one of John Lewis and Breonna Taylor were just unveiled on Thursday. They were created by artist Chris Carnabuci and will be on display here until Oct. 30. 

The statues of Lewis and Taylor were not vandalized...

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo in Union Square just after 5 p.m. ... via Twitter by NBC 4's Phil Lipof (@lipoftv), who was there getting reaction to the guilty verdict that was reached in the murder trial of former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged in the death of George Floyd... found guilty on all counts.

According to the Daily News: "... about 500 people throughout the park shouted: 'Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!'"

Have you seen the new Vision for Union Square?

Yesterday marked the official launch event for the Union Square-14th Street District Vision Plan.

As you may already have seen (The Wall Street Journal first had the scoop on Jan. 19), the Union Square Partnership's $100-million Vision Plan would result in a 33 percent increase in public space for the Union Square-14th Street neighborhood. 

 

"Initiated as a response to the proposed L train shutdown, this Vision Plan evolved as COVID-19 upended our world, and with it, our relationship with public space," Jennifer Falk, executive director of the nonprofit Union Square Partnership, said in a statement. "More open space, safer pedestrian and cyclist travel, better transit, and more outdoor seating and greenery — all of these changes are called for in this plan and will benefit our community immeasurably as we chart the district’s next chapter."

The Vision Plan proposes five key improvements: 

1. Transform 14th Street into a world-class boulevard and transitway.
2. Convert Union Square West into a seamless pedestrian plaza by extending the park all the way to the surrounding buildings. 
3. Create an expansive new open space at the park’s southeast corner. 
4. Build a Broadway Gateway at 17th Street as a permanent extension of the park. 
5. Develop a new Master Plan for Union Square Park. 

The Vision Plan, two years in the making, must still undergo an extensive review process by the city and public, as the Journal pointed out.  

And, importantly:

There is also the question of who will pay for it. Partnership officials said they are prepared to kick in millions of dollars through fundraising and a possible bond issue but added that it will be up to the city to fund a significant share and largely handle the construction.

Partnership officials also noted that the project’s estimated $100 million cost will cover not just expansion of the park's footprint, but also other upgrades and improvements, including construction of a new accessible subway entrance with elevator and escalator.

You can read a lot more about the proposal right here. Streetsblog also weighed with some thoughts at this link.

Image via Marvel/Union Square Partnership

More post-protest looting and unrest south of Union Square; Astor Place hit

[Photo by Ed Yoo]

The end of the fifth night of protests in the city saw more damage and looting to businesses in the hard-hit area south of Union Square.

Nearly two hours before the city's 11 p.m. curfew, looters were seen smashing their way into the Zumiez store on 13th Street and Broadway. Photographer Ed Yoo shared these images, saying that "it was nuts." (All photos here are by Ed.)



The Daily News has footage of the looters smashing their way into the skateboard apparel shop. They were inside for two minutes before police arrived.

The paper spoke with two of the men breaking into the store:

"It’s not just about George Floyd. It's about people who can't afford things," said one looter, a 22-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant resident who gave the name Twin Moses. "We're going to sell this stuff back on the street for a lower price. We're getting our own back."

Another looter, who didn't give his name, rushed out of the store with his arms full of hoodies, designer sportswear and skateboards. "They've been beating my ass for 400 years. Now I'm going to buy my own chains. They call me black. Black America," he said.

Further south, windows were smashed at the Gap Women, Kmart and Starbucks on Astor Place...





The Astor Place Starbucks appears to have been ransacked...







Windows were broken at Kmart, but it's unclear if anyone entered the store... there appears to be security inside...







As in previous days, the citywide protests against racist police violence in the aftermath of George Floyd's death were said to be peaceful. However, as multiple published reports noted, as night falls, people use the crowd as cover.

Mayor de Blasio has announced an 8 p.m. curfew for today...

These protests have power and meaning. But as the night wears on we are seeing groups use them to incite violence and destroy property.

Our first priority is keeping people safe, so I’m extending the curfew to Tuesday. It will begin at 8pm.

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 2, 2020