1) East Village/LES: Does anyone else feel some sort of weird crushing disappointment when a development that's so shiny and new decides to put a bank in its groundfloor retail space? It's such a letdown, like when the Sculpture for Living put in a Chase (or whatever it is) before anyone actually moved in. Anyhoo, for those who are sitting on the fence about our old friend One Avenue B, surely this new Banco Popular will do nothing to sway you in either direction.
2) Clinton Hill: And speaking of banks, which this column is always doing, a new Bank of America is opening on Myrtle Avenue, and apparently BOA has suckered the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership into joining in on some sort of ambiguous marketing campaign that involves holding up giant fish on sidewalks. Good times. [Clinton Hill Blog]
3) Upper West Side: Here's a biggie. Crain's New York Business is reporting that T.J. Maxx is close to signing a deal to take over the former Tower Records space by Lincoln Center. Discount shmatas on the fancypants Upper West Side? Our monocle just fell into our gin martini. [C'sNYB]
4) Upper East Side: Presented without comment: "A while back you reported a new store opening at 58th and 3rd, directly next to Home Depot and one store north of Wachovia bank. I'm sad to report that walking past it today, the plywood has come down, and it's ANOTHER BANK: Citibank. So now we have a Wachovia on the NW corner of 58th/3rd, Citibank directly north of it, Home Depot, and Bank of America at the SW corner of 59th/3rd. Oh - did I mention there's also a North Fork Bank coming in at the NE corner of 59th/3rd? [Storefronting inbox]