The Wire, where intel, rumor, innuendo, and random reader questions come home to roost at the end of the day. Got Wire? Let it hang out; anonymity always assured. You'll feel ever so much better.
1) Upper West Side: Emails a tipster, "I noticed a cocktail reception happening on the Hudson Condo (right) roof deck last night (I live across the street and have a good view of it). All the scaffolding has just come down and this was the first time I have seen anything other than construction going on there. Wondering if any Curbed readers were there and have anything interesting to report - how sales are going, etc. The website says that the sales office has now relocated into the building, so I guess they are getting ready to start moving people in." [CurbedWire Inbox; more at WiredNY; listings at Halstead; official site]
2) Midtown East: Writes another tipster, "A few weeks ago, I walked by this enormous Chase branch at Fifth Avenue and 43rd (a landmarked international style building that is three stories with a roof terrace) during a union protest. Apparently, the union was protesting the possible closing of the branch, which I've heard rumored elsewhere. It was actually pretty humorous - the union protesters primary point was that with the bank closing, there would be too few bank branches in Manhattan. Hard to believe that any rational person could believe that Midtown has a shortage of banks."