The Birth of the Mega-Bookstore

It’s “back to school” time again, when the temperatures drop (very slightly), students flood back to campus, and we all sharpen our pencils after a leisurely summer. Campus bookstores across the country will be expecting big crowds these next few weeks, as students make their lists of which books they’ll need to get them through […]

    Village People: Grover Van Dexter

    At 283 Bleecker Street, a charming green awning once announced the name of an equally charming shop – Second Childhood, a local business dedicated to antique and unique toys for children of all ages. Owned by longtime neighbor Grover Van Dexter, who preferred to be called simply “Van,” this Bleecker Street shop was the quintessential […]

      Birthday Blog with Charles Busch!

      Charles Busch is the quintessential Villager. A prolific playwright and actor, he has lived in the West Village for most of his adult life. This reporter has been a life-long fan of Charles and so on this, his ??? birthday, I caught up with him amidst his busy schedule to ask him for his thoughts […]

      Dog Day Anniversary

        The wedding of John Wojtowicz and Ernest Aron (later Elizabeth Eden). On August 22, 1972, what may be the most legendary bank robbery in New York City history took place.  And it had some interesting Village connections. On that sweltering August day, John Wojtowicz, Salvatore Naturile, and Robert Westenberg entered a bank on the […]

      Hugh Ferriss Lived Here

      Occasionally in the course of my research of buildings in our area, I come across a familiar name.  Last week exactly that happened.  In  looking into the history of 35 East 9th Street, I found that it had a famous resident at one time, Hugh Ferriss. For those who aren’t familiar with the name, you […]

      Happy Anniversary, Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District

      On August 16th, 1966, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District. This small but distinct neighborhood is part of the South Village. It sits on a street grid designed by Aaron Burr in 1797, although the area was mostly developed between 1820 and 1829, cut out of a John Jacob Astor estate. The District […]

      The Death of A Legend

      On August 12th, 1988, art legend Jean Michel-Basquiat was announced dead at Cabrini Medical Center on East 19th Street.  According to the autopsy, Basquiat died from “acute mixed drug intoxication (opiates-cocaine).” In the months leading up to his death, Basquiat was reportedly doing up to a hundred bags of heroin a day.

      East 11th Street, a Slice of East Village History

      As both we and the media have recently reported, two months ago GVSHP requested the landmark designation of a potential historic district on East 11th Street between Third and Fourth Avenues.  GVSHP was aware that a developer was planning to move ahead with plans to demolish a significant stretch of this block, which we had long […]

      Rulers and Royalty of the Village

      Gone but not forgotten, below is a list of just some of the individuals who have carried honorary titles in connection to the Village.  Each one was influential in the arts or in advocating for the unique character of the neighborhood.  Their legacies will forever remain testaments to how they shaped the Village, and how the Village […]

      Miriam Cahn Collection

      Longtime GVSHP member Miriam Cahn has called the Village her home for over 45 years. She was a special education teacher at Lennox Hill Hospital for many years before retiring to fulfill her calling as an artist. She recently contacted GVSHP to donate some of her extensive art collection to GVSHP. Her original collection covers a […]

      Who Was Jacob M. Felson?

      Recently, GVSHP has been reporting on and testifying against the plans for a building to replace the 2 story parking garage at 11-19 Jane Street.  Built in 1921, the structure is an early work by architect Jacob M. Felson.  While not a household name, some of Felson’s later buildings are among the most distinctive and characteristic structures of […]

      Studio Windows: A Preservation Victory

      Last Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) handed preservationists what may seem like a small victory, but was nevertheless an important one.  The LPC denied an application to remove a 1930 studio window from 246 West 11th Street, an 1842 Greek Revival row house in the Greenwich Village Historic District.  The applicant proposed to replace it with a […]

      Jared Kushner’s (Preservation) Record

      The Donald has been getting a lot of attention lately, what with his running for President and all.  So too has his family, which is being touted as an integral part of his campaign apparatus, and his most intimate advisors. When the irrepressible Mr. Trump started his campaign last year, we decided to stroll down memory […]

      Jean-Michel Basquiat and the East Village art scene of the 1980’s

      Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life and work are synonymous with the East Village/NoHo art scene of the 1980’s.  From his early years as a burgeoning young artist while studying at City-as-School, a progressive high school Village Preservation proposed for historic district designation which operates on the principles of John Dewey’s theory that students learn by doing, Basquiat was […]

      Happy birthday, Tom Birchard!

      Today we’re celebrating the birthday of Veselka owner and GVSHP board member Tom Birchard. As the owner of Veselka for the past several decades, Tom knows a thing or two about life, business, and history on the East Side. So he was an obvious choice for GVSHP’s oral history project — an ongoing campaign to […]

      Kleindeutschland Roundup

      In the late 19th and early 20th Century, the East Village and Lower East Side were home to a substantial German immigrant community.  As a result, this area became known as Kleindeutschland, or “Little Germany.”  Eventually the German community moved north to the Upper East Side and elsewhere, spurred on by the General Slocum Disaster, demographic […]

      Progress on Astor Place Mosaic Lightpoles and Reconstruction

      Have you heard about the exciting progress on the restoration of the beautiful mosaic-covered lamp poles as part of the Astor Place Reconstruction?  Maybe you’ve even seen one of the poles installed, now wrapped like a fig tree in the winter awaiting the official unveiling in September.   The progress has been tracked by The Villager newspaper, and […]

      59 Bleecker Street – Art Deco in NoHo

      Part of my job at GVSHP as the Director of Research and Preservation is to review all certificate of appropriateness applications for proposed changes to the landmarked buildings in our area (click HERE for the GVSHP Landmarks webpage).  Consequently, I am presented with a continuous stream of architectural resources that vary in type, style and […]

      Lost Neighborhoods of New York: Goulash Row

      New York is renowned for its vibrant immigrant history, and the many diverse neighborhoods born out of years of heavy immigration in the 19th and early 20th-centuries. But for all that still exists of famed neighborhoods like Little Italy, the Jewish Lower East Side, or Brooklyn’s Italian Bensonhurst, there are many immigrant enclaves virtually lost […]

      Happy Birthday, Dave Van Ronk!

      On this day in 1936, David Kenneth Ritz “Dave” Van Ronk was born.  Van Ronk was a highly influential figure in the American folk music revival and Greenwich Village music scene of the 1960’s.   He even earned the nickname the “Mayor of MacDougal Street”.

      These Boots Were Made for Scraping

      You might think modern-day New York’s streets and sidewalks are a little grimy, but they’re practically pristine compared to the city streets of a century ago. To start, in the early days of New York, most streets were not paved at all, and did not feature cleanly and convenient paved sidewalks. (This was especially true […]

      A Third Life for Three Lives Books?

      Did you see the recent letter by the owner of Three Lives Books?  The building that has been their home for 33 years is for sale — read the full letter here. Under current law there is no obligation for the new owner to offer a new lease or to maintain the amazing book store, a […]

      Jefferson Market Garden Party

      GVSHP holds events with the Jefferson Market Library and the Jefferson Market Garden several times per year, most recently a members only tour, our program marking the 50th Anniversary of the Sip-In at Julius’ (See photos here and video here), and Contemporary Writers on a Lost Greenwich Village: A discussion with authors Vivian Gornick and Sarah Schulman (see photos […]

      Happy Birthday Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II!

      This past Wednesday marks six years since the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II (click HERE for the designation report),which was Phase I of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District from 2006.  This 235-building, 12 block designation was at the time the largest expansion of landmark protections in Greenwich Village since 1969.   […]

      GVSHPride: Roundup of LGBTQ Resources and Information

      Happy Pride Week! Each June during the week leading up to the Gay Pride March, NYC celebrates Pride Week.  Throughout the week, different groups and organizations will host events, throw parties, and do general outreach and advocacy to promote the history and visibility of the LGBTQ community.  Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has always worked […]

      Old Village Matchbooks

      A generous GVSHP supporter dropped off a fun treat to our offices a few weeks ago – old matchbooks from Greenwich Village bars and restaurants. They’re a philluminist’s dream! (Did you know that “philluminist” is the official term for a matchbook collector?) I love how these books meld historic graphic design with New York City […]

        The Air Up There

        You can buy bottled water.  You can buy plots of land. And in New York (and some other places), you can buy air rights. But what are “air rights?” An increasingly common component of development across NYC, “air rights” are a type of development right in real estate.  The owner of a building sometimes has the right to use and develop […]

        2016 Village Award Winner: Smalls Jazz Club

        Off the Grid is highlighting the 2016 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 14th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. Read about other awardees here. Today we look Smalls Jazz Club, one of the premiere remaining successful Greenwich Village jazz clubs. Smalls Jazz […]

        Three Years Ago: Preservationists call for Archeological review of Mary Help of Christians cemetery

        Three years ago, EV Grieve published a post about the preservationists calling for an archeological review for the former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site.  A Roman Catholic Church formerly located at 440 E. 12th St., Mary Help of Christians was demolished in the summer of 2013 to make way for new development.  To […]

        Welcome Chelsea Dowell

        Today we welcome Chelsea Dowell to the GVSHP team as Director of Communications and Programming. We’re excited to have Chelsea on board and managing our public outreach and programming, and working with our members. Chelsea comes to us from the Green-Wood Historic Fund, where she promoted the 178-year-old Green-Wood Cemetery through innovative programs, membership, and […]

        East Village Spring Tours, Gardens & More

        Springtime has arrived in our wonderful neighborhoods.  Many more people are out and about.  Locals and visitors alike enjoy our diverse culture, community history and appreciate a part of the big city where you can see the blue sky instead of towers and the greenery of gardens and trees.  Here are two special walking tours we recommend.  Our own – free- […]

        Happy Birthday, David Vaughan!

        Ninety two years ago today, dance archivist David Vaughan was born in London, England.  Vaughan was the archivist for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company from 1976 until it disbanded in 2012.  The Merce Cunningham Dance Company was located in Westbeth in the West Village since 1971.  In addition to being the archivist, Vaughan is also […]

        Further Proof That Landmarking Does Not Hurt Affordability, and Unfettered Development Doesn’t Help

        Earlier this week the NYU Furman Center, which studies real estate development and urban policies, issued a report analyzing trends in gentrification in New York City from 1990-2014. Our ears pricked up, as the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) has long tried to link landmarking to gentrification, claiming it hurts affordability by, among […]

        What Style is It? Mid-19th Century Edition

        Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo offer a vast array of architectural styles that span their long histories.  Through this series “What Style Is It?” we will explore the architecture of our area and look at the various architectural styles and their features.  So far we have looked at the Federal style and Greek Revival. […]

        May The Fourth Be With You! Geek and Nerdom in the Village.

        Not long ago, in theaters far, far away (and near too), a movie came out that influenced the interests and imaginations of generations to come. There are a few connections between Star Wars and the Village.  On December 18, 2015, in honor of the release of The Force Awakens, a large crowd of fans gathered in […]

        From South Village to South Bronx, the Legacy of Jane Jacobs

        In 1955 the Committee to Save Washington Square Park was distributing flyers to alert the public about a proposal to drive a four-lane road through the center of the park.  One neighborhood  resident, then  a writer with Architectural Forum, read it, and got involved. Tomorrow May 4th is the centenary of Jane Jacobs birth.  We […]

        What Style Is It? Greek Revival Edition

        Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo offer a vast array of architectural styles that span their long histories.  The Greek Revival style, which dominated these neighborhoods for much of the 1830s and 40s, and of which ample examples survive today, was in many ways inspired by an event which took place on March 25, […]

        Happy Birthday, Willem de Kooning!

        On April 24, 1904 artist Willem de Kooning was born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.  de Kooning was one of the major figures of the Abstract Expressionist movement.  Abstract Expressionism was an art movement developed in New York City and the “first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York City at the center of the […]

        From Parking Lot to Car Free Washington Square Park

        Today is Earth Day, first celebrated in NYC in 1970, and you may notice some of the streets around the city harkening to a quieter era.  Legislation passed in the City Council and supported by local Council Members Corey Johnson, Rosie Mendez and Margaret Chin, also make today Car Free NYC day. Three areas around the city were selected for this […]

        Celebrating 51 Years of Landmarking

        Fifty-one years ago today, on April 19, 1965, the New York City landmarks law went into effect.  A year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landmarks law has been spearheaded by Landmarks50, an incredible coalition of which Village Preservation is a member, led by Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, the chair of the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center. […]

        The Death and Life of Louis Sullivan

        On April 14, 1924, the architect Louis Sullivan, the “father of modernism,” key figure of the Chicago and the Prairie Schools of Architecture, progenitor of the skyscraper and coiner of the phrase “form follows function,” died. None of these descriptors would lead one to believe that Sullivan would have any relationship to Greenwich Village, much less […]

        Happy Birthday, Max Ernst

        Artist Max Ernst was born on April 12, 1891.  Ernst was a pioneering figure in both the Dada and Surrealist movements.  The former, often referred to as “anti-art,” emerged after World War I as an anti-war, anti-bourgeois far left  movement.  Dadaist art pieces generally included readymade objects, a critique on the establishment of traditional art making, […]

        Tenement House Act of 1901

        April 12, 1901 marks the date when the New York State Legislature passed the Tenement House Act of 1901, more commonly known as the “New Law” or “New Tenement Law.”   This significant moment in New York City housing history resulted from intense pressure by housing reform groups, leading to Governor Theodore Roosevelt appointing a commission to […]

        Three Ways the New LPC Map is Better than NYCMap

        The Landmarks Preservation Commission recently released a new interactive map. The map shows all exterior, interior, and scenic landmarks, historic districts, and properties calendared for designation. According to LPC Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan, “The launch of this map is a key milestone in our efforts to ensure that all New Yorkers have the history of our city at […]