The Financial District has been in the news a lot this week:

• First, Merrill Lynch hinted strongly that the firm would move from there to midtown.
• We wondered what that would do to the Hotel Pennsylvania.
• The Downtown Alliance had a lot to say on the move, too.
• Israel's biggest builder bought the building at 87 Chambers, probably to build a hotel.
• And then Michael Shvo announced today he'd start selling the District's newest condos early next month.
• We'll be watching...

And so will others. The Observer's print edition on Wednesday had a story by Lysandra Ohrstrom on the city's plans to install 3,000 surveillance cameras below Canal Street.