Irish Churches of the Village

The following was originally written by Sheryl Woodruff and posted two years ago. It has been updated with new content. Read the original post here.  It seems that on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish or of Irish descent. The parade winds its way up Fifth Avenue, tourists and locals patronize the many Irish pubs that […]

Mother Courage – Serving Feminism and Food

March is Women’s History Month. We here at GVSHP are celebrating by highlighting different sites and locations of significance to Women’s history in the Village. A great source is our recently-released Civil Rights & Social Justice Map, which has more than twenty sites connected to Women’s history and women’s rights; click here to see them all. As […]

Happy Pi Day!

Happy Pi Day! Every year on March 14th is the celebration of the mathematical constant Pi (π) as the month/day (3/14) matches the first three significant digits of π (3.14).  A traditional way to celebrate Pi Day is to indulge in a slice of pie.  Below we have compiled a list of a few places […]

‘Tech hub’ part of spreading development virus

Op-ed by GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman in  Read it here. To great fanfare, Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced plans for a slick new “tech hub” to be built on E. 14th St. just east of Fourth Ave., on the current site of a P.C. Richard store. Sandwiched between two high-rise New York University […]

Fillmore East Then and Now

On March 8, 1968, the Fillmore East opened at 105 Second Avenue. The first night’s lineup of Big Brother & Holding Company, Tim Buckley, and Albert King was the start of a three year run of music legends that included The Who, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Blood Sweat & Tears, The Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna, the Allman […]

    Remembering Landmarking Success in the Far West Village

    On March 6, 2007, three historic structures GVSHP fought to have preserved were designated as New York City landmarks:  159 Charles Street, 354 West 11th Street and 150 Barrow Street, aka the Keller Hotel.  These designations represent just part of GVSHP’s ongoing campaign to preserve the Far West Village, which has also resulted in three historic […]

    Black History Month in the Village: African-American & LGBT Historic Sites

    February is Black History Month.  We here at GVSHP are celebrating it by highlighting different sites of significance to the African-American community within our neighborhoods.  We’re focusing on sites found on our new Civil Rights & Social Justice Map, discussing their connections to African-American History and the Civil Rights Movement.

    Oral History: Gloria McDarrah and Last Chance to Purchase an Iconic Piece of History

    Three years ago today, Village Preservation conducted an oral history with Gloria McDarrah, a Village resident for over 60 years and a longtime member of GVSHP.  She worked in publishing, education, and for a while in the 1990’s, at the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Gloria has lived in a variety of locations throughout the Village and […]

    Private Tour of ‘Inventing Downtown’ Exhibit for GVSHP Members

      Our friends at the Grey Art Gallery hosted a wonderful private tour of their most recent exhibition for GVSHP members last night! The exhibition, entitled Inventing Downtown: Artist –Run Galleries in New York City 1952-1965, highlights artists’ efforts to create new exhibition venues for innovative and ever-evolving works of art — from abstract and […]

    Veselka Then and Now

    In 2014, Village Preservation conducted an oral history interview with Veselka owner and Village Preservation Trustee Tom Birchard. Tom is the son-in-law of Veselka’s original owner, who in 1954 bought a candy shop from a retiring Italian couple. It became a destination for the growing Ukrainian population, serving them homemade traditional Eastern European dishes and […]

    Black History Month: Alex Haley

    February is Black History Month.  We here at GVSHP are celebrating by highlighting different sites and locations of significance to African-American history in the Village.  A great source is our recently-released Civil Rights & Social Justice Map, which has more than twenty sites connected to African-American history and civil rights; click here to see them all. One […]

    Black History Month in the East Village: Black Arts Movement

    February is Black History Month.  We here at GVSHP are celebrating it by highlighting different sites of significance to the African-American community within our neighborhoods, including those on our new Civil Rights & Social Justice Map. In early 1962, writer Amiri Baraka (then known as LeRoi Jones) and then-wife Hettie Jones moved into the house at 27 Cooper […]

    When Valentines Were Works of Art

    Happy Valentine’s Day! Love may be in the air for some, while others (myself included) might just use this holiday as a great excuse to binge on sugar. But no matter how the adults are celebrating, we can count on school children across the country to tote paper valentines into class today. Store-bought valentines offer all shapes, themes, […]

    Sheridan Square Uncovered

    GVSHP recently released 90 new images on the GVSHP image archive. Almost half of them date to the early years of GVSHP, when we were known as the Greenwich Village Trust for Historic Preservation. In 1982 GVSHP’s then-Executive Director Regina Kellerman planned an archaeological dig at the site of what is now the Sheridan Square Viewing […]

    Taxi Driver, Released February 8, 1976

    41 years ago today, New York City was a much different place than it is today. By almost every measure it was dirtier and more dangerous. Many viewed the city as inevitably doomed to failure and the decade was a period of decay- failing industries, collapsing infrastructure, enormous budget gaps, and a population net loss of […]

      James Baldwin Returns to the Village

      This week, James Baldwin, one-time resident of Greenwich Village, returns to his old neighborhood — on the silver screen at least. Film Forum is showing the new documentary I Am Not Your Negro, based on Baldwin’s unfinished text Remember This House, and directed by Raoul Peck. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, the film explores the […]

        More is More: Greenwich Village Historic District Extension

        In this series, ‘More is More,’ we look at extensions of historic districts in our area. In the previous post, we covered the designation of the St. Mark’s Historic District Extension.  Today we are going to look at the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension, designated in 2006.  This was the first-ever expansion of the Greenwich Village […]

        How’s He Doing? Looking Back on Ed Koch Four Years After His Passing

        Edward I. Koch served as Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989, following terms as Greenwich Village’s Congressman, City Councilmember, and Democratic District leader. Koch, a self-described “liberal with sanity”, passed away four years ago today, following several decades living at 2 5th Avenue. Koch previously lived at 81 Bedford Street,  72 Barrow […]

        The People, United, Will Never Be Defeated

        Have you heard that chant, or others like it, echoing off Greenwich Village buildings recently? I know I have, because the recent political goings-on have turned our city and country into one giant public space for demonstration. But in the streets of Greenwich Village and the East Village, this is nothing new. Our neighborhoods’ public […]

        Ten Years Ago Today — Fighting for the Federals!

        Ten years ago today, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held hearings on three Federal-era (1790-1835) houses GVSHP had proposed for landmark designation — 94, 94 1/2, and 96 Greenwich Street, located just below Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.  These houses were built in 1798, making them among the oldest extant structures in Manhattan.  That same […]

        More is More: The St. Mark’s Historic District Extension

        In this series, ‘More is More,’ we will look at extensions of historic districts in our area.  Extensions to historic districts are just what they sound like — additions to previously-designated historic districts that abut the original district and are determined to share not just geography but architectural and/or historic significance.  Why such areas are […]

        Business of the Month Year In Review

        By now the challenges facing small independent local shops are well known.  The good news is there are some solutions.  GVSHP has gone to the New York City Council in support of some of them.  What can you do every day in some way? Visit a local independent shop in your neighborhood! Every month we select a Business […]

          2016 GVSHP Year in Review

          As 2016 fades into memory, we wanted to look back on all that GVSHP accomplished during the year, and what we have to look forward to in 2017. In 2016, GVSHP: Helped lead the opposition against the Mayor’s plans to roll back neighborhood zoning protections, successfully blocking most of the plan and leaving the majority of our […]

          126 Waverly Place, A Lesson in Preservation

          GVSHP’s recently published Greenwich Village Historic District New Buildings Report for the first time catalogues every new building approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in the Greenwich Village Historic District, our city’s largest and one of its oldest historic districts.  That’s got us thinking a lot about this set of buildings, and what we can learn […]

          Dissent and “Strange Fruit” in the Village

          It seems that President-elect Donald Trump is having a difficult time filling the roster for his inauguration ceremony. In previous years, the inauguration festivities have included extensive and star-studded ceremonies featuring speeches, musical performances, dance numbers, and dramatic readings. But this year, many artists have shown an unwillingness to participate, or have their work featured, in […]

          African American history in the Sullivan Thompson Historic District

          Off the Grid has previously taken a look at African American history in the South Village, which was home to almost a quarter of the city’s African-American population during the mid-19th century and known as “Little Africa.”  The newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic District included part of “Little Africa,” and in looking at the recently published designation report for […]

          The Rich and Interesting History of 83- 85 Sullivan Street

          The newly designated Sullivan Thompson Historic District designation report was posted last week by the LPC. This week, we will be looking at some of the 157 amazing historic properties included in the district. 83 and 85 Sullivan Street are two of the district’s individually landmarked properties, both of which obtained landmark designation in 1973. […]

          A Sketchy Greenwich Village

          If you’re walking down the sidewalk and see someone with a small notebook, staring up at a historic building as he jots down a charming sketch of an architectural detail, then you just might have stumbled upon artist Nick Golebiewski. And you might never guess that what Nick’s doing is actually creating content for an […]

          The Oldest Building in the Village?

          The following is a re-posting of a post by Elizabeth Finkelstein from 2011: Call it whatever you’d like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain, the Village is really, really old. Old by New York City standards, and even old by American standards. But which building is the oldest of the old? 121 Charles […]

          East Village CreateNYC event tonight

          In 2015, the City Council passed legislation requiring the City to produce its first-ever comprehensive cultural plan: CreateNYC. CreateNYC is supposed to become a roadmap to guide the future of arts and culture in NYC. The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and Hester Street Collaborative (HSC) are working together with artists, cultural organizations, New York City agencies, arts […]

          Sullivan-Thompson, a District of Immigrants

          The recently landmarked Sullivan-Thompson Historic District is one of the first historic districts in New York City so designated almost exclusively based upon its immigrant history and working-class architecture. As stated by the LPC research staff in their presentation before the Commissioners’ vote, “The architecture in the proposed district reflects the waves of immigration that […]

          Holiday Cheer, and Gifts, in Greenwich Village

          This past Saturday and Monday, many dedicated souls braved the winter weather to celebrate the local businesses of Greenwich Village. With tour guide Joyce Gold, GVSHP and our partners at Village Alliance, Washington Square Park Conservancy, and many local businesses, celebrated the holiday cheer and local atmosphere that is abundant in our neighborhood at this […]

          Quiz: Do you really #shoplocal?

          Quiz time. How well do you know the great shops selected as part of our Business of the Month initiative? Let’s see if you really #shoplocalnnyc Two people with the top score will be selected at random to win a copy of Greenwich Village Stories: A Collection of Memories Greenwich Village Stories is a love letter to […]

          Coming Soon: The Sullivan-Thompson Historic District Designation Report

          Christmas is coming early this year!  We have been told by the Landmarks Preservation Commission that the designation report for the newly landmarked Sullivan-Thompson historic district, aka phase III of our original South Village proposal, will be published today.  Perhaps appropriately, it is scheduled to be released almost exactly three years after the designation of […]

          Honoring Patti Smith

          On Saturday, December 10, 2016, the extraordinary Patti Smith accepted the Nobel Prize for Literature on behalf of Bob Dylan in Stockholm, Sweden. In a transcendent performance, Smith was overwhelmed with emotion when she stopped mid-performance only to begin again and drive home her powerful rendition of Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” to a […]

          City Votes Unanimously to Landmark Final Phase of GVSHP’s Proposed South Village Historic District!

          Ten-block, 160-building district gets immediate protections from developers, incl. Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner; brings to 1,250 total number of buildings landmarked in neighborhood since 2003 The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously today to landmark the third and final phase of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District, called the Sullivan Thompson Historic District!  Landmark designation […]

          Business of the Month: The Hat Shop, 120 Thompson Street (now at 148 Sullivan 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. Strolling the neighborhood of […]

          GVSHP 2016 Book List & Holiday Gift Ideas

          In 2016, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation held approximately 15 book-related programs. Each author related their insights, perspectives, and tales of Village history and beyond, showing the multifaceted depth that you can only find on our streets and in our buildings.  What better way to celebrate these wonderful literary works than by giving them […]

          Mid-Century Modernism on East 9th

          One of my favorite two-block sections in Greenwich Village may be an unlikely one – East 9th Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue. It’s not the oldest strip in the neighborhood, or the one with the best shops. In fact, it’s home to a rather uniform group of mid-century apartment houses, with almost no ground-floor […]

          Tenements of the South Village

          As mentioned in the GVSHP testimony at the designation hearing for the Sullivan-Thompson historic district, the majority of the historic fabric in this district is its tenements.  Here is a laboratory and cross-section of tenement types which served as the homes for much of NYC’s African American community in the 19th century as well as many […]

          Happy Birthday Calvin Trillin!

          Happy (slightly late) birthday to Greenwich Village resident and long-time GVSHP supporter Calvin Trillin, born December 5, 1935. Mr. Trillin was a contributor to GVSHP’s publication Greenwich Village Stories (available for purchase this holiday season!), and has been the host of several of our annual Village Awards Ceremony, as well as a featured speaker at GVSHP’s benefit […]

          Bob Dylan’s South Village

          Bob Dylan in Sheridan Square The South Village has many reasons to be celebrated these days. Of course, the (hopefully) impending designation of the Sullivan Thompson Historic District is a big story for GVSHP. Our 13-year quest to protect all of the areas of the South Village is finally coming to fruition with the potential […]

            Gone But Not Forgotten: The Tunnel Garage, 1922-2006

            This is part of Off the Grid’s “My Favorite Things” series. As the old saying goes, you win some, you lose some.  That’s particularly true in preservation, where sometimes in spite of the most heroic of efforts and compelling of cases, historic treasures succumb to the wrecking ball. I’m frequently asked, “Which fight do you most regret […]

            Unveiling & Dedication for the Mosaic Trail Light Poles

            The final pieces of the renovation of Astor Place will be unveiled and dedicated tomorrow. Thanks to the creative verve of Jim Power, aka the Mosaic Man, and the support of the Village Alliance Business Improvement District and City Lore, and many more, GVSHP is excited to participate in the unveiling of the Astor Place […]

            Peter Ruta, Acclaimed Artist & Villager, 1918-2016

            Peter Ruta, born February 7th, 1918, recently passed away on November 16th, 2016, at his home in Westbeth with wife and family. He was 98 years old. Peter’s life and work were a great inspiration to many, as he overcame incredible adversity to become a world-renowned painter. He was born in Germany, raised in Italy, and […]

            10th Street, A. T. Stewart, & Ladies’ Mile

            For everyone who attended Saturday’s walking tour, we hope you enjoyed learning about shopping in the Gilded Age and the Ladies’ Mile.  Did you know that November 21 actually is an important date in the establishment of this shopping district?

            Mourning the Loss of Superior Inks, and Taking Stock of Its Replacement

            For over 85 years, the 195 foot tall smokestacks of the Superior Inks building were a local landmark and beacon for the Far West Village. They were also a vital link to the Greenwich Village waterfront’s maritime/industrial heritage, as in the mid-2000’s they were part of the last operating factory on the Greenwich Village waterfront. Unfortunately, […]

              On This Day: Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side”

              On November 8, 1972, Walk on the Wild Side, Lou Reed’s classic paean to downtown New York, and some of the more prominent characters that occupied that space and time, was released. the original single At the time, Walk on the Wild Side was groundbreaking in many ways — musically, lyrically, thematically.  Though it’s now comfortably […]

              Chess Forum program this Thursday, Nov. 10th at 7pm!

              This Thursday, GVSHP will be hosting a program with our October Business of the Month, Chess Forum.  The program is in preparation for the World Championship of Chess, which will begin the following day here New York City — the first time it’s been held in our hometown in over 20 years.  More information can […]

              Nineteenth Century Dwelling Houses of Greenwich Village

              GVSHP has now made available on our website a classic preservation and architectural history resource — the booklet Nineteenth Century Dwelling Houses of Greenwich Village produced by the Association of Village Homeowners in 1968 and reprinted in 1969.  You can view it here. The Association of Village Homeowners was a community group founded in 1960 in response […]

              Remember The Alamo? The Cube is Back

              One of the most beloved public works of art was reinstalled in our community yesterday, after a two year hiatus. According to the NYC Department of Design and Construction, The Alamo Sculpture was originally installed in 1967 as part of  “Sculpture and the Environment”.  The Cube by Bernard “Tony” Rosenthal was one of 25 temporary art […]

                Reform Housing in the South Village

                The newly calendared Sullivan-Thompson Historic District contains some of the oldest and most historically significant buildings in the South Village, including St. Anthony of Padua, the oldest extant Italian-American Church in the country, 57 Sullivan Street, built in 1817 and the oldest extant house in the South Village, and a unique set of early reform housing/model […]

                Witchcraft and EVill

                Happy Halloween! It’s a time for tricks and treats and taking to the Village streets for mischief and mayhem, fun and fright, and a parade on 6th Ave. starting at around 7pm.  Though tonight’s paranormal procession will signal the end of the Halloween season, that doesn’t mean the Village will be without the supernatural until next […]

                Village People, Halloween Edition: Shirley Jackson

                Halloween is right around the corner, so for this installment of Village People, let’s take a look at a Greenwich Village resident who knew a thing or two about fear and suspense – author Shirley Jackson. During her too-short life, Jackson was a master of the suspense and horror genre, enjoying success during her lifetime […]

                Village Purr-servation

                At GVSHP, we’re proud and protective of many of our community’s more well-known residents.  Recently, one of them was attacked in a high traffic online forum, sparking widespread outrage…