Woman Crush Wednesday: Beatrix Farrand

On the northeastern edge of the Greenwich Village Historic District, at 21 East 11th Street, just west of University Place, sits an 1848 late Greek Revival townhouse with a wide stoop topped with a transitional Italianate door. The beautifully preserved townhouse bears a red Historic Landmarks Preservation Center Cultural Medallion in honor of trailblazing landscape […]

Sylvia Rivera: A Controversial But Powerful and Enduring Activist for LGBTQ+ Rights

Sylvia Rivera (July 2, 1951 – February 19, 2002, She/Her) was a trailblazing advocate for the rights of transgender individuals and LGBTQ+ communities. A vocal opponent of racism and transphobia within the 1970-80s Gay Liberation Movement, Rivera was controversial (to say the least) during her time. While delivering her infamous speech, “Y’all Better Quiet Down!” […]

Announcing the Arthur A. Levin Internship

Art Levin has been a valued member of the Board of Trustees since 1998, and served as President of the Board from 2011 to 2021 — the longest tenure of any president in the organization’s history. We are proud to announce the board had welcomed Art as President Emeritus, the first in Village Preservation history, […]

    Business of the Month: Beasty Feast, 327 W 14th Street

    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. We all need friends to help shore up […]

    #SouthOfUnionSquare, Mexican Muralists Remake American Art: David Alfaro Siqueiros and the Experimental Workshop

    This installment of Village Preservation’s “South of Union Square, the Birthplace of American Modernism” series explores how the Mexican Muralists shaped some of the most influential American artists via their studios and workshops in the area South of Union Square.   After a decade of conflict, the Mexican Revolution came to an end on November 30, […]

    Woman Crush Wednesday: Jane Jacobs

    Who says you can’t fight City Hall? During these particularly troubling and divided political times, it is rewarding and inspiring to look to Jane Jacobs for encouragement. Jane redefined urban planning in the 20th century, and is one of the trailblazers highlighted in Village Preservation’s outdoor interactive exhibition, VILLAGE VOICES. Jane Jacobs caused people to […]

    Welcome Aboard, Hew Evans

    Today Hew Evans (pronouns: they / them) joins Village Preservation as our Administrative and Programs Assistant. Hew has been interning for us since May of this year, during which time they’ve helped to plan and promote our immensely successful Village Voices benefit and public exhibition. Additionally, Hew has performed research for our South of Union […]

      #SouthOfUnionSquare, the Birthplace of American Modernism: Kenneth Hayes Miller

      “South of Union Square, the Birthplace of American Modernism” is a series that explores how the area south of Union Square shaped some of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, American art was still struggling to be seen as legitimate among artists of the Western […]

      Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

      Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans, runs from September 15th through October 15th. There is a reason for this oddly scheduled “month.” On September 15th, 1821, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared their independence from Spain. Mexico and Chile celebrate their 1810 declarations […]

      9/11: The Days After — Marjorie Zien Collection

      In honor of the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Village Preservation has assembled nearly 1,000 donated images documenting the World Trade Center, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the days and weeks following September 11, 2001. We have released the collections in our historic image archive. One of the many special collections we received was from […]

      Charles Snyder’s Historic Schools in the East Village

      Each year, New York City’s 1 million public school students return to school after a long summer break. Few realize that one man is responsible for so profoundly shaping our idea of how a school would look and function, and that some of his best work is located right here in our own community. In […]

        New 2020–2021 Annual Report Available

        Our latest Annual Report is available, looking back at the organization’s work from the end of last summer to now. It’s been a momentous year, with battles fought, victories won, new realities faced, and tons of new programs and resources created and shared. None of it would be possible without the ongoing support we receive from our […]

          Village Preservation Releases Nearly 1,000 Crowdsourced Images of the World Trade Center, 9/11, and Aftermath, with Moving Personal Stories

          We are proud to release nearly 1,000 images donated by the public to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks on the World Trade Center. Earlier this year we asked the public to share their images connected to the World Trade Center, the attacks, and the aftermath, and received hundreds of images […]

            9/11 In Memoriam — Jimmy Quinn

            To mark the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Village Preservation has assembled about 900 donated images documenting the World Trade Center, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the days and weeks following September 11, 2001. See all the images here. Many of the 9/11 image donors provided us with dozens or hundreds of images. A few, […]

            #SouthOfUnionSquare, the Birthplace of American Modernism: Isabel Bishop

            “South of Union Square, the Birthplace of American Modernism” is a series that explores how the built environment south of Union Square shaped some of the most influential American artists of the 20th century.  The area south of Union Square in the mid-to-late 20th century was one that readily attracted painters, writers, publishers, and radical […]

            9/11 In Memoriam — Sonny DeLuccy

            To mark the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Village Preservation has assembled about 900 donated images documenting the World Trade Center, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the days and weeks following September 11, 2001. See all the images here. Village actor, artist, and writer Beverly Wallace donated over 500 9/11-related images to the archive. These photos were […]

            Romare Bearden and the Formation of An African American Artistic Identity Downtown

            Groundbreaking artist, intellectual, and activist Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) was born in Mecklenberg County, North Carolina. When Bearden was about 3 years old, his parents Bessye Johnson Banks Bearden and Richard Howard Bearden moved the family to Harlem in search of a better life as so many other southern African Americans […]

            Opponents Overwhelm Six-Hour City Planning SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Hearing; City’s Baseless Claims of Racism Face Backlash; Elected Officials Join Opposition

            Some important updates on the SoHo/NoHo rezoning fight: Opponents Swamp Supporters at Public Hearing: Around 100 people testified at yesterday’s City Planning Commission public hearing, even though it was held just prior to the Labor Day weekend and as the city was still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Ida, showing this administration’s contempt for […]

            German Heritage #SouthOfUnionSquare

            The area of Greenwich Village and the East Village south of Union Square, for which Village Preservation has been advocating landmark protections, is the center of an amazing and dynamic collection of histories. Village Preservation’s South of Union Square Map+Tours is an online interactive tool that allows users to journey back in time to explore and […]

            VILLAGE VOICES: A New Interactive Art and History Exhibit

            Village Preservation is pleased to announce the launch of VILLAGE VOICES, an outdoor exhibition celebrating people, places, and moments from our neighborhoods’ history. VILLAGE VOICES will be an engaging installation of exhibit boxes displayed throughout our neighborhoods featuring photographs, artifacts, and recorded narration that will provide entertaining and illuminating insight into our momentous heritage. We are […]

            City Planning Commission SoHo/NoHo Upzoning Hearing This Thursday, September 2, 10 am

            Virtual and In-Person Testimony Allowed Borough President Holds Five-Hour Public Hearing, Withholds Recommendation Opponents Including Incoming and Past Councilmembers Urge Rejection The City Planning Commission will hold its sole public hearing on the massive SoHo/NoHo Upzoning plan this Thursday beginning at 10 am. Virtual and in-person testimony at 120 Broadway’s basement concourse hearing room will […]

            Beyond the Village and Back: The American Radiator Building

            Sitting in Bryant Park behind the New York Public Library’s main branch, tourists and admittedly a few native New Yorkers often marvel at the clear sight they have of the Empire State Building, a rare perspective for midtown Manhattan. Perhaps even rarer is that, within that same view, the iconic tower has some competition in the standout building department from a mere 23-story landmark resplendent in black and gold, one that has a unique connection to Greenwich Village in the last century.

            #SouthOfUnionSquare, the Birthplace of American Modernism: Minna Citron

            “South of Union Square, the Birthplace of American Modernism” is a series that explores how the built environment south of Union Square shaped some of the most influential American artists of the 20th century.  At the beginning of the 20th century, American art was still struggling to be seen as legitimate among western artists. The […]

            Beverly Moss Spatt Oral History: the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s First Woman Chair

            Village Preservation shares our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo such unique and vibrant neighborhoods. Each includes the experiences and insights of leaders or long-time participants in the arts, culture, preservation, business, or civic life. Beverly Moss Spatt has […]

            9/11 In Memoriam — Point Thank You

            In honor of the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Village Preservation has assembled over 500 donated images documenting the World Trade Center, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the days and weeks following September 11, 2001. See all the images here. One of the many incredible collections we have received was donated by Villager Lenore Mills. […]

              Details on SoHo/NoHo Hearings, New Data Shows Falsehoods and Lies Behind Rezoning

              Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer will hold her virtual public hearing on the Mayor’s SoHo/NoHo Upzoning plan starting at 6 pm on Monday, August 23 — register here. Testimony is limited to 2 minutes but longer comments can be submitted to info@manhattanbp.nyc.gov.  The hearing will begin with a panel of presenters consisting almost exclusively of […]

                St. Mark’s Place: How Cows Changed its Reputation

                St. Mark’s Place, named after the Church of St. Mark’s in the Bowery, is typically known for its other religious calling — rock n’ roll. The street was at the center of the countercultural movements of the second half of the last century, serving as home to a groundbreaking nightclub run by Andy Warhol in […]

                Fifth Avenue’s Streetscape Still Standing Since 1911

                The traditional tale of New York City’s zoning code tells us that the 40-story Equitable Building, constructed in 1915 with no setbacks, was responsible for the 1916 Zoning resolution. However, this building was simply the final provocation New Yorkers needed to get behind the controversial concept of more closely regulating the city’s development — in […]

                Meet the Wolf of SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown!

                We have received a piece of art that truly captures the essence of the SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown rezoning and breathes new life into the age-old maxim: never pick a fight with someone who buys artist paint brushes by the dozen. It arrived courtesy of a resident of the area who shares his neighbors’ concerns about the likely […]

                  Club 57’s “Subterranean Spirit” on St. Mark’s Place

                  In 1978, a Polish emigré named Stanley Strychacki rented a basement space in a church at 57 St. Marks’ Place. The four-story-with-basement building, originally built as a private dwelling, was occupied by the Holy Cross Polish National Church throughout the mid 20th-century. Strychacki’s goal, along with co-founders Ann Magnusson and Susan Hannaford, was “to create an […]

                  John Sloan: Village Visionary

                  Many artists have been inspired by the scenes of life in New York City, particularly Lower Manhattan. But perhaps no artist captures the feeling of New York during the hot, heavy days of August like the painter John Sloan. Sloan was one of the leading figures of the “Ashcan School,” a loose collection of artists who […]

                  NYU vs. the East Village

                  On East 12th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues, the entrance to a 26-story dorm, designed to house 700 NYU students, sits “discreetly” behind a disembodied 1847 church tower. Neither historic preservation nor adaptive reuse, the AIA Guide to New York City refers to it as a “folly behind which lurks yet another dorm for […]

                  De Blasio’s Plan to Reduce Affordable Housing in Soho/NoHo/Chinatown

                  De Blasio wants to fool the public into believing that his plan for rezoning SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown will diversify incomes and increase affordability in those neighborhoods. The opposite will in fact be true — his plan will likely reduce the existing affordable housing stock, and produce very little new affordable housing. And even if it does, the […]

                    Research Hyperlocal History with Our Online Resources

                    Did you ever want to know who lived in your apartment decades or centuries ago? Or who owned your building when it was first built? Or how old all that warehouse on your block is, and what was there in, say, 1900? Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available online for you to satisfy that […]

                      The Female Trailblazer Who Helped Build New York’s Landmarks #SouthOfUnionSquare

                      The unprotected area South of Union Square has no shortage of trailblazers in the arts and architecture, in commerce, and in the arena of equality or advancement for women. But all those strains of the neighborhood’s pioneering and history-making spirit come together at one building where a largely forgotten figure in our city’s history toiled […]

                      Community Board 2 Overwhelmingly Rejects SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan; BP and CPC To Hold Hearings

                      On Monday night, Community Board 2 voted nearly unanimously to roundly reject Mayor de Blasio’s proposed SoHo/NoHo Upzoning plan. The thoughtful and highly detailed 11-page resolution outlined how the plan would fail to achieve its purported goals of making the neighborhood more affordable, protect artists and arts groups, retain the historic character of the neighborhood, […]

                        Explore Local Small Businesses and Discover Big Local History

                        Summer is the perfect time to explore, support wonderful independently owned local small businesses, and discover our neighborhoods’ rich and amazing history. You can do all that with our expanded and updated Small Business/Big History Map, your guide to some incredible local small businesses and the fascinating history connected to their buildings, blocks, and vicinities. […]

                          Patti Smith

                          Woman Crush Wednesday is our day to celebrate and highlight the trailblazing and inspiring women who made all kinds of things happen in the world from right here in our neighborhoods. And none are so rocking as the amazing Patti Smith. Singer, songwriter, and poet Patricia Lee Smith was born on December 30, 1946, in […]

                          Draper’s Observatories: Moongazing Up and Down the Hudson

                          In the village of Hastings-on-Hudson, a short train ride away from Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal, lies a nationally landmarked building known as Observatory Cottage. The charming two-floor cottage was once a residential home, passed down through family generations. In the 1990s, it was bequeathed to a group of local residents interested in preserving the history […]

                          Can East River Park’s Historic Buildings Be Saved?

                          John V. Lindsay East River Park is a 57+ acre park that stretches along the East River waterfront from Montgomery Street north to East 12th Street. With the pending closure and rebuilding of the park, several historic structures in the park face likely demolition. Two extant Art Deco gems were constructed in 1938 in advance […]

                          Welcome Aboard, Anna Marcum

                          Today Anna Marcum joins Village Preservation as our Director of Research and Preservation. Anna is an architectural historian and preservationist based in Brooklyn who has worked on historic preservation projects in cities across the country, from Boston to New Orleans, Los Angeles to the Texas Gulf Coast. She comes to Village Preservation from the Center […]

                            Share Your Photos For Upcoming September 11th 20th Anniversary

                            This September will mark 20 years since the deadly attacks on the World Trade Center. Few New Yorkers were left untouched by this devastating assault, which shattered our city, our sense of safety, and our sense of selves. Residents of our neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan were particularly hard hit — from losing loved ones and […]

                            Martha Graham

                            Martha Graham never considered herself a genius. For her, the measure of a dancer was their passion, and by that metric, Graham was exceptional. In creating 181 ballets and a dance technique that bears her name, Martha Graham was as prolific as she was committed to energizing the spectator into “keener awareness of life through […]

                            Mid-Year Appeal: Help Us Do More When It’s Needed Most!

                            New York is at a pivot point. We’ll soon have a new Mayor, City Council, and leaders of city agencies. We’re emerging from a pandemic, and charting our future. Big real estate and government leaders are conspiring to strip away rules and regulations that protect our neighborhoods from unmitigated greed and avarice. Now more than […]

                              Louise Bryant

                              Louise Bryant was always her own person, and always somewhat of a paradox. She was a fearless journalist, activist, suffragist, and talented writer, who was also a study in contradictions — a chronic dissembler who sought the truth, a free love advocate who was prone to fits of jealousy, and a communist who twice married wealthy […]

                              Downtown Drag + Performance in the 1990s — the Jillian Jonas Collection

                              The Village Preservation Image Archive highlights the history of the people and built environment of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, as well as New York City in general. It has been assembled over the years through generous donations, and consists of thousands of photos in several dozen different collections. Our most recent addition […]

                              What’s In a Name?: The Petersfield, 113-119 Fourth Avenue

                              Our “What’s In A Name?” series looks at the names behind buildings, streets, parks, or other locations in our neighborhoods which hold more meaning than we may realize.  113-119 Fourth Avenue was completed in 1906. This building has had two names over its lifetime: The Fish Building and The Petersfield. The eight-story Arts & Crafts […]

                                Cafe Wha & The Fugs

                                Legendary Village Voice photographer Fred W. McDarrah captured so much about life in New York, and especially downtown, in the latter half of the 20th century. One of many examples: this Saturday night shot of Cafe Wha? on the corner of MacDougal Street and Minetta Lane, when the band The Fugs were performing there, taken on June 25, […]

                                  LGBTQ+ Pride Programs Roundup

                                  The roots of LGBTQ+ life in our neighborhoods are deeper than we even know. In the documentary PS. Burn This Letter Please, which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and was presented at one of Village Preservation’s Pride programs, gay historian George Chauncey spoke about using police records and newspaper articles because personal papers […]

                                  Huge Turnout for SoHo/NoHo Hearing, Housing/Tenant and Neighborhood Groups United in Opposition

                                  We had a huge and united turnout on Wednesday at our press conference opposing the Mayor’s outrageous SoHo/NoHo rezoning plan and the Community Board 2 public hearing that followed. We were joined by local, city, and statewide affordable housing/tenant groups, SoHo, NoHo, Chinatown, and Lower East Side groups, and citywide and statewide historic preservation organizations to […]

                                  New Historic Image Collection Explores Downtown Drag + Performance Scene of the 1990s

                                  As we approach LGBTQ+ Pride Weekend, Village Preservation is proud to share with you a wonderful new collection in our historic image archive of donated images from Jillian Jonas chronicling the fiery and flamboyant downtown drag performance scene of the 1990s. Jonas, who was the house photographer at the legendary Boy Bar on St. Mark’s Place, also captured […]

                                  Out of the Broom Closet: Gay Activist & Village Wiccan Leo Martello

                                  Leo Martello (September 26, 1930 — June 29, 2000) was a noted Wiccan priest, gay rights activist, Greenwich Village resident, and author. He was a founding member of the Strega Tradition, a modern form of Wicca informed by Italian heritage and ancestral teachings. During his life, he published a number of books on such esoteric subjects as […]

                                  #SouthofUnionSquare — Irish History Tour

                                  Our South of Union Square map offers an interactive look into this area of Greenwich Village and the East Village which is so rich in history but also so lacking in needed landmark protections. The platform has information on the 200 buildings within the area as well as over forty themed tours that focus on […]

                                  Talking Points for SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning City Council Public Hearing

                                  With the City Council’s one and only public hearing for the city’s proposed SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown upzoning on Tuesday Nov. 9, here are talking points we strongly suggest you use for your testimony and comments you submit to the City Council (see link above to register to speak or submit testimony): It’s a giant giveaway to developers, […]

                                    The Genius of Joan Mitchell

                                    The story of Abstract Expressionism has heretofore been primarily seen through the prism of the male-dominated world of post-War America.  In that “official” history, the narrative centers around the traditional story of the man as the creator while his female counterpart is the muse.  Fortunately, Joan Mitchell was not your typical female. Mitchell, as well […]

                                    African-American Music Crosses Genres #SouthOfUnionSquare

                                    June is named African-American Music Appreciation Month. But insofar as it is hard to conceive of genres of American music that have not been fundamentally shaped or originated by Black musicians, every month should rightfully be African American Music Appreciation Month. Any time, however, is a good time to call attention to a few great […]

                                      The Empress of Blues, South of Union Square

                                      Nicknamed “The Empress of Blues,” Bessie Smith was one of the most popular female blues singers of the 1920s and 30s. She influenced many vocalists who followed her, from Janis Joplin to Anita Baker. Her songs spoke to and about working people, African Americans, liberated women, and their (and anyone else’s) everyday troubles. Her “spoken […]

                                      Research Resource: Surrealism in our Neighborhoods

                                      Curious about the life and legacy of Surrealist & Dadaist artists in our neighborhoods? Check out this incredible research resource created by Paul McRandle and featured on his blog Surrealist NYC.  This interactive tool maps and explores the studios, homes, and collective social spaces of Surrealist artists who took refuge in Greenwich Village after World War […]

                                      2021 Village Awardee: NewsBar Café, 107 University Place

                                      It’s that time of year again…time for Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards! The Village Awards recognize and honor some of the businesses, organizations, and institutions that make our neighborhoods such special places, while our Annual Meeting also includes a review of Village Preservation’s activities and accomplishments over the past year. This year’s event […]

                                      127, 129, and 131 MacDougal Street: Architecture, Artists, African Americans, and “Alternative Lifestyles”

                                      On June 8th, 2004, 127, 129, and 131 MacDougal Street, three 1829 Federal Style houses, were landmarked  — the first three of thirteen Village Preservation and the NY Landmarks Conservancy jointly proposed and campaigned for landmark designation. On December 17, 2013, they were landmarked again as part of the South Village Historic District following a decade of advocacy by Village Preservation. While all three […]

                                        Fighting for Civil Rights at 80 Fifth Avenue

                                        For its entire existence over twenty years, the International Worker’s Order’s (IWO) New York City headquarters was located at 80 Fifth Avenue. 80 Fifth Avenue, at 14th Street, is located in the historically rich but endangered area south of Union Square for which Village Preservation is seeking landmark protections. Our ongoing research about the area has […]

                                        A ‘Strange’ Spot on Bleecker Street

                                        You’re walking along Bleecker Street in the heart of Greenwich Village when the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. You feel all sorts of magic surrounding you, as if you’re at the nexus of mystical energies coming at you from all corners of the globe. You spy an elegant three-story brownstone […]