I Love the 80s…Map!

We recently wrote about the online release of the 1940s tax photos of every building in New York City by the New York City Municipal Archives.  As we mentioned, the 1980s tax photos have been available online for a while now. However, Maps Mania has taken this a step further and made this resource infinitely […]

Dylan and the Village on Film

The Village in the 1960s was a hotbed of creativity. In one of the most defining moments of that decade, in January 1961, a twenty-year-old Bob Dylan moved here to play the clubs and become a recording artist. Photographer Fred W. McDarrah was the photographer behind the Village Voice at the time. McDarrah had a […]

From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South

Straddling Greenwich Village and the East Village, the neighborhood south of Union Square between Fifth and Third Avenues was once a center of groundbreaking commercial innovations, radical leftist politics, and the artistic avant-garde. With the city’s recent decision to allow an upzoning for a “Tech Hub” on the neighborhood’s doorstep on 14th Street, there are […]

Kirk Douglas – Actor, Producer and Villager

“I am Spartacus!” That is what many people think of when they think of Kirk Douglas, in his role in the 1960 film Spartacus as the leader of a slave revolt in ancient Rome. But did you know he once made his home in Greenwich Village? While he was a struggling actor at the beginning […]

That Time (One of Many) When Trump Was Caught

On December 6, 2006, the Trump SoHo ‘Condo-Hotel’ was caught advertising its planned units to prospective buyers as a “Primary Residence” or “Secondary Residence.” GVSHP found the advertisements and immediately fired off a letter demanding yet again that construction of the building not be allowed, as the zoning for the area prohibited residential uses. Unfortunately, […]

Prohibition Hits The Village

There have been a handful of times in this country when the outcome of a political campaign was truly stunning. Such was the case in 1919 when several groups known as the “Drys” won a 70 year campaign to prohibit the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol.  The 18th Amendment abolished booze in on January […]

Interior Artwork of Our Lady of Pompeii Church

The Center For Migration Studies has provided GVSHP with historic images in the past, and recently sent us several images of the interior artwork of Our Lady of Pompeii church. The church has stood on the northwest corner of Carmine and Bleecker Streets since 1928, but the congregation dates back to 1892, when Father Pietro […]

    Only Seven Landmarks in One of New York’s Most Historically Rich Areas? What about 37 East 12th Street?

    Recently we looked at seven late 19th and early 20th century buildings now under consideration for landmarking by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (read about them here,) They are all located along Broadway south of Union Square, in an area rich in architectural and cultural significance, and also increasingly endangered since the approval by the […]

      The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a Visual Ode to the Village

      My favorite series in the past MANY years is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel written by the amazing Amy Sherman-Palladino.  Not only is her rapid-fire dialogue and direction a joy to watch and listen to, but the actors who have been cast in the show are sublimely well-suited for their roles.  Then, of course, there are […]

        POPS goes the Village!

        Privately owned public spaces, or POPS, are public areas adjoining or adjacent to buildings created through incentivized zoning.  What this zoning means is that by providing a public space, developers are given a floor area bonus, allowing them to build a larger building with a greater Floor Area Ratio (FAR) than they would have been […]

        New Historic Images- Astor Place, 10th Street, Village Community School, and more.

        GVSHP just added 29 new historic images to our archive taken from current public applications to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) for significant changes to landmarked buildings in our neighborhoods. Historic photos are typically included in applications to provide explanation or context for proposed changes in historic districts or to individually landmarked structures, and GVSHP […]

        The Cemeteries of the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue Shearith Israel

        On March 31, 1492, Spain ordered that all Jews living within the kingdom either convert to Christianity or be expelled. Portugal did the same less than five years later. Some of those Spanish Jews converted and remained in Spain, either secretly practicing their faith or genuinely converting (even some of those, however, continued to face […]

        Buy a Book Locally on Small Business Saturday

        “Small Business Saturday” is this coming Saturday, a day to promote the independent retailers and other businesses that enrich our neighborhoods. To help you help our local small businesses, we’ve compiled a list of books that we have featured this year at our free public programs, along with local bookstores where you can buy them […]

        The Birth of Mass Transit in NYC

        Mass transit emerged in New York City in 1827 with the omnibus, a large stagecoach pulled by horses that could accommodate about a dozen riders at a time. While horse-drawn carriages had always existed in NYC, the omnibus was different because it ran along a designated route and was a more affordable option. “Omni” meant the bus carried everyone […]

        One Street, Many Great Local Businesses: Bleecker Street

        Four years ago today, GVSHP launched our Business of the Month program, in which each month a local independent business is featured on GVSHP’s website and blog Off the Grid, and shared with thousands of followers via our e-bulletins and social media, showcasing one of the great retail treasures of the Village, East Village, or […]

        Ernest Flagg Roundup!

        On November 12th, 1968, Firehouse Engine Co. 33 at 44 Great Jones Street was designated a New York City landmark.  The design of the firehouse, a “distinguished example of French Beaux Arts architecture,” is attributed to architect Ernest Flagg (February 6, 1857 – April 10, 1947).  Flagg has designed quite a few significant buildings around […]

          James Renwick, Jr., 19th Century Architect Extraordinaire!

          James Renwick, Jr. was born on November 11, 1818, in New York City.  He would become one of the most successful American architects of the 19th century, designing such high profile buildings as New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Smithsonian “Castle” in Washington D.C., and Grace Church, right here in our neighborhood on Broadway […]

            World War I Centennial and the Village

            November 11, 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice which ended World War I, a war that engulfed most of Europe since 1914. United States troops tipped the balance toward Allied victory, placing the United States on the world stage in a new way. The war came at a great cost, though. WWI claimed […]

            Many Layers of History at 7th Avenue and 11th Street

            This post is part of a series about Village intersections that correspond to the date.  In July, we took a look at 7th Avenue and 12th Street and discussed the former St. Vincent’s Hospital.  Yet, just a block down on 11th Street more history can be seen that’s not connected to the demolished medical center. In […]

              My Favorite Things: Andrew Berman Edition

                This post is part of a series about our favorite things in and about the Village. Andrew Berman, GVSHP’s Executive Director since 2002, has a plethora of favorite things about our neighborhoods, so it’s hard to press him for a discreet list.  But there are a few things that Andrew feels particularly passionate about, […]

              Spiral Group: From Greenwich Village to the Brooklyn Museum

              A recent visit to the powerful exhibit Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power at the Brooklyn Museum surprised me with its deep Greenwich Village roots. The show begins in 1963, before the emergence of the Black Power Movement later in the decade, with work by members of the Spiral Group arts […]

                Halloween Has Gone to the Dogs!

                The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade has been a much-loved event in the East Village since the 1990s.  This year’s parade was initially canceled, but then moved to the East River Park Amphitheater. 

                  My Favorite Things: Tom Birchard Edition

                  We decided it was high time for some of our most ardent and vocal supporters to have a say here on Off the Grid.  To that end, we have invited one of our favorite East Villagers, Tom Birchard, owner of Veselka, to let us know his favorite East Village spots. We at GVSHP highly endorse […]

                  Remembering Hurricane Sandy

                  On Monday, October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy a.k.a. “Superstorm Sandy” made landfall in New York. It was one of the most devastating natural disasters to ever hit New York. It inflicted $19 billion in damages and killed 43 people in New York City. Many neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Queens were flooded by the 14-foot storm […]

                    Map Every Street Tree — Which is Your Favorite?

                    Fall is the time to notice the sublime changing colors of the leaves on the trees. Or smell the fallen nuts of a gingko tree that some harvest in parks to eat.  Did you know that there is a great  online map of every street tree in NYC?  Which one do you walk by and admire?  […]

                    Basque & Bank

                    October 25 is the Day of the Basque Country, the national holiday of the Basque Autonomous Community.  But did you know that 82 Bank Street was once a major hub for the Basque community in NYC?

                      “An Intimate and Unconventional Space:” Caffe Cino

                      Caffe Cino at 31 Cornelia Street was a community, a haven, the birthplace of countless theatrical careers and movements, and the origin of off-off-Broadway theater. In November 2017, Caffe Cino was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which is a great symbolic honor for the Caffe, which opened in 1958 and closed its […]

                        Contest: Recreate A Historic Photo!

                        GVSHP has partnered with the free Urban Archive App over the past year to share our historic image archive via this location-based tool. As part of this partnership, we conducted scavenger hunts in the East Village and Greenwich Village, and created guided walking tours of the Bowery and Meatpacking District. Now we’re sharing the opportunity […]

                        John Reed: Journalist, Revolutionary and Villager

                        John “Jack” Silas Reed was an American journalist, poet and communist activist at the beginning of the 20th century whose writing about revolutionary events and radical causes made him a very polarizing figure in this country and abroad. He is probably best known as the author of Ten Days That Shook the World, his account […]

                        Business of the Month: East Village Vintage Collective, 545 East 12th 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. A little shop on East 12th Street […]

                        Woody Guthrie’s New York Comes Alive

                        Folk music icon Woody Guthrie was a little man with beady eyes – as described by his second wife Marjorie, though she had imagined him to be taller, strapping, and more like a proper cowboy than he was. Perhaps it was because of his Dust Bowl Ballads, his first album, chronicling his travels from Dust […]

                          Historic Broadway Gems Saved from Demolition

                          On October 17, 2017 the Landmarks Preservation Commissions (LPC) held a hearing to consider landmarking 827-831 Broadway, the threatened 1866 lofts once home to Willem de Kooning. Just two weeks later, the LPC voted to landmark them, culminating a year and a half campaign by GVSHP and our allies to save them from the wrecking […]

                            Wanamaker’s, A Shoppers Paradise

                            In a recent application to the Landmarks Preservation Commission to make some changes to the building at 770 Broadway (8th/9th Streets), there is a great picture of this impressive building being constructed; the photos from this application are now part of our historic image archive. This photo really showcases the construction technology of a steel […]

                            Open House New York in Greenwich Village: The history of three unique sites

                            Among the many delights included in this weekend’s Open House New York will be three iconic Greenwich Village buildings–a Gothic Revival church with many architectural firsts, a library that was originally a courthouse which heard the “Trial of the Century,” and a groundbreaking artists’ housing complex that was formerly home to Bell Telephone Labs and the site […]

                            The Ninth Street Five

                            The now infamous Ninth Street Show, a ‘coming out’ of sorts for the post-war New York avant-garde art scene, began as a whimsical idea, but ended up literally overturning the hegemony of the uptown artists and art dealers over the art world in the mid-20th century New York art scene.  The show was to become the […]

                              One Track Mind: Drawing the New York Subway

                              The New York City subway system is messy, crowded, unreliable, full of musicians, and generally teeming with folks who will bowl you over if you’re not careful. It’s also full of art. Graffiti and advertisements, yes, but that’s not the kind of art we’re talking about. The stations themselves were built with art. The tiles may be […]

                              No One Had Ever Heard a Howl Like That Before

                              The Beat poets, inextricably linked with the Village and East Village, materialized in the post-WWII American of white picket fences to celebrate all things messy, countercultural, drug-addled, disenfranchised, and unstoppably vital. East Villager Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” was an anthem of this movement, with its power, breathlessness, and breadth of content. And on October 7, 1955, Ginsberg […]

                              Lost Saints of the Village

                              The Village is hallowed ground, and much like any sacred space, its landscape is marked by holy figures.  For our neighborhoods, these figures are the architecture, and we even have our own “saints.”  Yet, while these saints are often canonized in our memory, some of them have unfortunately left our temporal plane.  With our fighting […]

                              Ithiel Town: It’s All Greek (and Gothic) to Him

                              Ithiel Town, born on October 3, 1784, transformed American architecture, as well as the landscape of our neighborhoods.  A significant figure in beginning the Greek and Gothic Revivals in this country, he was among the first professional architects here and started the first architectural firm, later joined by Alexander Jackson Davis, another seminal figure in […]

                              Only Seven Landmarks in One of New York’s Most Historically Rich Areas?

                              Seven late 19th and early 20th century buildings are now under consideration for landmarking by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. They are all located along Broadway south of Union Square, in an area rich in architectural and cultural significance, and also increasingly endangered.  So in looking around the area, it begs the question: […]

                              What’s in a name? Gay Street

                              Gay Street is one of the most charming and picturesque streets in Greenwich Village, an icon of the historic neighborhood’s anachronistic character. But the origins of its name are hotly debated, with the LGBT rights movement and abolitionism often cited as the source of its unusual nomenclature. And while the street certainly has strong connections to […]

                              A ‘Riveting’ Historic Photo Mystery Solved!

                              GVSHP’s historic image archive reflects an amazing cross-section of NYC history. Many of the images arrived to us unidentified in terms of location. We have solved many historic photo mysteries including identifying the location of this one at 15 Carmine Street, this one on St. Marks Place and 2nd Avenue, and these South Street Seaport images. However, a few mysteries […]

                                Remembering General Slocum, the man

                                On September 24, 1827, Union General Henry Slocum was born.  Though the namesake of the steamship fire that became one of the largest losses of life in NYC history (second only to 9/11), General Slocum the man was also an important figure in his own right, having served prominent in the Civil War, and served […]

                                Villagers, (Pumpkin) Spice Up Your Life!

                                The fall equinox is this weekend, ushering in the start of autumn. As we all know, autumn has a flavor, and that flavor is pumpkin spice.  A mixture generally consisting of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice, in the 21st century it has made its way out of the pumpkin pie and into the coffee […]

                                A Landmark Library Lives On

                                It might be temporarily closed for renovations, but when the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library opened in 1884 it was New York City’s first free public library, and was designated a New York City landmark on September 20, 1977.  

                                  Nile Rodgers: Musical Innovator, Child of the Village

                                  The award-winning guitarist, composer, and producer Nile Rodgers was born on September 19, 1952. Rodgers co-founded the influential disco group Chic; produced music for artists as diverse as David Bowie, Sister Sledge, Daft Punk, Madonna, Diana Ross, and Disclosure; and played a pivotal role in the flowering and success of rap and hip hop. Less […]

                                  Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Nuyorican Poets Cafe

                                  “For the poor New York Puerto Rican, there are three survival possibilities,” the poet Miguel Algarin wrote in 1975. “The first is to labor for money and exist in eternal debt. “The second is to refuse to trade hours for dollars and to live by your will and ‘hustle.’ “The third possibility is to create […]

                                    How well do you know the Village?

                                    GVSHP partnered with the Village Alliance and Urban Archive to host a scavenger hunt in the Village on September 15, 2018. One team got all 30 questions right – can you match their knowledge of the Village? We’ll give you the first one free- it’s the meeting spot of the Scavenger Hunt at Washington Mews. Now you […]

                                    The oldest house in the Village? It’s not what you think

                                    The Village is known as one of the oldest parts of New York City, where historic architecture can be found everywhere, and charming houses from a bygone era still stand. Here at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, a perennial question we’re asked is “which is the oldest house in the Village?” It’s a […]

                                    My Favorite Things: Village Icon Tom Fontana!

                                    “Tom Fontana does not own or use a computer.  He writes his scripts in longhand on yellow legal pads. Emails for Tom are sent to his office where a hard copy is prepared for him.” This is a notice from Tom’s webmaster at tomfontana.com and I lead with this information because, in this day and age, […]

                                      When NYC’s Last Surviving Horse Auction Mart, and Frank Stella’s Former Studio, Were Almost Demolished

                                      Did you know that 128 East 13th Street is believed to be the last surviving horse and carriage auction mart building in New York City? It was threatened with demolition until GVSHP got the Landmark Preservation Commission to hold an emergency hearing on landmarking the building on September 7, 2006, which started the long path toward […]

                                      Many Layers of History at 9th Street and 5th Avenue

                                      This post is part of a series about Village intersections that correspond to the date. September is here and a new month means a new corresponding Village intersection!  Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue is now the site of several large apartment buildings, but did you know it was once the location of the famous Brevoort […]

                                      New York Biscuit Stables

                                      In the early 2000’s GVSHP conducted research that led to the designation of the Gansevoort Market Historic District. That research included photo surveys of the area. We recently added one such photo survey to GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive covering the northern area of the district above 14th street including the Chelsea Market, the old Nabisco factory, and the High […]

                                      Many Layers of History, and Beyond the Village and Back: Penn Station

                                      Today is a rare day on Off the Grid as we are able to combine two of our ongoing series: Many Layers of History and Beyond the Village and Back. Unlike some of our other ‘Many Layers of History’ dates, August 31st or 8/31 does not correspond with any Village intersection.  But it does correspond with […]

                                      Dorothy Day

                                      “We need to change the system. We need to overthrow, not the government, as the authorities are always accusing the Communists [of conspiring to do], but this rotten, decadent, putrid industrial capitalist system which breeds such suffering in the whited sepulcher of New York.” Such are the words of the “radical Christian,” Dorothy Day, who […]

                                      Street Grid Changes Revealed in New Tool

                                      The Department of City Planning (DCP) recently launched an online tool that has compiled more than 8,000 historic maps of New York City and laid it on the current street grid. The fun and interesting tool is called NYC Street Map, and it allows you to see alterations made to the City Map since 1938. The brown and […]

                                      Historic Photo Mysteries Solved

                                      Last week we put out a call for help to solve mysteries regarding the locations of some images from our Historic Image Archive‘s most recent addition, Carole Teller’s Changing New York, Part 4. Some were solved this week by readers, and some by staff. Some still remain unsolved… if you think you know the location of any of […]

                                      My Favorite Things: Ice Cream Edition!

                                      It’s August in New York.  It’s hot.  Need I say more? And conversations tend to revolve around the temperatures at this time of year.  How hot is it?  How humid is it?  When will the heat let up?  Is autumn around the corner yet?  We here at GVSHP decided that it was high time to […]

                                      Alex Haley and the Village

                                      The renowned writer Alex Haley was born on August 11 in 1921. In the 1960’s, the Haley rented a writing studio in the back of the Greenwich Village building at 92 Grove Street. It was here that Haley conducted over 50 interviews with Malcolm X over a 2-year period, beginning in 1963. Malcolm X, the […]

                                      Villager David Wojnarowicz: History Keeps Me Awake At Night at the Whitney Museum

                                      GVSHP took a trip to the Whitney Museum’s exhibition called “David Wojnarowicz: History Keeps Me Awake at Night,” and learned about this incredible Villager, artist, poet, and activist.  His work from the 1990s, before his death of complications from AIDS, agitated for change and strove for visibility, supporting and nurturing a community of artists through hard […]

                                        From George Washington to Hudson Square: The history of the Charlton-King-VanDam neighborhood

                                        It’s an often-overlooked enclave with the largest concentration of Federal and Greek Revival style houses in New York City. Its origins can be traced back to historical figures as esteemed as George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jacob Astor, but it’s just as deeply connected to Italian immigrants and radical 20th-century innovators. The […]

                                        Cats and the Village

                                        August 8th is International Cat Day! From pets to pest control, cats make up an important but often overlooked part of NYC and its neighborhoods.  In the Village, you can not only find them in many of the bodegas that dot the neighborhoods, but also in a few areas dedicated to rescuing cats and finding […]

                                          “Papa” Luigi Fagazy: Pillar of the South Village

                                          An important figure within New York’s Italian immigrant communities was the padrone — a middleman acting on behalf of his compatriots, helping them with advice, assistance, and protection. Padrone actually means “boss or lord,” and some may have abused their power and taken advantage of or exploited their fellow Italian immigrants, many acted in a much […]

                                          Business of the Month: Thompson Alchemists, 132 Thompson 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. There is something especially welcoming when you […]

                                          When NYC collapsed: The rise and fall of America’s largest and grandest hotel

                                          In the mid-1970s, New York City was falling apart. Its finances, infrastructure, and social cohesion were, figuratively speaking, crumbling. But in one very tragic case, they were literally crumbling, too. And it all came tumbling down on August 3, 1973, when what was once one of the world’s grandest hotels (which had more recently become known for […]

                                          Many Layers of History at St. Marks and 2nd Avenue!

                                          This post is part of a series about Village blocks that correspond to calendar dates.  You can read some of the other ones here. August is here and so is another date that corresponds with a Village intersection! As we are now in the 8th month, we’re taking a look at every East Villager’s favorite […]

                                          A Bevy of New Historic Images from Landmarks Applications

                                          Every month, GVSHP posts the upcoming applications for changes to landmarked properties in our neighborhoods that are significant enough to warrant a public hearing, known as certificates of appropriateness. Typically included in these applications are old photos of the properties which can serve to provide explanation or justification for proposed changes to landmarked structures. GVSHP […]

                                          Walking the Meatpacking District With GVSHP’s Historic Image Archive

                                          Last week we shared an online Historic Bowery Walking Tour. This week we are sharing a walking tour of the Gansevoort Market Historic District, landmarked in 2003 thanks to efforts by GVSHP. Back in 2002 GVSHP wrote: “Gansevoort Market is one of Manhattan’s defining neighborhoods – gritty, hard-working, low-rise, with its own special character, and a rich collection […]

                                          Top Five Greenwich Village Moments in Fourteenth Amendment History

                                          The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted on July 28, 1868, played an important role in setting legal precedents for equality after the Civil War. The most radically worded of the Reconstruction Amendments, it was intended by its post–Civil War Radical Republican sponsors to stop the efforts by the former Confederate states to nullify emancipation. Its language promotes “liberty” […]