The impressive Aguilar Branch of the New York Public Library, originally known as the Aguilar Free Circulating Library, stands at 110th Street in East Harlem, between Lexington and Third Avenues.
One of my favorite things about our neighborhoods is the history that is under our feet and to our side and yet unknown. Case in point is 49-51 Fifth Avenue. Here is a quiet, refined 1920s apartment building, and yet behind that genteel facade it has some really surprising and interesting history. A new building […]
Our new website, VillagePreservation.org, has all the information and resources you expect from our old website, and more, but in a simpler, clearer, easier to use format, allowing you to get the latest news, do in-depth research, find out about events and programs, and easily support our work or get more involved. Whether you want a quick […]
The progressive mutual-benefit organization the International Workers Order (IWO) was located at 80 Fifth Avenue.
Today we salute Fawzy Abdelwahed (born September 28, 1973), who, along with his wife Ola, owns and runs the much beloved East Village restaurant, B&H Dairy. Fawzy’s is a true New York story featuring a Muslim born in Egypt and a former Catholic born in Poland who worked across the street from one another, fell […]
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer has recently weighed into the debate about upzoning SoHo and NoHo, expressing his unequivocal support for a change which would allow larger development in these neighborhoods, where current rules allow new structures 300 feet tall or greater. Various groups, in some cases backed by developers with vested interests and potential development sites in SoHo and […]
It’s no secret that we are big fans of the New York City Municipal Archives digital collection of all 720,000 of its tax photos of most building in New York City, taken 1939-1941. An intrepid NYer has created a website that mapped each photo to its location, making finding the location of interest exponentially easier […]
“The pathfinder mural is a historic political and artistic landmark now nearing completion on a six-story wall of Pathfinder publishing house in New York’s Greenwich Village. The centerpiece of the mural is a giant printing press churning out sheets of paper and books adorned with the portraits of outstanding working class and revolutionary leaders whose […]
On September 23, 1894, one of the East Village’s longest-running businesses, Veniero’s Pasticceria, opened its doors. This venerable local institution has been serving confections, cakes, and pastries to New Yorkers and visitors ever since from its home at 342 East 11th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, in the heart of what was once the […]
The final public hearing on the application to allow an air rights transfer to increase the allowable size of a planned office tower at 3 St. Mark’s Place (3rd Avenue) by 20% will take place this Thursday, September 24th at 10 am before the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee in Virtual Room 3. Click here for information on testifying […]
Village Preservation has partnered with Urban Archive to explore the history of the former P.S. 64/Charas-El Bohio Cultural Center in their Story of a Building campaign. The former P.S. 64 is located at 605 East 9th Street and opened in 1905. It was designed by architect C.B.J. Snyder and served as an innovative model in […]
The A.T. Stewart Store, now better known as the Sun Building, was built in 1845-46 by New York architects Joseph Trench and John B. Snook for the prosperous and pioneering merchant Alexander Turney Stewart (October 12, 1803 – April 10, 1876). This magnificent Italian Renaissance “Marble Palace” at 280 Broadway, designated an NYC individual landmark on October 7, 1986, is one of Manhattan’s most significant 19th century structures.
One of New York’s most historic but least known landmarks is the Bowne House, built ca. 1661 at 37-01 Bowne Street in Flushing, Queens. The two-and-a-half story wood house is the oldest building in the Borough of Queens and one of the oldest in New York City.
The Trump SoHo was approved for construction by the City on May 8, 2007, over the objections of dozens of elected officials and a broad coalition of community and business groups from across New York led by Village Preservation. Unfortunately, the City decided that the interests of deep-pocketed developers “trump” zoning protections for our neighborhoods, […]
Today we welcome aboard Lena Rubin as our Programs and Administrative Assistant. Lena has been interning with Village Preservation since June of 2020. In this role she has helped to plan public programs, assisted with the creation of the organization’s new website, and contributed to our East Village Building Blocks website and our upcoming South […]
The area south of Union Square is the center of an amazing and dynamic collection of histories.
Continuing our Cemeteries of the Village series, today we look at two historic cemeteries that predate the modern street grid: The St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery Vaults and the nearby but long gone St. Mark’s Cemetery. These two cemeteries both belonged to St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. The vaults beneath the Church still exist and remain the final […]
A two-story firehouse stands in the middle of the rich historic neighborhood south of Union Square.
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. When you’re hungry, […]
Quiet, reserved Perry Street has been home to some very not-quiet and reserved types over the years, including Frank Serpico, Margaret Mead, James Agee, Margaret Sanger, and Dawn Powell. Appropriately enough, the street’s namesake was also someone who was not afraid to make a little noise and shake things up either. And he did a […]
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 tumultuous year, with adjustments made, events canceled, battles fought and victories won. None of it would be possible without the ongoing support we receive from our members, which allows us to get through the […]
You never know what you may find when doing historic research in our neighborhoods, and it often raises more questions than it answers. I was recently looking into the history of a building on Fourth Avenue as part of our campaign to landmark the area south of Union Square. While scanning New York City Directories […]
Responding to the census and participating in the upcoming national elections are critical to ensuring our communities are represented, our voices heard, and our democracy maintained. However, doing each is a little different this time around. If you haven’t already, please fill out the 2020 Census, and make a plan for voting in November, including arranging […]
Archeologist Elizabeth D. Meade, PhD has created an amazing map of the hundreds of cemeteries and burial grounds, past and present, in NYC. Over 35 such sites can be found in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho, although according to the map, none are still active. Dr. Meade created this map because “Cemeteries are […]
Fifth Avenue, one of New York’s defining thoroughfares, stretches from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, kicked off (or terminated, depending upon your perspective) by Washington Square Arch. It stretches all the way to West 143rd Street in Harlem, and boasts some of New York’s as well as the country’s most significant architecture, and captures […]
We at Village Preservation keep tabs on all different types of preservation, including environmental sustainability. So we’ve been really interested to learn about the expanding opportunities in our neighborhoods for urban agriculture, and especially beekeeping. There are millions of bees buzzing around the five boroughs of New York City. From the rooftops of high-rises to […]
Archeologist Elizabeth D. Meade, PhD has created an amazing map of the hundreds of cemeteries and burial grounds, past and present, in NYC. Over 35 such sites can be found in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho, although according to the map, none are still active. Dr. Meade created this map because “Cemeteries are […]
The subject of how much government can and should invest in infrastructure and public works is a hot topic of debate, especially now. Such conversations often point back to the era of the New Deal when the federal government channeled our tax monies to local investments and funded and built much of New York City’s […]
Does this question sound familiar? Studios in Greenwich Village now often rent for at least $2,000 and up per month, meaning an artist would need an annual salary of $80,000 to “afford” this rent. Most artists do not earn $80,000 per year. This headline was not pulled from a current real estate blog but from […]
80 Fifth Avenue at 14th Street is a building with an incredibly rich civil rights and social justice history, about which we have done a great deal of research as part of our effort to preserve and landmark the unprotected area of Greenwich Village and the East Village south of Union Square. Apparently we’re not […]
The East Village is renowned as a place of great cultural innovation over the years. But two of the least well-known great leaps forward with roots in the neighborhood — which amazingly are rooted in the same building which still stands today — are the invention of the modern roller skate, and the beginning of […]
This may be a little known fact even for the most dedicated of Monkees fans, but from 1967 to 1969, Monkees lead singer Davy Jones had a ‘mod’ clothing shop called Zilch I at 217 Thompson Street, a 1909 tenement in the South Village Historic District which Village Preservation got landmarked in 2013 (more info […]
August is Black Business Month. So we’re showcasing some of the many amazing Black-owned businesses in our neighborhood. Like all our great independently-owned businesses, you can patronize all year round — not just in August. Mikey Likes It Ice Cream (199 Avenue A) Michael “Mikey” Cole is the founder and owner of Mikey Likes It […]
The five story Italianate style cast-iron loft building at 112 Fourth Avenue was constructed in 1872.
A remarkable number of people and places in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo played important roles in the move towards women’s suffrage. These neighborhoods were long centers of political ferment and progressive social change, and women and men here played a prominent part in removing barriers to women voting in New York State […]
A remarkable number of people and places in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo played important roles in the move towards women’s suffrage. These neighborhoods were long centers of political ferment and progressive social change, and women and men here played a prominent part in removing barriers to women voting in New York State […]
The plight of local small businesses and non-profit institutions right now is devastating. Forced to close or limit access due to the pandemic, many have lost income and shut down permanently. Storefronts are emptying, harming communities, neighbors, and property owners. Village Preservation is working with a coalition of local merchants, non-profits, elected officials, and property owners to […]
Fifty-four years ago this week, the Charlton King VanDam Historic District was designated, only the fourth historic district ever designated in New York City and the first in Greenwich Village, with one of the oldest intact sets of buildings in New York City and the city’s highest concentration of Federal 1790-1835) and Greek Revival (1830-1850) houses. Landmark […]
August 18th is the hundredth anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment, which prohibited discrimination in voting in the United States based upon sex. It was the culmination of generations of effort by dedicated women and men, many of whom lived, worked, wrote, organized, protested, marched, and lobbied in Greenwich Village, the East Village, […]
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. In many ways, […]
The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted on August 18, 1920, affirming that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” The adoption was the culmination of decades of work by suffragists to eliminate […]
We here at Village Preservation are in the business (so to speak) of trying to help ensure historic buildings are preserved and, when necessary, adapted and reused rather than destroyed. Historic buildings lend character and tell stories that newer ones typically cannot. But they’re also good for the environment — there’s a truism that the […]
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. Our latest oral history follows Rick […]
On May 4, 1912, ten thousand people marched for women’s suffrage along Fifth Avenue.
Today, global economic crises are all too familiar and common. A bad day on Wall Street, or a troubling decision by China or the European Union, can send markets tumbling around the world, with the effects felt swiftly and pervasively. That’s because, in the 21st century, news can reach virtually anywhere almost instantaneously, and our […]
You might be surprised to know that the Hospital for Special Surgery, the oldest existing orthopedic hospital in the United State, and a powerhouse in the world of medicine and orthopedic surgery, actually began in a row house in the increasingly immigrant-filled East Village more than 150 years ago. In 1863 in the middle of […]
Director Nicholas Ray (August 7th, 1911-June 16, 1979) most noted for his celebrated 1955 film Rebel Without A Cause and a string of celebrated and influential (if not always commercially successful) films, was born in Galesville, Wisconsin as Raymond Nicholas Kienzle, Jr. Though not from Greenwich Village, his professional career both began and ended here, […]
GVSHP 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. 2020 marks the 75th year […]
Author Tony Hiss has written 14 books on a wide range of subjects, was a staff writer for the New Yorker for over 30 years, and served on Village Preservation’s Board of Advisors. Tony lives with his wife Lois Metzger, also an author, in the same two-bedroom walk-up at 22 East 8th Street that his […]
Hilly Kristal is no doubt best known as the owner of CBGB in the East Village. But he actually had his first restaurant and bar in Greenwich Village just a few years before CBGB opened. Located at 62 West 9th Street, it was known simply as Hilly’s, and served coq au vin and duck a […]
In the late 1880s, Brooklyn-born Sarah Smith Garnet helped found the Equal Suffrage League, a Brooklyn-based club for Black women, which worked with the Niagara Movement, a predecessor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP.). She also served as superintendent of the Suffrage Department of the National Association of Colored Women. […]
La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street A colorful little shop that anyone who has walked on East 3rd Street will recognize is La Sirena. A former Village Preservation Business of the Month in 2017, owner Dina Leor celebrates two decades of being in business. Some small shops pack so much energy they seem to flow […]
Beginning in the 1890s and lasting for over 80 years, the area between Astor Place and Union Square was a hub of secondhand bookstores.
Greenwich Village is known as the home and birthplace of many a cultural movement — The New York School of Painters and Writers, the modern LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement, many notable advances in African American and women’s rights, the Ashcan School of painters, and so much more. One popular art form less strongly associated with […]
These days, with cameras on our phones always at the ready, we give little consideration to a time when picture-taking technology was in its infancy. In the late 1830s, methods were first being developed to capture light and shadows on film — the earliest version of photography. As the technology developed, however, one subject proved […]
Ira Frederick Aldridge is today remembered as one of the most renowned actors of the nineteenth century.
Art of Our Century Gallery Celebrates 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage with a contemporary twist A Particular Group of Women at a Particular Place in Time, a solo exhibit of paintings timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment granting women suffrage in the United States, opens Thursday July 23, 2020 at Art of […]
We’re in the midst of battling a global pandemic, with a federal government which often seems disinterested at best in addressing the situation and unwilling to take the steps necessary to stop it. Though very different, it’s not the first time we’ve faced such a situation. In the 1980s and 90s, Greenwich Village, the East […]
This homesick Texan is always on the lookout for a tasty taco…! And while I may miss my home state on occasion (mostly because I miss the Tex-Mex food!), I can tell you that there are plenty of tremendous treats right here in our neighborhoods to choose from. It’s time to head out into the […]
Today we welcome aboard Joey Rodriguez in the role of Director of Communications. Joey comes to us from the Flushing YMCA where he served as the Fund Development and Communications Director for the last two years, and helped guide both their internal and external communications plans as well as their major fundraising planning. Before the […]
Limbo, the renowned vintage clothing shop on St. Marks Place in the East Village during the late 1960s and early 1970s, was started by Martin (Marty) Freedman in 1965. It was first located at 24 St. Mark’s Place, and by 1967, made its home at 4 St. Mark’s Place. This second-hand shop, initially appealing to […]
In 1965, Village Voice writer Jonas Mekas — founder of the Anthology Film Archive, Village Awardee, and subject of a Village Preservation oral history — wrote: “It is not very often a new film-maker with so much promise comes on to the scene. There are several things that are good about Goldman. First, the mastery […]
When President Nixon was in trouble, with his aides taped saying they needed an enemy to demonize, they looked to a Harvard Professor and spiritual guru of sorts that had operated in Greenwich Village. Dr. Timothy Leary was that conjured demon. Timothy Leary at 551 Hudson Street. 1966. Social movements and societal upheaval at the time challenged […]
In 1626, Paulo d’Angola arrived to New Amsterdam on the first ship bringing enslaved people to this region.
We are very excited to share our new and improved Historic Image Archive with you! Whether you are an historic researcher or photography buff, our new archive offers endless layers of history to explore. From our original collections to our most recent additions, our new Historic Image Archive now offers new tools such as an […]
On July 10, 1925, what would come to be known as the “Scopes Monkey Trial” began in Dayton, Tennessee.
726-730 Broadway (aka 418-426 Lafayette Street) is a through-block loft building located in the NoHo Historic District. Not much to look at, what used to be here is infinitely more interesting and surprising than what is, and has been, for over a hundred years. In this case what used to be here was perhaps New […]
Certain times a year like “Small Business Saturday” or “National Small Business Week” we’re encouraged to shop local to promote our independent retailers. That’s nice, but one day or week a year is not enough, especially when our local small businesses are facing challenges like never before. We need to shop “Small Business EVERY-Day” to […]
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. Summer is here, […]
Jackson Square Library, one of New York City’s first free circulating libraries, was a gift of George Washington Vanderbilt, III.
Greenwich Village and the East Village have launched many a musical career over the decades. But perhaps one of the least known examples of the neighborhoods as musical launching pad involves one of the most famous names in music. Elvis Presley, “the King of Rock and Roll,” or simply “The King,” has been known and […]
Civil War Major General Daniel E. Sickles had one of history’s most contentious, strange, and multifarious biographies.
The July heat can be miserable in the city. How do New Yorkers cool off? By hitting up their favorite independently-owned local ice cream shops. Fortunately National Ice Cream Month starts tomorrow, which makes justifying indulging that sweet tooth even easier to do. And if you’re supporting one of local small businesses that are facing […]
New York City has a rich history of developing a library system, starting with a variety of private charitable ones, several of which became the basis for the New York Public Library, the largest municipal library in the world. Some of those private libraries remained private, and some even still exist today, while others went […]
For nearly a quarter of a century, the International Workers Order fought relentlessly for racial equality.
LGBT nightlife in New York has changed drastically throughout the years, with an exodus of sorts to Brooklyn. There have been a multitude of reasons suggested for the decline, including rising rents, growing social acceptance obviating the need for LGBT clubs, and dating culture shifting to apps, eliminating the need to meet someone in a […]
Where do folk music and gothic poetry come together? In Greenwich Village, of course! Two beloved but very different figures in the Village’s history are united in a surprising twist — the activist and folk singer Phil Ochs set a poem penned by the notoriously morbid Edgar Allan Poe, “The Bells,” to music. This unexpected […]
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings recently released an album by Doc Watson and Gaither Carlton of old-time music produced from archival recordings by two legendary musicians performing live in Greenwich Village. These largely unheard tapes were recorded at Doc Watson’s two earliest concerts, in 1962. Those shows were among the rare appearances of Doc’s father-in-law and fiddler […]
Ten years ago today, we secured landmark designation of 235 buildings on 12 blocks in Greenwich Village, the largest expansion of the Greenwich Village Historic District in its history. It included streets and structures many would consider the heart of our neighborhood, yet lacked protections and were endangered by developers and institutions like NYU. This […]
While it is a well-established fact that our neighborhoods have attracted and been home to some of the most groundbreaking artists and art movements of the past couple of centuries, the stories of our groundbreaking residents never cease to amaze us. One such maverick who lived in our midst was La Diva Divina, opera legend […]
Mayor Jimmy Walker (1881-1946), known affectionately as “Beau James,” was New York City’s mayor from 1925 to 1932. He was known for his charm, good looks, impeccable wardrobe, and lavish tastes, very much reflective of the Jazz Age during which he served as mayor. He also became known for the rampant corruption of his administration, […]
The Women’s House of Detention, an eleven-story prison in the center of Greenwich Village, closed on June 13th, 1971.
June is Pride Month, which makes it an especially exciting time to be in the Village. LGBT history is closely tied with our neighborhood and their culture, and throughout the course of this month we’re focusing on four areas of our neighborhood — the West Village, East Village, NoHo, and South Village — to highlight […]
Uta Thyra Hagen had one of the longest and most impressive acting careers in American theater.
Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This year, on June 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually.
It’s Pride Month!! Today we look at Richard Wandel, someone who has been instrumental in archiving LGBT history and who shared his story with us through our Oral History Project — read or listen to it here. Richard Wandel is a former President of the Gay Activists’ Alliance (GAA) in New York, and the founding […]
Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This year, on June 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually. Thompson Alchemists is not just a regular neighborhood pharmacy. This […]
In recent weeks, probably more than ever, New Yorkers have come to cherish their local pharmacies. Already places of community comfort where the local pharmacist knows your name, they were friendly and sometimes lifesaving places, even in less tumultuous times. While the city is re-opening in phases, pharmacies have stayed open through this whole pandemic. And while that may be easily taken for granted given their professionalism and dedication, that does not obscure the risks they took in opening every day to serve us. An example: Ali Yasin, the founder of New York City Pharmacy, located at 206 1st Avenue between 12th and 13th Street, lost his life at the age of 67 in May from Covid. In recognition of his service and sacrifice, and all his pharmacy continues to do, New York City Pharmacy is our June Business of the Month.
Westbeth is the first subsidized housing for artists in the United States, offering affordable housing and work space in New York City.
June is Pride Month, a time when LGBT communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. The Stonewall uprising in June 1969 is the original inspiration behind the annual June festivities. The global coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, including how pride festivities take place this year, as the annual NYC Pride parade has […]
Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This year, on June 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually. Cinema Village, located at 22 East 12th Street, is the […]
Westbeth photographer Shelley Seccombe has been documenting the Greenwich Village waterfront since 1970.
On the 19th of April in 1860, the New York state legislature passed a bill punishing an act, or omission of an act, that caused pain to animals “unjustifiably.” It was a historic step forward in the nineteenth-century movement toward animal protection. Just a few days before the New York legislature passed the animal-welfare act […]
Village Preservation has developed online resources for students from our acclaimed children’s education program, History and Historic Preservation. These videos and activities are designed for children ages 5-7. During this time of remote learning, these are a great resource and a way to keep children engaged and expand their horizons from home. Today we introduce Part […]
Dr. Robert Hogan, resident of 175 MacDougal Street, started the Irish Emigrant Society in 1841.
In 1983, Michael Konnon decided to create a dedicated, independent community pharmacy.
Whenever a building is demolished, something is lost, even if the planned replacement is a worthy one. In the case of 268-272 East 2nd Street, currently a nondescript four-story building, one might never guess the outstanding century-and-a-half history of the property serving those in need in some pretty extraordinary ways from 1867 until today, with […]
Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. On June 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees — RSVP here to participate virtually. Chess Forum at 219 Thompson Street (West 3rd/Bleecker Streets) has been located in […]
Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 — December 10, 1990), American industrialist most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, was born on the Lower East Side to Russian immigrant parents and raised in the Bronx. He was, by all accounts, an eccentric person, prone to flights of extravagance and exaggeration, and well known for his art collection […]
