New Neighbor: New York Laser Loft
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is happy to welcome New York Laser Loft to the neighborhood! New York Laser Loft is a boutique med spa right in the heart of the district. New York Laser Loft was founded by sisters Hannah & Shannon Sabas, pairing Hannah's years of med spa experience with Shannon's management and customer service expertise. Their goal is to give every client a unique, personal, and most importantly, effective treatment.
"We chose to be located in the Flatiron District because the neighborhood has so much good energy. We also love the fact that it's clean and has plenty of outdoor space, which is such a luxury in NYC," says Shannon, "It's also filled with young professionals, which is a perfect fit for our business where people can be in and out of a treatment on their lunch break... maybe even with time for some shopping or relaxing at the park."
New York Laser Loft is also harboring a secret weapon. Not only is their equipment brand-spanking new, they are they one of the very few med spas in NYC to use the Quanta Laser, handmade in Italy. The Quanta laser is a true gem. most powerful, fast, and effective laser in the USA, and Hannah says their clients are already noticing the difference. The Sabas sisters don't believe in wasting your time and money on ineffective treatments. They're very confident that their clients will be more than happy with the results they see after their visits. New York Laser Loft hopes to exceed expectations, giving clients the safest, most effective treatments out there.
The med spa is open by appointment Monday through Friday 9 a.m.- 9:30 p.m.
New York Laser Loft, 1115 Broadway, 11th Floor, (646) 393-4364
Fall 2017 Intersections Speaker Series Recap
NYPD Commanding Officers Brendan Timoney and Christopher Flanagan discussed district safety, neighborhood conditions, and combating identity theft as part of the Flatiron/23rd Street Business Improvement District’s Intersections: A BID Series Focused on Information, Ideas, and Our Community program on Tuesday, October 17.
“One of the most important components of our Public Safety program is the relationship we have with the 13th Precinct,” said Jennifer Brown, Executive Director of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership. “We’re very happy today to talk about safety and security in the neighborhood.”
This is the ninth year of the BID’s Intersections Speaker Series. The free event—held at TD Bank at 260 Park Avenue South—drew residents and business representatives from the Flatiron District.
The event began with a presentation by Deputy Inspector Timoney, Commanding Officer of the 13th Precinct. He noted that serious incidents in the district have significantly declined, with an overall drop of 11% in seven major crime categories.
Timoney talked about NYPD’s cabaret team, which addresses nightlife issues, and offered advice on how to prevent commercial and residential burglaries. Recommendations included ensuring air conditioning units are properly secured, buildings provide secure spaces for delivery packages, and that gym-goers leave valuables at home when working out.
“Shoplifting is a major, major thing in this area, especially along Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue,” he said, noting that smartphone theft has been a recurring problem.
Deputy Inspector Christopher Flanagan, Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Task Force, next detailed multiple ways thieves can steal identities - and ultimately, money - through credit card scams, check fraud, counterfeiting, ATM skimming devices, business email compromises (including spoofed emails), and phishing and phone scams.
Flanagan described a new trend, where thieves are devising devices to reach into mailboxes to extract mail, stealing checks, and then washing them with chemicals in order to fill them out with new information.
“What perps are doing is stealing checks from mailboxes, using glue traps, relatively ingenious devices,” he said. Deputy Inspector Flanagan recommended using online payments when available and practicing diligence about any unsolicited payments received in the mail. “Do not accept checks if you don’t know where they are coming from.”
“I will tell you your data has already been stolen,” he cautioned. “It’s a matter of waiting until someone uses it.” His final recommedation was to regularly monitor bank statements, credit card bills, and credit reports.
New Neighbor: Merakia: Greek MountainThief Spithouse + Steak
The Flatiron District is excited to be the home of Merakia: Greek MountainThief Spithouse + Steak. Owners Andreas and Renee Typaldos, along with managing partners Taryn Spivack and Andreas Kelemidis, opened Merakia on West 21st Street earlier this month.
Named for the Greek word to describe something with soul, creativity, and love, the restaurant celebrates a rustic style of cooking known in Greece as Psistaria (the P is silent) where meats are grilled or cooked on a spit.
Merakia was designed by interior designer Anna Neidermeyer in an urban-rustic fashion with blue tones, warm neutral colors, natural brick, antique mirrors, and a reclaimed wood floor. The bar features a marble slab top, custom lighting, and unique, hand-made fixtures. The front café includes doors onto the street to create an alfresco atmosphere, and lead into the bar, featuring a marble slab top and custom lighting, to booths with copper tabletops. A glass wine room flanks the open kitchen so guests can view the rotisserie and grill. Finally, in the back of the restaurant, there is a semi-separate dining room complete with a stone fireplace, tufted banquettes, white-washed brick, and custom coffered ceiling.
The menu, designed by Chef Tassos Ballas, is executed by an ensemble of Greek cooks. It is divided into sections, including: MountainThief Spit + Sigs which include Pork Kontosouvli (pork marinated for 24 hours in cholifero wine), Kleftico Karveli (lamb shank slow-cooked with herbs and baked in a round karveli bread), and spit-fire roasted potatoes; America America which includes hangar, porterhouse, bone-in ribeye, petit filet (“for a dainty thief”), lamb chops, and Mixed Grill, served with feta fries; (Not So) Small Plates for appetizers such as octopus, saganaki, and keftedes; and Dip-In which includes traditional Greek staples.
Pescatarians have a section on the menu called No Meat Tonight Please featuring grilled Wild Alaskan Salmon, Mediterranean Sea Bass, and Astakomakaronada, a traditional Greek pasta dish with slow-cooked lobster in tomato gravy. The Rabbit Food section of the menu is veggie-centric.
Merakia’s dessert menu boasts a ‘Greek-ified’ cheesecake, chocolate soufflé with kaimaki ice cream, and avgofeta (a French toast-like dessert spread with merenda, peanut butter, peanuts, and Oreo crumble).
The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
Merakia, 5 West 21st Street, (212) 380-1950
September News Roundup
September was another busy month in the Flatiron District with media attention focusing on restaurants, commercial and retail real estate transactions, and the BID’s own events and reports. Stay up to date with the latest Flatiron District news with the BID’s monthly roundup of notable highlights.
- September saw several new additions to the neighborhood’s vibrant food scene. Greek steakhouse Merakia debuted at 5 West 21st Street (via Gothamist), while Chinatown poke restaurant Chikarashi opened its second NYC outpost at 1158 Broadway (via Eater NY). After opening at 16 West 22nd Street in June, Korean-American steakhouse Cote has continued to receive positive critical acclaim. In a recent three-star review from Eater NY, Cote was dubbed “one of the city’s most exhilarating places to eat beef.”
- With institutions like the Center for Book Arts and the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath), the Flatiron District is already an NYC destination for those looking for unique educational and cultural experiences. Earlier this month, Fotografiska, a Swedish center for contemporary photography, announced that it will be opening a photography museum in the Flatiron District at 281 Park Avenue South. The museum will be Fotografiska’s first U.S. location and will include a restaurant and café (via Real Estate Weekly).
- In other real estate news, the Flatiron BID released its seventh annual Flatiron: Where Then Meets Now report. This year’s report subtitled, “Resilient Retail in the Flatiron District”, highlights recent real estate trends, as well as the continued strength of the district’s retail sector amid challenging market conditions (via Real Estate Weekly). To download the full report, click here.
- On September 12th, the BID and Baruch College welcomed nearly 100 small business owners and employees to the 2017 Business Assistance Forum. Titled “The Launch. The Buzz. The Buy-in.”, this year’s event focused on entrepreneurship and included a panel discussion and four concurrent workshops on launching a business, building a team, choosing between co-working and traditional office space, and digital marketing (via City Limits).
Image of Cote via Eater NY
Resilient Retail in the Flatiron District
Yesterday, the Flatiron BID released its seventh annual Flatiron: Where Then Meets Now report. Subtitled "Resilient Retail in the Flatiron District," this year's report describes the vital statistics of the district in 2017 and highlights the strength of the district's retail sector. The report is among a suite of publications from the BID that focuses on the real estate market in the neighborhood.
“As this report clearly demonstrates, Flatiron is a dynamic neighborhood with an irresistible mix of commercial and residential sectors,” said Jennifer Brown, the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership’s Executive Director. “We are excited to report that the retail landscape in the Flatiron District continues to thrive, and a wide variety of innovative retailers are continuing to set up shop in the neighborhood.”
The BID boundaries cover about 21.6 million square feet of commercial space and house approximately 4,200 commercial tenants and 570 ground-floor businesses. Flatiron's retail sector has continued to thrive over the past year. One sign of the neighborhood's continued growth is that retailers are increasingly deciding to make their New York City debut in Flatiron. In 2017, British lifestyle brand The White Company and kitchen and bath manufacturer KOHLER each opened flagship stores in the district.
Other retailers, seeking new ways to engage customers, have opened innovative concept stores in Flatiron, following the lead of neighborhood destination Eataly, a pioneer in experiential retail that opened in 2010. In late 2016 menswear brand Todd Snyder and Fujifilm's Wonder Photo Shop each opened experiential stores in the district.
To download the full report, click here.
2017 Business Assistance Forum Recap
The 2017 Business Assistance Forum, presented by the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership and Baruch College, welcomed nearly 100 small business owners on September 12. Titled “The Launch. The Buzz. The Buy-in.”, this year’s event focused on entrepreneurship and included a panel discussion and four concurrent workshops on launching a business, building a team, choosing between co-working and traditional office space, and digital marketing.
The Forum kicked off with a networking breakfast, provided by TD Bank. Attendees picked up helpful information about support for small businesses in New York City from resource tables including the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Office of Emergency Management, NYC Business Solutions, US Small Business Administration, Baruch College Division of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS), Baruch College Field Center for Entrepreneurship, and Baruch College Zicklin School of Business.
Baruch College Vice President of Communications, External Relations & Economic Development Christina Latouf welcomed guests. “Baruch feels a connection for many reasons to small, local businesses. Small businesses are economically powerful, help us as an institution, and we consider it a real two-way relationship.”
Next, Glenn Emanuel, Lecturer of Management at Baruch College Zicklin School of Business, moderated the panel discussion on the challenges of launching and managing a business. The panel featured Ben Guttmann of Digital Natives, Katherine Quiles of ATAX Jackson Heights, Leanne Shear of Uplift Studios, and David Steingard of Laughing Man Coffee.
Following the lively discussion, attendees selected one of four workshops led by Flatiron-based instructors Lavall Chichester of Baruch College, Denise Patrick, also of Baruch College, Richard Gelles of Insensation, and Steven Matt of General Assembly.
“For nine years, the BID’s Business Assistance Forums have been terrific platforms for local small business owners to network and learn about the latest tools and tactics that will help them achieve their goals,” said Jennifer Brown, Executive Director of the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership. “We thank Baruch College, TD Bank, our panelists, our workshop leaders, and all of the resource table participants for providing their support and expertise.”
New Neighbor: Pottery Barn Flagship
Our newest neighbor, Pottery Barn, is both a welcome addition to the neighborhood and a returning friend of the Flatiron. The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is delighted to welcome Pottery Barn back to the area of its very first store as the iconic brand unveils its new flagship in the Flatiron District.
Housed in a landmark building constructed in 1904, the store is located at 20th Street and Fifth Avenue. The beautifully preserved Beaux-Arts building boasts original columns and adorned ceiling accents, and reflects Pottery Barn’s new store concept. The store will feature exclusive products and services including Design Crew, a new design services initiative that will take any home design project from inspiration to reality.
When asked why Pottery Barn chose the Flatiron District, President Marta Benson explained, “The first Pottery Barn store opened in New York City and it’s exciting to come full circle by opening a flagship store in the city where it all began.”
The flagship will be the first store to introduce a new Pottery Barn design initiative, The Package Deal – Home in a Box, which offers an accessibly-priced, curated menu of furniture pieces that are the foundation to a well-designed bedroom or living room. Each season, the room offerings will vary as different products and pricing tiers are introduced, and customers will work closely with a Pottery Barn design specialist to select options within each package.
“The new store concept is designed to enhance the customer experience to create an inviting, relaxed environment that makes the process of decorating your home effortless and fun. We’re excited to invite customers to discover new collections, inspiring decorating ideas and talented design experts in our newly designed store,” said Benson.
The newly designed store will offer a carefully curated assortment of apartment-ready, multi-functional furniture as well as a complete range of Pottery Barn’s distinct design aesthetics. To make the shopping experience quick and easy, a wide assortment of products will be available for same-day pickup or expedited delivery. One-of-a-kind vintage finds hand-selected by Pottery Barn are available for purchase at the Flatiron location with new items continually being added. In-home installation services including room painting, drape installation, and gallery wall hanging are also available.
To mark the store opening, Pottery Barn has partnered with local artists to design exclusive products and local photographers to create original content that celebrates Pottery Barn against the backdrop of New York City where the company opened its first store in Chelsea in 1949. Three New York City-based photographers captured striking imagery featuring Pottery Barn items artistically situated in various neighborhoods throughout the city, representing each artist’s unique point of view. Content showcases work from dance photographer Omar Z. Robles (@omarzrobles), food and lifestyle photographer Chloe Crane-Leroux (@chloecleroux) and mixed media specialist Que Duong (@queduong).
Additionally, Pottery Barn has collaborated with Women Who Draw, a global open directory of female professional illustrators, to debut an exclusive line of art prints and linen tea towels inspired by iconic New York City landmarks and neighborhoods. Artwork will be featured from artists Jordan Sondler, Junghwa Park, Lauren Tamaki, and Lisk Feng. Linen tea towels will be available at all New York City Pottery Barn stores and the art prints can be found exclusively at the Flatiron location and online at www.potterybarn.com. A portion of proceeds from this partnership will benefit the artists and the Women Who Draw organization.
Pottery Barn's Flatiron Flagship is open Monday through Saturday from 10AM-8PM and Sunday from 11AM-6PM. You can also follow the Flatiron store on Instagram: @potterybarn_flatironnyc
Pottery Barn, 12 West 20th Street
New Neighbor: Hidden City Event Loft
Joining the already successful Hidden City Café & Catering, the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is pleased to welcome a brand new event space to the district, Hidden City Event Loft. Located on the corner of Lexington & 24th Street, the Loft boasts a view of the Chrysler Building and can accommodate up to 70 people.
“We love the area of the Flatiron District; it has welcomed us for almost two decades as restaurateurs. Now, we also want to be a part of the development, education, and future of our neighborhood,” says Catering Director Veronica Romero. “There are few spaces in the area to rent for educational or business meeting purposes. We saw an opportunity and the need for a space like Hidden City Loft. Plus, residents can also reserve the space for private parties.”
Veronica and her husband William both came to the United States as immigrants and met in New York City. They founded Hidden City Café in 2001 and started their American dream. Hidden City Café and Hidden City Catering continue to be committed to providing great service and comfort to their clients through food. Their philosophy, that food is not only a need but an experience, shines through from the moment it is prepared throughout the entire service. The Hidden City team works directly with their clients to provide them with the best service and product for their budget while emphasizing creativity.
2017 felt like the right time for the Hidden City brand to expand to include an event space of their own. Hidden City Event Loft can be booked for classes, workshops, reunions, parties, banquets, business meetings, fitness classes or any other event needs. The space features dark brown hardwood floors, new construction luxury finishes, and various options for seating and décor.
Hidden City Event Loft is now open and accepting event bookings.
Hidden City Event Loft, 136 East 24th Street, 2nd Floor, (212) 979-6161
Flatiron Partnership Fall Events Lineup
Save the Dates! The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership is pleased to announce our Fall 2017 event lineup. As registration opens for each event be sure to check back to FlatironDistrict.NYC for updates and to sign up to attend.
Tuesday, September 12 | Business Assistance Forum: The Launch. The Buzz. The Buy-in.
In partnership with Baruch College, this year's event is focused on entrepreneurship -- from launch to growth. Join us for a panel of entrepreneurs sharing insight followed by your choice of workshops to meet your specific interests and needs. Thanks to those who attended! Read our Event Recap
Tuesday, October 17 | Fall Speaker Series
The BID will host a Fall Speaker Series event at TD Bank at 260 Park Avenue South. Deputy Inspector Christopher Flanagan, Commanding Officer of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, will provide important information and best practices to protect yourself and your business against identity theft and Commanding Officer Brendan Timoney of the 13th Precinct will provide a local crime update. Thanks to those who attended! Read our Event Recap
Thursday, October 26 | Celebrate Flatiron Partnerships
The 2017 Celebrate Flatiron Partnerships cocktail and networking reception will take place on Thursday, October 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event will once again take place at the rooftop and penthouse at 230 FIFTH. Registration is now open!
