More than 60 years ago, NYC passed its landmarks law to ensure our city’s architecturally and historically significant buildings would be preserved. A large chunk of Greenwich Village is protected this way, and is the reason everything from the iconic Jefferson Market Library to the early 19th century lining dozens of neighborhood streets survive. But […]
In 1968, artist and longtime Greenwich Village resident Isamu Noguchi installed his sculpture Red Cube in front of 140 Broadway, a splash of bright crimson in an often dark skyscraper canyon of lower Manhattan. Thirty-three years later, with its brilliant hue covered in dust, the work also became a symbol of resilience and resistance for […]
Every September, temperatures begin to drop, summer greens start the slow shift to orange and yellow, and our streets feel a bit fuller as students return to school. But schools have been part of our neighborhoods’ histories far longer than any given school year. Today we take a look at the history of perhaps one […]
The crisp chill of autumn hasn’t arrived quite yet, but as summer winds down and New York begins its slow transition into sweater weather, we have a full slate of programs exploring the people, places, stories, and ideas that have shaped Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo, and New York City. From the Revolutionary era […]
In the early 20th century, the Little Syria neighborhood was found south of Greenwich Village on what was then called the Lower West Side, where the World Trade Center complex is now located. It was home to a growing community of Arab writers, artists, and intellectuals. Many of these writers and poets had fled political […]
Greenwich Village did not teach Louise Bryant to rebel. She arrived already fluent. At the end of 1915, she left Portland, Oregon, and a marriage that could no longer hold the size of the life she wanted. She came east for journalism, for John Reed, and for the possibility of living without asking the old […]
At the corner of Clarkson Street and Seventh Avenue South is a building that for over a century in various iterations has served the Greenwich Village community and stood as an iconic piece of civic architecture reflecting both the evolution of the neighborhood and the important role of public buildings in its development. Now known as the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center, its future is very much in doubt because of redevelopment plans by the city, and Village Preservation has been leading the efforts by stakeholders for its preservation through a strong campaign.
Each August for the past 34 years, Tompkins Square Park has filled with the sounds of sax solos, scatting, and smooth melodies. Held annually since 1993, close to Charlie Parker’s August 29 birthday, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival brings together jazz veterans and newcomers for a three-day celebration of all things jazz. Honoring the late […]
One of the most remarkable and attractive historic districts in the country is one that has neither an official landmark designation nor the protection that comes with it: South of Union Square. If it lacks this designation, however, it has not been for lack of trying. Our proposal for the creation of an official historic […]
During these final days of summer, we are all looking for ways to cool off. There is something refreshing about staring at a street corner encased in solid ice or a neighborhood blanketed in snow while sitting in 90-degree summer heat. Sometimes the best antidote to a sweltering afternoon is a visual reality check from […]
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the start of our Historic Image Archive, which began in 1996 with an incredibly generous donation of several dozen images by then-Village Preservation President Judith Stonehill from the New York Bound Bookshop, which she co-owned. Three decades later, the archive now contains almost 6,000 images in 75 collections, […]
It’s hard not to be struck by the low quality of the design of many new buildings in our neighborhoods and in New York City in general. The exceptions show that it’s not that hard to create good design, but too often developers just chose not to. And now we see city government doing the […]
On October 23, 1915, suffragists gathered at Washington Square and moved north along Fifth Avenue in one of the largest demonstrations for women’s voting rights the city had ever seen. Some marched in white. Others carried banners, flowers, and ballot boxes. Approximately 25,000 people joined the procession, turning the avenue into a moving argument for […]
We’ve all seen them: signs tucked under the official names of our neighborhood streets, honoring a local luminary with a “Way,” “Place,” or “Corner.” Unfortunately, the people on these “co-named” street signs are often unknown to most passers-by. But a New York City agency has offered a way for those who are interested to get […]
Today, West 14th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues is a bustling corridor connecting several subway lines and serving a wide range of businesses and institutions. But before it became the busy stretch we know today, it was at the heart of a large and vibrant Spanish immigrant community known as “Little Spain.” Spanish immigration […]
The story of women’s suffrage is not simply a national story. It is deeply embedded in the streets, buildings, organizations, and many important figures from Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. For decades, our neighborhoods were centers of political activism and social reform, and they were home to many of the people and organizations […]
Since 1980, Village Preservation has worked tirelessly to preserve, protect, and advocate for the historic, cultural, and architectural heritage of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. And while the boundaries of our neighborhoods are mostly pretty easy to define, stretching from the East River to the Hudson River, and from 14th Street to Houston […]
In August of 2008, Village Preservation and the East Village Community Coalition submitted a request to the LPC to landmark the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 515 East 6th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. The building was the last operating “tenement synagogue” in the East Village. Jared Kushner, who was early in his career […]
Our Historic Image Archive includes thousands of historic photos of our neighborhoods and NYC. Today we explore a few of the images captured in the month of August in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. This photo from our 9/11 Memorial Photos collection was taken by Deborah Kadetsky on her way to an outdoor Radiohead […]
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. The saying “luck is what happens when preparation […]
The designation of a historic district has several important implications, including first and foremost the preservation of historic resources. A second critical component of designation is that it provides for design review by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) over new construction within a historic district.
When the Louvre first opened to the public as a museum on August 10, 1793, it represented more than the creation of one of the world’s great cultural institutions. It embodied a revolutionary idea: that a building constructed for one purpose, as a royal palace, could be transformed into something entirely new that served the […]
On August 7th, 1967, the J.M. Kaplan Fund and the newly constituted National Endowment for the Arts announced Westbeth Artists Housing: the first large-scale adaptive reuse of an industrial building for residential purposes. Westbeth provided affordable housing for Greenwich Village artists and their families to live and work. Located along the then-gritty and largely abandoned […]
Andy Warhol was born Andrew Warhola in Pittsburgh on August 6, 1928. Warhol is remembered for soup cans, celebrities, screen tests, and the silver walls of his Factory. But one of his most lasting artistic contributions began not with a canvas, but with a band playing in a Greenwich Village basement. In December 1965, Warhol […]
It’s fair to say that everyone knows the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, first President of our nation, and “father of our country” George Washington, whose name shows up on a park, arch, several streets, and more in our neighborhoods. But did you know that Washington is not the only Revolutionary War general similarly commemorated […]
August public programs showcase the remarkable people, places, and stories that have shaped Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. This month’s lineup spans 250 years of history, from the Revolutionary War, the fight for women’s rights, and the immigrant experience to LGBTQ+ activism and three decades of documenting our neighborhoods through photography. As part […]
Today, we welcome Hannah Chacko (she/her) aboard as our new Research and Preservation Associate. In 2025, Hannah completed her undergraduate degree from Hunter College in Design and Visual Communications, where she took the greatest interest in the intersections of user experience design, research, and accessibility. Along the way, she realized that she wanted to develop […]
The history of Greenwich Village and the City of New York reflects the waves of immigration that have served to give it a character different from any other city in the nation. Discover the impact of the Breevort Family that would over the course of the 17th through present day serve to shape the cultural and built environment of both Greenwich Village and the City of New York.
While many artists strive to find a clear, identifiable aesthetic, one artist’s departure from this pursuit defined his legacy. Marcel Duchamp, often referred to as the “father of conceptual art,” created deliberately inconsistent pieces during his impressive career, ranging from cubist paintings to Dadaist sculptures. Born in France on July 28, 1887, Duchamp’s early adult […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
On July 28, 1868, the United States ratified the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, establishing birthright citizenship and declaring that no state could “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” The amendment was born out of Reconstruction, intended to secure the rights of formerly enslaved Americans after the Civil War. […]
Alexander Jackson Davis was one of the most influential American architects of the 19th century, helping to popularize both the Greek Revival and Gothic Revival styles, and shaping New York City’s appearance as Gotham expanded northward. Although he is best known for his country houses and villas outside the city, Davis left a significant mark […]
The year was 1996. The first mobile flip phone had just hit the market, the Spice Girls were topping the charts with their hit single Wannabe, and President Bill Clinton won reelection. The year’s technological, social, and political innovations laid the groundwork for what became the world we know and enjoy today. And in New […]
In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their special histories, and reveal their (sometimes hidden) connections to our neighborhoods. Manhattan’s southernmost tip is known for many things: it’s the oldest part of the […]
Before Paris, literary fame, and the novels that defined the “Lost Generation,” Ernest Hemingway spent several formative weeks in Greenwich Village. In May 1918, the eighteen-year-old journalist Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) stayed at the Hotel Earle, now the Washington Square Hotel, at 103 Waverly Place, near MacDougal Street and Washington Square […]
Village Preservation maintains the city’s only complete chronological record of NYC landmark designations, offering key insights into the pace, location, and type of preservation happening across Mayoral administrations. Using this data, we previously revealed that landmarking under Mayor Eric Adams dropped to its lowest level in the 60-year history of the Landmarks Law. We update […]
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. You can blast open the doors of perception […]
As the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Village Preservation has created a new Revolutionary War Map that brings the nation’s founding era to life in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. While many associate the Revolutionary War with places like Lexington, Concord, or Valley Forge, […]
More than four decades after arriving in New York with little more than ambition and determination, Madonna has come full circle. Her album, Confessions II, released in the summer of 2026, is not simply a sequel to her landmark 2005 dance record Confessions on a Dance Floor. It is a love letter to the New […]
St. Vincent’s Hospital was the site of defining periods and events in the history of Greenwich Village.
Stuyvesant is a familiar name in the history of New York City, and today many streets, schools, and buildings bear that surname. The origins of the Stuyvesant family, an influential clan of leaders, philanthropists, and landowners, predate the founding of New York as a city and America as a country. Their story is centered in […]
Originally built for a mere milkman, the two homes bookending the intersection of Barrow and Commerce Streets remain one of the most charming spots our neighborhood has to offer. Nestled between Bedford and Hudson Streets, 39 and 41 Commerce Street embody the quintessential Greenwich Village character. Colloquially called “the twins,” the nearly identical houses have […]
George Washington slept here. So did John Adams and Aaron Burr, in the same 18th-century mansion, just not at the same time. One site and three key figures in the fight for independence and beyond form one of many historic highlights revealed in our new map covering the American Revolution in our communities. “The Revolutionary […]
There is almost nothing left to see. Stand today near Varick and Charlton Streets, and the landscape gives little indication of what happened here 250 years ago. The farms are gone. The orchards are gone. The hill itself is gone. But in the summer of 1776, as thirteen colonies made the extraordinary decision to declare […]
Love them or hate them, the East Village is well known for its generous array of dive bars. Many of these no-frills establishments date back fifty or more years and are beloved staples of the community. Today we explore some local favorites, and another that is gone but not forgotten: 7B aka Horseshoe Bar aka […]
Village Preservation has fought to preserve many a building through landmark designation, often based at least in part upon some significant use connected to the building, current or past. For example, we’re fighting right now to secure landmark protection for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, the city’s first Spanish-language church, and the New York Eye […]
Imagine standing in Greenwich Village in the summer of 1776. Instead of rows of brownstones, apartment buildings, and busy sidewalks, you would find rolling farmland, country estates, orchards, and dirt roads stretching north from the bustling colonial city. Soldiers marched through these fields. General George Washington established his headquarters here as he prepared to defend […]
As celebrations of the Semiquincentennial begin across the nation, we at Village Preservation are using this moment to highlight the revolutionary contributions of our neighborhood and city. Rather than focusing solely on the Revolutionary War era, our “Revolutionary Village” theme highlights 250 years of ongoing revolution in politics, culture, the arts, and society that have […]
The block of Lower Fifth Avenue between West 10th and West 11th Streets is notable for reflecting the development of this prominent thoroughfare in the period from 1841-1929. During that time, it was transformed from an area of open meadows to the home of grand freestanding houses and churches of prominent members of New York […]
Two important events in New York history took place that, while separated by nearly two centuries, are deeply connected through one of the city’s most historic thoroughfares: Lafayette Street. In June 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette returned once more to New York City for a final visit during his triumphant farewell tour of the United […]
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are widely recognized as the historic heart of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. At Village Preservation, celebrating this rich legacy isn’t a seasonal event in June, but a 365-day-a-year mission to document, honor, and protect the cultural history and physical spaces where history was made. Our interactive resources, […]
Before Eddie Kramer helped build one of the most legendary recording studios in the world right here in our neighborhood, before his name became tied to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Kiss, and some of the most explosive rock recordings ever made, his story began thousands of miles from Greenwich Village. […]
Just South of Washington Square Park, north of West Houston Street, and nestled between Sixth Avenue and LaGuardia Place are the highly compact blocks that make up the South Village Historic District, for which Village Preservation won landmark designation in 2013. Known for its rich immigrant history, its streets are a hodgepodge of modest Federal […]
Affordable housing advocates have struggled to get any policy perspectives beyond the deregulation narrative that has come to dominate coverage of the affordable housing crisis. This deregulatory approach currently stealing oxygen from any other discussions about how to address the issue is hardly new. But it has reemerged with a new label (YIMBY) and a […]
Today we welcome Jonathan Mellon as Village Preservation’s new Director of Research and Preservation. Born and raised in New York, Jonathan grew up in the city’s first historic district, Brooklyn Heights, and gained a strong appreciation for architecture from his mother, who had a background in art history. Jonathan has extensive experience working for the government in New York City, Washington, DC, and […]
Refugee Week takes place every year in the middle of June, coinciding globally with World Refugee Day, recognized annually on June 20. At Village Preservation, one way we honor these experiences is through our Oral History Project, which captures firsthand accounts of the people who have shaped the cultural fabric of Greenwich Village, the East […]
Slavery in New York emerged almost immediately after Dutch settlement began in the early 17th century, and continued under English and American rule until it was finally abolished in 1827 in the state. It would not end throughout the country until 1865, with Union troops arriving in the farthest reaches of the Confederacy in Galveston, […]
This Pride Month, we celebrate the legacies of some of our neighborhood’s most notable lesbian figures. From poets to activists to politicians, the impact of these multifaceted individuals continues to be felt in the Village, New York, and the world. To learn more about many of these icons, as well as many other queer and […]
Want to learn more about everything Village Preservation has helped protect in our communities over the past six months, and what we aim to accomplish moving forward? You can do it in one convenient package: our latest newsletter, officially released at our Village Awards and Annual Meeting held on June 10. Within the space of […]
On June 10, hundreds of people, including neighbors, Village Preservation members, supporters, awardees, and friends filled the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union for one of Village Preservation’s most beloved annual traditions: the Annual Meeting and Village Awards. Often referred to as the “Oscars of the Village,” the event is a joyful celebration of the […]
Randy Wicker is considered one of the most influential and impactful LGBTQ+ activists of both the pre- and post-Stonewall eras. Born February 3, 1938, in Plainfield, New Jersey, as Charles Gervin Hayden, Jr., Wicker grew up with his grandparents in Florida. His first encounter with New York did not come until his college years. In […]
Minetta Street does not move through Greenwich Village in a straight line. It bends, narrows, and seems almost to hide from Sixth Avenue. In 1952, one of the things it hid, and held, was Saul Bellow. Before the Nobel Prize, before the Pulitzer, before his name became fixed in the canon of American literature, Bellow […]
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Heavily armed non-state factions have been engaging in […]
For the past several years I have had the privilege of learning about sites across Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo, as I worked on research, archives, and mapping projects for Village Preservation. I have written about many of these locations for Village Preservation’s blog, Off the Grid, and for my final contribution, I […]
Each year, Village Preservation honors and celebrates the invaluable people, places, and organizations that make our neighborhoods some of the most interesting and exceptional in the city. In 1991, Village Preservation (then GVSHP) held our first Village Awards ceremony at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Mariomo of New York University at 24 West 12th Street. This event became an […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor Jane’s Exchange with a 2026 Village Award! Join us to recognize the outstanding contributions this small buisness and five other honorees have made to our communities at this year’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards. The celebration, with emcee Penny Arcade, will take place on Wednesday, June 10 at 6pm, […]
The East Village of the late 1970s and 1980s was a place unlike any other in New York City. Artists rented apartments and storefronts for a fraction of what they would cost today. Galleries appeared in former shops. Performance spaces emerged in basements and clubs. Musicians, painters, poets, filmmakers, playwrights, and drag performers worked side […]
A writer, a poet, and an early advocate for sexual freedom and gay rights, Allen Ginsberg has been a prominent voice for over 100 years in New York. Born June 3, 1926, Ginsberg grew up in a New Jersey suburb just west of New York City. His father, Louis, was a traditional academic type, working […]
Few places better captured the East Village’s transformation from residential neighborhood to countercultural epicenter than 19–25 St. Marks Place. Across nearly two centuries, the address has been many things: elegant row houses, a German social club, a grand ballroom, a Polish community center, an experimental performance space, and most famously, the home of the Electric […]
June is one of the most exciting months of the year at Village Preservation. As summer arrives, we invite you to join us for a diverse lineup of programs exploring everything from Revolutionary-era estates and Jazz Age New York to affordable housing, public housing history, art, and LGBTQ+ heritage. This month also features two of […]
Before it became the Palladium, before it became one of New York’s most famous nightclubs, before it was demolished and replaced by an NYU dorm, the old Academy of Music at 126 East 14th Street had another life. For one loud, electric moment in 1965, it helped introduce New York to the Rolling Stones. The […]
The Asian-American story in the United States is often told through the lens of the West Coast or the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown. But the Asian-American history of Greenwich Village and the East Village is just as vital and noteworthy. Here, an impressive yet frequently overlooked roster of individuals and organizations played a pivotal […]
Few neighborhoods in New York City carry as deeply rooted a Hispanic cultural identity as the East Village. The very name by which Avenue C has been officially known since 1987, “Loisaida” (a phonetic rendering in Spanish of “Lower East Side”), signals how thoroughly Puerto Rican life has shaped this part of the city. The […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor Carlos “Chino” Garcia as a 2026 Village Awardee! Join us in Celebrating Garcia and five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 10th, with emcee Penny Arcade, at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. Registration is free and open to all. […]
Established May 23, 1895, the New York Public Library is the largest municipal library in the world. Today, the NYPL has over 92 locations across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, and holds over 53 million items. Its history is rich and deeply connected to our neighborhoods. The story begins in the mid-1800s, when New […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition as a 2026 Village Awardee! Join us in recognizing the Coalition and five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 10th, with emcee Penny Arcade, at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. Registration is free and […]
The Clash was one of the first bands to merge rock with elements of reggae, dub, funk, ska, rockabilly, and more, becoming perhaps the best-known and most essential elements of the first wave of British punk rock in the 1970s and ’80s. The band emerged from London’s underground scene — their first live performance coming […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen as a 2026 Village Awardee! Join us in recognizing St. Joe’s Soup Kitchen and the five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 10th, with emcee Penny Arcade, at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. Registration is free […]
What we recognize as landmarks and preserve says a lot about who we are. It tells us what we value, as well as what (by omission) we may prefer to ignore. It also helps shape our future, by defining how we see our past, where we came from, and how we got to where we […]
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. People who romanticize the East Village of the […]
May is Lower East Side History Month, an annual celebration of one of New York City’s most layered and dynamic neighborhoods. Founded in 2014, the month-long observance brings together community organizations, preservationists, artists, historians, and residents to explore the stories that have shaped the Lower East Side, which includes the East Village, Chinatown, and Loisaida, […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor 11th St. Bar as a 2026 Village Awardee! Join us in recognizing 11th St. Bar and the five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 10th, with emcee Penny Arcade, at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. Registration is free and […]
Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive captures and preserves scenes of Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo, and landmarks across New York City over many decades. One of our newest collections shows the East Village in the early 1980s, during a critical period when the neighborhood was a hub for artists, musicians, and writers, as well as drifters, and punks, […]
Village Preservation is proud to honor Tavern on Jane, as a 2026 Village Awardee! Join us in recognizing Tavern on Jane and the five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 10th, with emcee Penny Arcade, at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. Registration is free and […]
Did you know that Village Preservation maintains a chronological database of ALL landmarked properties in New York City? This comprehensive spreadsheet displays information in a digestible format that we couldn’t find anywhere else, so we created it ourselves! We initially compiled it for our report, “Analyzing New York City Landmark Designations: 1965-2025,” but quickly realized […]
For decades, our neighborhoods have been hotbeds of musical innovation, creation, and collaboration. From jazz to folk to punk, countless musical styles and movements have been deeply touched by the people and venues in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho. At Village Preservation, we consistently produce programs that highlight our neighborhood’s significance within music, […]
Some jazz histories shout. Mary Lou Williams’ story moves differently. It sits at the piano, listens closely, and then changes the room. Williams was one of the great pianists, composers, and arrangers in American music. Born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs in Atlanta in 1910 and raised in Pittsburgh, she began playing piano as a child and […]
The Asian-American story is often told through the lens of the West Coast or the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown. But the Chinese-American history of Greenwich Village and the East Village is just as vital. Here, an impressive yet frequently overlooked roster of individuals and organizations played a pivotal role in the national story, particularly within […]
The origins of jazz are famously hybrid. The Black diaspora in New Orleans’ cultural melting pot assimilated music as diverse as spirituals and marches around the turn of the 20th century; and it came up with a unique, blues-inflected, syncopated Afro-Western amalgam that, within a few years, would take the country by storm. By the […]
The Greenwich Village Historic District was designated on April 29th, 1969. The district includes roughly 2,200 buildings and spans over 100 blocks, covering much of the neighborhood between University Place and Washington Street, 13th Street and West 4th Street/St. Luke’s Place. Village Preservation was founded in 1980 in part to act as a steward to […]
May is a season of renewal, reflection, and discovery. This year we’re offering a dynamic lineup of public programs that tap into the neighborhood’s deep historical roots while engaging with urgent contemporary issues. From waterfront history to preservation advocacy, and from cultural milestones to community heritage, May’s offerings connect past and present in meaningful ways. […]
A rally in the rain and hundreds of letters sent to the Mayor and Landmarks Preservation Commission by members of the public helped save a 151-year-old landmark building that we almost lost in the South Village. On April 21, the LPC decided to reject an application calling for the demolition of 139 Thompson Street, a […]
2026 marks a significant milestone for one of New York City’s most beloved traditions. For 25 years, Village Preservation’s Spring House Tour Benefit has invited guests inside some of Greenwich Village’s most extraordinary private homes, offering a rare glimpse into the neighborhood’s rich architectural heritage and the vibrant lives unfolding within its walls. Founded by […]
On April 23, 1976, the Ramones’ self-titled debut album was released. The Ramones didn’t record their debut album in the Village. But when “The Ramones” was released on April 23, 1976, the sound the world heard had already been forged downtown. Before punk became a global movement, it was deeply local. It lived in packed […]
In our neighborhoods, several small, community-rooted shops have long embraced environmentally conscious practices, whether through reuse, ethical sourcing, or fostering mindful consumption. This Earth Day, we’re highlighting a group of standout businesses that were Village Preservation Businesses of the Month whose missions align with sustainability in thoughtful and inspiring ways. A Sustainable Village – 50 […]
The year was 1981. The Rolling Stones entered the decade still considered the greatest rock-and-roll band in the world. But the industry was changing. The launch of MTV that year revolutionized music, making video and image essential parts of an artist’s work. While the Rolling Stones had a long history of music video production in […]
Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive captures and preserves scenes of Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo, and beyond over many decades. One of our collections shows the East Village in the early 1980s, during a critical period when the neighborhood was a hub for artists, musicians, and writers, as well as drifters, and punks, and […]
The Asian-American story is often told through the lens of the West Coast or the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Chinatown. But the Chinese-American history of Greenwich Village and the East Village is just as vital. Here, an impressive yet frequently overlooked roster of individuals and organizations played a pivotal role in the national story, particularly within […]
The anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and Immigrant Heritage Week, both of which occur in mid-April, offer a powerful lens through which to understand how immigrant communities not only shaped the Village, but also powered the maritime economy that defined New York as a global port. Greenwich Village’s western edge, where cobblestone streets […]
Our Jazz Map of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, is the first-ever, in-depth, interactive map documenting the history of jazz in our neighborhoods, which have for decades been epicenters of jazz performance and innovation. The map tells the story of the music through over a hundred entries, covering local music venues, recording studios, […]
