In the News: High-End Stores Sign on at World Trade Center

Cortlandt Way rendering screengrab••• First tenants announced for the World Trade Center: “Tom Ford and Giorgio Armani and luxury jeweler Tiffany & Company appear set to occupy three of the coveted street-level stores.” —The Real Deal

••• Telepan Local “offers most of the drawbacks of small-plates eating and almost none of the advantages.” —New York Times

••• Some numbers on just how big a bet Brookfield Place is putting on making itself into a dining destination: “HPH restaurant group partners Peter Poulakakos and Paul Lamas will soon launch Le District, a French-themed marketplace and eating zone”—not sure about that phrase—”adjoining the Winter Garden’s south side at the foot of 225 Liberty St. (the previous 2 WFC), with a mind-boggling 1,000 seats indoors and outdoors [and] comprising more than 37,000 square feet. […] And the ground floor of Le District sits directly beneath a second mammoth venue, Hudson Eats—a 35,000- square-foot noshing zone”—sorry, but that’s even worse—”that landlord Brookfield is racing to complete. Its 14 high-end ‘fast-casual’ counters of such foodie faves as Blue Ribbon Sushi and Dos Toros Taqueria will serve 600 diners. In addition, there will be five freestanding restaurants along Brookfield Place’s northern Vesey Street boundary.” And this: “Poulakakos described Le District as “a new and improved way of sharing food and beverages, in a fun experiential way as opposed to just sitting in a restaurant.” It will open in stages roughly between March and November 2015. […] Le District will contain four mini-districts. A restaurant section will boast two sit-down spots including outdoor seats facing the marina. A cafe area will have what Poulakakos calls ‘sweet tooth kinds of things’ including coffee bars and pastries. The market section will feature specialized purveyors of cheese, wine, charcuterie and seafood as well as a large butcher station, while a ‘garden’ zone will offer everything from prepared foods to flowers. To manage the whole enchilada, HPH has tapped Jordi Vallès, a Barcelona-born chef who’s worked at some of Spain’s greatest restaurants, and recently ran the St. Regis Bal Harbour’s kitchen.” —New York Post

••• “The River to River Festival is returning to Lower Manhattan this summer — but it’ll be shorter than in previous years. The free music, dance and arts festival, now in its 13th year, will be packed into just 11 days this June rather than running a full month.” —DNAinfo

••• “Kidrobot broke some sad news on its blog today: after ten-plus years in business, the Soho boutique is closing up shop.” —Racked

••• Local politicians are urging the Port Authority to sweeten its deal with Silverstein Partners. —Crain’s

••• “Unilever, the European consumer goods colossus that manufactures food and personal care products, has taken the top two levels at 99 Hudson St., floors 16 and 17. The space totals roughly 30,000 square feet and includes exclusive access to an outdoor roof deck.” —Crain’s

••• “Southbridge Towers residents finally get offering plan for taking complex out of Mitchell-Lama program to market rates.” —Downtown Post NYC

••• 90 Chambers changed hands. “It is expected that the new owner will refurbish the building’s exterior and retenant the retail unit, which is best suited for food use.” It’s where Jerry’s was. “It is unlikely the building will be converted to condominiums.” —Commercial Observer

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2 Comments

  1. Wells could hardly have been colder to Telepan Local. Haven’t been there, but it’s a shame that Mr. Telepan seems to have taken such a wrong turn, from all the reviews I’ve read.

  2. I thought Telepan Local was good but uneven. Some of the dishes were among the best I had this winter and some were the worst. I agree with Wells that the weak dishes were bland rather than conceptually flawed. Hopefully Telepan and Javier will heed the reviews and move the menu in a bolder direction.