Three years after merger talks failed between New York University and Polytechnic University, the two crosstown neighbors are back at the negotiating table. This time, a deal looks likely, according to officials at both NYU, in Manhattan, and Polytechnic, in Brooklyn. Polytechnic, an engineering institution with 3,000 students, has long struggled with operating deficits and weak bond ratings, but its officials say they are confident that the bad days are behind them. For NYU, the merger would mean new engineering offerings and faculty collaboration. It would also give NYU a foothold, and a place to expand, in an increasingly primo New York City borough. —Paul Fain