What’s “Up” in Midtown Manhattan?

It’s possible that soon enough a 4,000-foot length skyscraper will appear in midtown Manhttan. The proposed “silly straw supertall structure” designed by Ioannis Oikonomou believes his design features New York’s “hidden layers,” and thus tells the tale of how we perceive the city. It would connect the two towers over Calvary Baptist Church. As Oikonomou pointed out:

“[New York] architecture no longer operates as formation of buildings and streets. It is a cluster of catalysts to memories and emotions which inhabit our minds.”

Right now the area is quite crowded. It is filled with a seven-story prewar building and a 77-floor condo. Should the building go ahead, it would take up 2,000 feet (in height). Of course there is some opposition to the plan. Most notably from Chair of Community Board 5’s Sunshine Task Force, Layla Law-Gisiko who referred to the design as “silly and out of touch.”

Simon Indian Palace

A look at the new Simon Indian Palace eatery, just by Bloomingdale’s, but it’s pretty hidden. This is Nurul Amin’s first venture in NYC. Working alongside three chefs (Jalal Bhuiyan, Miraj Bhuiyan and Shohag Alam (an executive chef, curry specialist and tandoor master), this team create specialty non-vegetarian and vegetarian appetizers and entrées together for their customers. Take a look at this video to see inside the kitchen.

Beijing Arrives in Manhattan

Thanks to the work of entrepreneur Brian Goldberg, midtown Manhattaners can now get jianbings locally. A rolled crepe (common to Beijing street food), a permanent kiosk has replaced Goldberg’s popups to sell these food items as Goldberg  had recently recalled them seeing that New Yorkers were starting to make them.

While he may have been raised New York (growing up in Spring Valley), he definitely has the culture, having later become a Chinese scholar.  His eclectic experience had him train to become a professional luge racer and thereafter work in the finance industry.  Then in Hong Kong, he ran a few eateries.

The thought behind these local jianbings was Golderg’s idea to create something “that would be interesting and make people happy,” which is his ultimate goal in “making jianbing as mainstream as ramen.”  

Allegria Hotel: A Great Choice with Owners Stabilis Capital

Whether for a weekend get-away from New York City or for a business conference, the Allegria Hotel in Long Beach is a great choice. The hotel opened in 2009 with great excitement as the first upscale hotel in Long Beach in decades. In the summer of 2016, it was sold at a bankruptcy auction for $27.4 million. The winning bid went to Stabilis Capital Management LP, a New York investment firm.

As Stabilis Capital on New York reported in a memo, “Stabilis is excited to have won the bid and is passionate about this property. We believe strongly in the potential of the Allegria Hotel and, if the [bankruptcy] trustee approves the sale process, we look forward to making capital improvements and other investments in the property. We plan to establish the Allegria as a truly top-notch boutique hotel.”

The hotel includes 143 rooms and 124,000 square foot of oceanfront space.

After the auction, Ken Silverman, a Chapter 11 operating trustee said, “I’m confident that it’s going to be continued as a hotel, and the current management is going to stay on. I believe [Stabilis has] experience in the hospitality industry.”

Silverman continued, “The hotel is going to continue to operate, and we’re honoring all events and we’re still going to be booking. And the summer season has been spectacular so far — [the hotel has] either been substantially or fully occupied.”

Grocery Options in Midtown

When it comes to grocery options, Midtowners should be happy that choices are expanding.  A Whole Foods Market is opening its newest location, right across from Midtown Manhattan’s Bryant Park in a couple of weeks.  The exact location is 1095 Avenue of the Americas.

While the market does not focus on being the least expensive grocery store in town, the benefits are that for the health conscious it has a large selection.  Its official opening will begin with a celebratory bread baking event which will start at 8.45am on the first day, 28^th January and then 15 minutes later the 36,000 sq. ft. store will be open for business.  Featuring quick-serve prepared foods that Whole Foods has earned a reputation for over the years, it will also sell basics such as produce, condiments and canned items.

According to a recent Manhattan Retail Tour investigation, in general, grocery stores in the area are somewhat unique (compared to those across the country and maybe even worldwide) since the produce selection is actually driven by Manhattan’s multi-culturalism, and given that around 36 percent of Manhattaners are foreign-born with 60 million tourists per annum, tons of ethnic options make the rounds, which is often reflected in the layout and offerings of each market.

Manhattan: Phone in Your Paid Parking

Manhattan has always been a nightmare when it comes to parking.  But once you finally do find a spot, how much more annoying is it that you realize you don’t have the cash needed to pay for it?


That is about to change.  The Department of Transportation just announced that in the not-too-distant future, people will be able to pay for parking from their phones. The new program will be available for all streets from 14^th to 59^th and will also extend from Manhattan’s west to east side.  It is hoped that it will eventually be extended to the city beyond that area.

Moving to Midtown Manhattan

There has been a recent upsurge in companies and organizations moving to the midtown Manhattan area.  One of them is Heartbeat – a healthcare marketing agency that moved earlier this month from neighboring TriBeCa following the company’s rapid expansion.  Its new offices are on the 5^th floor on One Penn Plaza.  Since its inception 6 years ago, the company’s account roster and revenue has “more than tripled,” with the staff increasing by over 150%. With its new offices in midtown Manhattan, Heartbeat will be privy to a much larger floorplan corresponding to its growth.  As company founder and CEO, Billy Drummy said: “our new New York HQ provides us better facilities to support our current and future business.”

Also on the move is Major League Baseball.  Its new midtown Manhattan home will be at the 48 story Rockefeller Center tower, floors four through nine, bringing together Brookfield Property Partners LP's 245 Park Ave., and 75 Ninth Ave., part of Jamestown LP's Chelsea Market.