Tompkins Square Park on Exhibit

For the next two Sundays, GVSHP is teaming up with GrowNYC and the East Village Parks Conservancy to explore and celebrate the Tompkins Square Greenmarket. We’ll be sharing images of the current market, scenes from out on the farms, and some historic images of the park. You’ll be able to peruse this pop-up exhibit, shop […]

The “Fighting Ninth Precinct” at 321-323 East 5th Street

Since 1912, this site has served as a station house for the NYPD (it replaced a 19th century stable and feed store). Originally known as the 15th Precinct Police Station, it became the Ninth Precinct in 1929 when the city’s precincts were renumbered. Fans of TV shows “NYPD Blue” and “Kojak” might recognize the building […]

    State’s ‘Path Through History’ Remains a Mystery

    The Hamilton Fish House is a stately home located on lovely Stuyvesant Street in the East Village.  It is owned by Cooper Union and serves as the president’s official residence.  Should you go there, you can read one plaque designating it a National Historic Landmark, and another one denoting it as a New York City […]

    The Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua

    This Thursday evening, September 25, we will present the third program in our series “OMG!: Churches and Synagogues of Greenwich Village.” Father Joseph Lorenzo, O.F.M., pastor at the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua, will present a slideshow and history of the church and the parish. Our previous programs in this series were The […]

    Landmarking 101: What Can They Do Here?

    Perhaps one of the most frequent questions we here at GVSHP get from the public regarding landmarked sites or sites within designated historic districts is “what can they do here?”  Sometimes it’s a neighbor wondering what might happen to a newly-purchased piece of property nearby.  Sometimes it’s an owner or prospective owner wondering what they […]

    A Historic New Home for St. Mark’s Bookshop

    Now in its fourth home, the St. Mark’s Bookshop has become a kind of movable landmark, so it’s fitting that the two-month-old store on East Third Street is in a landmarked building: First Houses, the first federally-funded public housing complex in America. Whether or not they were aware of this historic significance, the customers browsing […]

    A Happily Ever After for 43 MacDougal Street?

    Many longtime residents of the Village have wondered about the fate of 43 MacDougal Street, which has sat vacant for decades. Located at the corner of King Street on the eastern edge of the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District, 43 MacDougal is a Greek Revival style townhouse that was built as part of a row in 1846. […]

    Map It! 7th Street Place

    Next in the Map It! series is 7th Street Place, aka Leandert’s Place and St. Bridget’s Street, a long-lost alleyway on the Avenue B side of Tompkin’s Square Park between 7th and 8th Streets that angled toward the center of the block behind Nos. 183 to 197 East 7th. The skewed property line dates to […]

      High Line, Part 3

      Congratulations to our friends at The High Line! The third and final section of the park will open to the public this Sunday, September 21st. GVSHP has a special kinship with The High Line. I mean that is what historic preservation is all about! GVSHP was one of the earliest endorsers of the plan to […]

      Looking Up: The Washington Square Arch

        This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, the storefront, and the second floor. The Washington Square Arch is something that many people who live in the neighborhood can easily take for granted. […]

      Wonderful Wednesdays: And Now for the Good News About Preservation

      Are you shaking your head sadly again? You know, that doleful tut-tut about the sweet old building just torn down, or trusty independent business that closed its doors? Well, it’s time to take a break from all that, because there’s plenty of good news in our neighborhoods as well. Welcome to Wonderful Wednesdays. We’d like […]

      Building (841) Broadway: A Majestic Terra-Cotta Beauty

      It’s been a while since our last Building Broadway post, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped admiring all those stunning structures along that oh-so-famous thoroughfare. Today’s feature is 841 Broadway, originally known as the Roosevelt Building when it was constructed in 1893. Yes, it was named after those Roosevelts, powerful merchants in 19th century New […]

      From the WNYC Archives: Change and Continuity in Greenwich Village

      GVSHP is pleased to partner with WNYC on this post that spotlights their archival collection. WNYC 93.9 FM and AM 820 are New York’s flagship public radio stations, broadcasting the finest programs from NPR, American Public Media, Public Radio International and the BBC World Service, as well as a wide range of award-winning local programming. […]

      Map It! Manhattan Street

      Last month reader Mike commented on our Lewis Street post that his aunt lived nearby on Houston, and that he remembered seeing a ‘Manhattan Street’ when he visited. I hadn’t heard of Manhattan Street, and since I love looking at old maps, I just had to investigate! Lo and behold, there it was on the […]

      New York 1969

      There are only a few seats left for tomorrow evening’s program with photographer Richard Blair and his new book New York 1969. Richard moved from New York to California in 1969 – he was official photographer of Yosemite National Park in the 1970s – but before he left, he photographed street scenes of New York, […]

      In the News: 55 Years Ago Today

      Much of the Village Voice from the 1950s to the mid-2000s is available to view online via a Google digitization project. The huge trove of scanned newspapers helps reveal the changes that have occurred over fifty years to the architecture of the neighborhood, to music and culture, to local businesses, to politics, to the concerns […]

      End of Summer Reading: Greenwich Village Stories

      The recent piece on PBS’ MetroFocus series about GVSHP’s book, Greenwich Village Stories (watch here) reminds me what a perfect end-of-summer read the book is (the book can be purchased here).  Where else can you find sixty-six reminiscences about the Village and East Village from some of the great musicians, politicians, performers, artists, writers, actors, […]

      Village Businesses of the 1930s

        GVSHP has always been concerned about the status of small businesses, whether they be restaurants, theaters, or small shops. We also recognize outstanding local businesses as part of our Annnual Village Awards ceremony every June. Today we thought we’d take a look at some local businesses in our neighborhoods from almost eighty years ago.

        The Village is a Small World

        Next Thursday evening GVSHP will present a program with photographer Richard Blair about his new book New York 1969. It’s a collection of some of Richard’s photos, mostly black & white and taken in New York circa 1969, paired with poems written by his father, Ed Blair.

        A Tale of Two Tenements: 226 & 228 East 6th Street

        This week we thought we’d take another look at sister tenements – designed by the same architect, built the same year, and located next to each other – in the East Village. Constructed c. 1890 by builder/owner Jobst Hoffman, 226 and 228 East 6th Street are two such buildings. Designed in the Renaissance Revival style, […]

        The Art of the Artist’s Studio

        These beautiful late summer days have got us thinking about sun and sky.  Which has us thinking about that most iconic of Village architectural features, the artist’s studio. So we thought we’d use the occasion of these warm August days to conduct a brief survey of some of our favorite artist’s studio windows in the […]

          Photographer Rebecca Lepkoff: 1916-2014

          Here at Off the Grid we were saddened to hear of the passing of Rebecca Lepkoff. She died on Sunday, August 17 at the age of 98. Ms. Lepkoff was a photographer that captured the very human quality of life on of the Lower East Side from the 1930s onwards. Rebecca Lepkoff was born in […]

          Charlie Parker Lives, This Sunday in Tompkins Square Park

          It was almost sixty years ago that, after changing the course of music forever, Charles Parker, Jr. died at the tender age of 34 in the Stanhope Hotel. Despite being gone for so long now, Charlie Parker’s spirit comes vibrantly to life every summer in Tompkins Square Park. The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival has been […]

          Map It! A Day in the Life of 121 Charles Street

          Much has been said lately about the potential sale of 121 Charles Street in the Greenwich Village Historic District. This summer, members of the Glass family (owners of the house for nearly a century when it was located on York Avenue) contacted us about their concern for the house’s future. They also sent us some […]

          That Hudson River Waterfront

          I think I’m infatuated with Greenwich Village’s Hudson River waterfront. I can’t seem to get enough of it. Last month our good friend Dr. Robin Nagle spoke about the history of the Hudson River waterfront and its historic and current role in New York City sanitation. In June, one of our Village Award winners was […]

          Tompkins Temperance

          From its days as beer-loving Kleindeutschland to the throngs of SantaCon attendees today, the East Village has been known – for good or ill – as a place where it’s not difficult to find a drink. It’s partly that reputation that resulted in the placement of a unique piece of functional art in the neighborhood’s […]

          Map It! Looking Back at Lewis Street

          Today on Map It! we’re unearthing some old maps and photos of Lewis Street, which once ran diagonally from Grand Street to East 8th Street between Avenue D and the East River. It was almost completely de-mapped in the mid-20th century to make way for three public housing complexes: the Jacob Riis Houses (built 1945-49) […]

          The San Remo Cafe: Archive Edition

          Off the Grid often features images from GVSHP’s Preservation Archive and Oral History Project. The image archive includes approximately 300 images from ten different collections that document the architecture, cultural history, and preservation of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. This summer, we were pleased to accept two new images into the archive.

            Flowers and books for a summer day

            Two weeks ago our friends at Green Guerillas led us on a tour of some remarkable gardens in the East Village. There are more community gardens in the East Village than in any other neighborhood in New York. Each one has a different story to tell, a different look and feel. And each one is […]

            The Unconventional, Extra-Ordinary Village Bookstore That Movie Directors Can’t Resist

            One of the most reliable laugh lines from the hilarious current movie Obvious Child doesn’t come from the mouth of stand-up comedians Donna (played by Jenny Slate) or Joey (Gabe Liedman). It’s when the awning of the bookstore where Donna works flashes across the screen, reading: UNOPPRESSIVE NON-IMPERIALIST BARGAIN BOOKS. “Audiences laugh so hard when […]

              A Stroll Down 14th Street

              From November 1975 to September 1976, artist Roy Colmer photographed more than 3,000 Manhattan doorways to create an art project called Doors, NYC.  The New York Public Library, which houses the collection, notes that the project “was as much an exploration of the serial possibilities of photography as of its ability to capture a place. […]

              Building Profile: St. Denis Hotel

              Completed in 1853, by architect James Renwick, the St. Denis Hotel stood at the corner of East 11th Street and Broadway. The property, which was owned by the Renwick family, had been given to them by their relative, Henry Brevoort, a successful farmer and prominent landowner during the late eighteenth century. The hotel was named […]

                277 West 10th Street, Then & Now

                Located at the corner of West 10th and Washington Streets, the imposing building at 277 West 10th Street was built between 1894 and 1896 to the designs of Martin V.B. Ferdon. Now residential, it lies within the boundaries of the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension in the Far West Village. No. 277 West 10th Street […]

                Building Profile: 32 Second Avenue (aka 43-45 East 2nd Street)

                A recent report about a possible five-story expansion atop a century-old building has inspired us to share a bit about this capacious three-story brick structure, which stands at the southeast corner of Second Avenue and 2nd Street. (If you click through to the report, you’ll see in the comments that the current owner denies any […]

                  Throwback Thursday: 392 West Street

                  With the summer breeze , a stop along the Greenwich Village waterfront to reminisce about its past seems in order. The building at 392 West Street (A.K.A. 6 Weehawken Street) is a charming physical reminder of the wooden buildings that once lined this stretch of our neighborhood. For its modest appearance, its history is quite […]

                    West 12th Street: Then and Now

                    The view above looking west on West 12th Street from Eighth Avenue taken in 1929 shows how the northern end of Abingdon Square has changed over the years. Though the five-story building on the right at the corner of West 12th and Eighth Avenue remains today (and houses Spyros Food Mart on the ground floor), […]

                      Immigration and the Village

                      With all the talk about immigration reform in the news lately, it got us thinking here at Off the Grid about the effect of United States immigration laws on the history of the Village. We’ll leave the debate about current immigration issues for a different forum, and instead take a look at past immigration trends […]

                      Restaurant Preservation

                      Next Tuesday, GVSHP will present a panel discussion entitled, “Historic Preservation, Meet Restaurant Preservation.” GVSHP’s Karen Loew will moderate the evening’s discussion of what can be done to keep our favorite dining establishments from disappearing. Panelists scheduled to participate include former New York Times restaurant critic Mimi Sheraton, Eater.com restaurant critic Robert Sietsema, Columbia University […]

                        An Eye-Popping View of Our Gilded Past

                        The “Gilded Age” in New York City – roughly 1870 through 1900 – gets something of a bad rap as a time of overwhelming inequality, when the rich basked in opulence while others were trapped in filth and poverty. (Hm, sounds familiar.) West Villager Esther Crain, author of the historical blog Ephemeral New York, presents […]

                        Memphis on the Hudson

                        We look at historic buildings and documents a lot here on Off the Grid. Many times we cast our gaze back centuries to the 1780s or 1880s, but this time we thought we’d look a little closer to home – the 1980s. And nothing says ‘80s’ more than Memphis-Milano design. That design aesthetic – love […]

                          Landmarking 101: The Case of 121 Charles Street

                          The freestanding house at 121 Charles Street has been in the limelight the last few weeks. The home is currently on the market and the listing notes that the home is “the best development opportunity currently available in Manhattan.” While the press has explored a lot of angles on the home and its real estate […]

                          It’s baseball season….exclusively!

                          OK World Cup is over, so now the spotlight is on baseball. It always bothers me that basketball and hockey are still being played in the month of June. But that’s just me. And this year, the once-every-four-years World Cup seemed to be more popular than ever. So I’m happy that the focus is on […]

                            Building Profile: P.S. 25, now P.S. 751

                            Located at 113 East Fourth Street on a through-block lot bound to the north by East Fourth Street and to the south by East Fifth Street, sits one of the East Village’s oldest extant public schools, P.S. 25, now P.S. 751. The Flemish Renaissance Revival public school was designed by Charles B. J. Snyder (more […]

                            McKim, Mead & White on Avenue D

                              Here’s an unassuming building with some interesting connections to one of our country’s premiere architectural firms — McKim, Mead & White. Meet 119 Avenue D, which at first glance may be mistaken for an old tenement building, but was actually built as a factory in 1883. Though the facade has been altered over the […]

                              Constructing Lafayette Street

                              Street construction is a constant part of New York life. The jackhammers, the dust, and the diverted traffic all conspire to fray one’s nerves and disrupt one’s day. This view looking north on Lafayette Street from Houston Street shows one of the most disruptive times in New York City history – the construction of the […]

                              Sanitation on the Hudson River Waterfront

                              OK, let’s face, it, nobody likes to talk about or think about sanitation. Well, I shouldn’t say “nobody.” I know someone who not only thinks about and talks about sanitation, she is passionate about sanitation. Her name is Dr. Robin Nagle, and she is Anthropologist-in-Residence with the New York City Department of Sanitation. (It’s a […]

                              Happy Birthday Woody Guthrie

                              Folk icon Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie was born July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma, and died fifty-five years later of Huntington’s disease in his adopted hometown of New York City. In between, he spent a lot of time in Greenwich Village.

                                Changing Views on Seventh Avenue South

                                The image above was taken in 1933. It’s a view looking across Seventh Avenue South, northwest toward Grove Street. In addition to the price of gasoline (eight gallons for $1.05 at the ‘Sheridan’ Shell gas station in the photo), some other changes have occurred to the view from this location over the past eighty-one years.

                                335-343 Bowery: Then & Now

                                At the southeast corner of Bowery and East 3rd Street, within the recently designated Bowery State and National Register of Historic Places District, sits the Bowery Hotel, designed by Matt Markowitz Architect, PC and built in 2002-2004. Maybe you’ve stepped in for an event, or maybe you’ve enjoyed a meal at Gemma, the hotel’s Italian […]

                                  Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Greenwich Village Edition

                                  Happy birthday Kevin Bacon!  The versatile actor/musician/philanthropist was born in Philadelphia to Ruth Hilda and Edmund Norwood Bacon on July 8, 1958. Of course Kevin Bacon is more than just a multi-talented artist of various media.  He’s also the basis for the popular game which shows how interconnected we all are, Six Degrees of Kevin […]

                                    Before & After in the Meatpacking District

                                    Greenwich Village, like the rest of New York City, has seen many changes over the years. What was once a marshy area of sandy hills before Europeans arrived became the location of farms and estates, and ultimately the destination for people of means escaping epidemics in Lower Manhattan.

                                    Examining a Building’s Past, Punk Rock Style

                                    Any connoisseur of the East Village worth her salt has heard of C-Squat, a tenement at 155 Avenue C that is one of many buildings that were abandoned by their owners in bleak economic times, only to be homesteaded by squatters in the late twentieth century and eventually rehabilitated into aboveboard housing again, but with […]

                                    100 years ago…

                                    On June 28, 1914, in a place far away from Greenwich Village, something happened that changed the world forever. The heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, were assassinated.  Of course this act triggered the start of the First World War.  Most of Europe was plunged into armed […]

                                    Looking Up: The Schermerhorn Building

                                    This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, the storefront, and the second floor. The Schermerhorn Building at the corner of Lafayette Street and Great Jones Street is an individual landmark and part of […]

                                    Living Well in the Village of 1947

                                    A neighbor was having a sale last Saturday to clear out bric-a-brac. My trusty companion and I arrived looking for the advertised guitar, which was already sold, so we left with an armful of books for $6 instead. Among the lode were two Greenwich Village Guides, published by The Villager newspaper. The years 1947 and […]

                                      Fighting Westway

                                      In 2014 Village Preservation presented a program at the Community Room at Westbeth with author Prof. William W. Buzbee and his book, “Fighting Westway: Environmental Law, Citizen Activism, and the Regulatory War that Transformed New York City.”

                                      One Year Ago Today: PFLAG Plaque Unveiled

                                      One year ago today outside the Church of the Village at the corner of Seventh Avenue and West 13th Street, GVSHP helped to unveil a plaque to commemorate the first meeting of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). The organization, which now has 350 chapters in all 50 states, had its humble beginnings […]

                                      101 Avenue A: From German Bars to DayGlo Stars

                                      On June 19, 2008, 101 Avenue A, home to the Pyramid Club, was found eligible for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places after GVSHP researched and nominated it for consideration. The listing highlighted both the unique architectural character of the building, as well as the variety of significant cultural uses over […]

                                        Throwback Thursday: Ghost Signs of the Village

                                        What could be better on Throwback Thursday than taking a look-see at the advertisements of yesteryear that are still visible today? Ghost signs, or fading ads, have been described a number of different ways. The most common is an old painted sign (including letters and images) on the side of a building advertising a product […]

                                          Revitalizing a ‘Gateway to the West Village’

                                          It may be a hazy West Village memory now, but there was a time in the recent past when some local parks were not the well-kept, well-used green spaces they are today, but sometimes barren or forbidding places. Now Christopher Park — a .19-acre triangle formed by Christopher, Grove and West Fourth Streets — will […]

                                          2014 Village Awards Recap

                                          Last evening, as part of Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting, we celebrated the best of Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo by presenting our annual Village Awards. Each June for the last 24 years, Village Preservation has presented the Village Awards to the people, businesses, organizations, and even public spaces that make our beloved neighborhoods […]

                                          Maybe You Can Save Your Favorite Restaurant Before It Closes

                                          On a hot summer day in the East Village, when your skin is sticky and the streets are oppressive, there’s nothing quite like escaping into the cool haven of De Robertis Pasticceria and Caffe for an orzata with lemon ice. Since you’re there, you’ll probably go ahead and taste one of the best cannolis or […]

                                            Throwback Thursday: Behind the Scenes of 75 ½ Bedford Street

                                            After the great Frank O’Hara plaque unveiling earlier this week (you can view video and photos from the event), today we thought we’d take a look at another celebrated Village poet — Edna St. Vincent Millay, with this recent look back by GVSHP’s Amanda Davis. The narrow house at 75 ½ Bedford Street is well […]

                                              2014 Village Award Winner: Kathy Donaldson

                                              GVSHP’s Annual Meeting and Awards are quickly approaching (this coming Monday night from 6:30 to 8pm at the New School’s Auditorium, 66 West 12th Street — RSVP here).  This year we are proud to honor Kathy Donaldson, the longtime President of the Bedford-Barrow-Commerce Block Association, with our Regina Kellerman Award, named for GVSHP’s first Executive […]

                                              2014 Village Award Winner: La MaMa E.T.C.

                                              For fifty-three years, La MaMa E.T.C. has brought amazing theater off, off Broadway and into the East Village. GVSHP is proud to honor the theater with a 2014 Village Award at our Monday, June 16th ceremony. We hope you’ll join us (RSVP here) to celebrate La Mama and our six other wonderful awardees! La Mama […]

                                              2014 Village Award Winner: New York Marble Cemetery

                                              Here’s a neighborhood old-timer for you. The New York Marble Cemetery, which turns 184 years old this year, was developed in 1830 as the first privately owned, nonsectarian cemetery in New York City. We shared some great old photos in this past Off the Grid post. The cemetery can be hard to spot, but if […]

                                              2014 Village Award Winner: Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books

                                              Located at 34 Carmine Street between Bleecker and Bedford Streets, Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books has got a big name and an even bigger place in the hearts of Village neighbors and New York City bibliophiles. Stocking a floor-to-ceiling collection of personally-selected works at remarkably low prices, this independent bookstore has been a fixture of the […]

                                                Scouting out some of the City’s coolest places

                                                Recently, Off the Grid has spotlighted a number of blogs that we like to read to keep us up to date about our community and our city beyond the borders of the Village. We’ve spotlighted Untapped New York, which helps its readers discover New York’s architecture and culture from the perspective of both experts and […]

                                                  2014 Village Award Winner: Pino Prime Meats

                                                  In the old Italian South Village, St. Anthony of Padua church stands on the corner of Sullivan Street and Houston Street, an anchor for the vibrant community of Italian immigrants who settled in this neighborhood over 100 years ago. Nestled two doors south of the church on Sullivan Street is the venerable Pino Prime Meats, […]

                                                  She Shot Andy Warhol

                                                  The 1960’s was a turbulent decade marked by numerous notable murders, assassinations, and attempted assassinations (some of which, like the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, the Bobby Kennedy assassination, and the murder of Kitty Genovese, have previously been chronicled on Off the Grid). But one may have shook downtown more deeply and personally than any […]

                                                  2014 Village Award Winner: New York Central Art Supply

                                                  Browsing the merchandise at New York Central Art Supply can be a little intimidating for the uninitiated, but that’s just because this store, which has been owned by the same family for three generations, is chock full of the most unique paper and art supplies you’ll find almost anywhere. It is worth checking out regardless […]

                                                  Check for Violations Before Buying a Landmark

                                                  In continuation of our Landmarking 101 series, today we’re focusing on active violations on a landmarked property and just who is responsible for them. Whether you’re a broker or a prospective buyer, this is particularly important information to know! If you buy a property with unresolved violations, you become financially responsible for correcting them. That’s […]

                                                  2014 Village Award winner: Village Community Boathouse

                                                  Lately Pier 40 has been in the news due to the controversial possibility of air rights being sold from this and other piers within the Hudson River Park. To me, though, Pier 40 always was and will be the place I used to stretch before and after running along the river in the park. It’s […]

                                                  2014 Village Awards

                                                  It’s that time of year again! Every June, as part of Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting, we highlight with our Village Awards those special businesses, organizations, individuals, and places that make Greenwich Village the best neighborhood in the world. This year’s Village Awards winners have been selected: LaMaMa New York Central Art Supply New York Marble […]

                                                  When They Stemmed the Flow of Immigrants into New York City

                                                  It’s estimated that in 2024, about 36% of New York City’s population is foreign-born, which is one of the highest percentages among U.S. cities. Immigrants also make up 44.2% of the city’s labor force, which is higher than the 64% of native-born New Yorkers who participate in the labor force. The federal Immigration Act of […]

                                                  Collecting the history of the Village one interview at a time

                                                  This past fall, GVSHP launched a new oral history project. This ongoing project was developed in order to add to our understanding of the South and East Villages, areas in which we are advocating for new protections such as landmarking and rezonings. While we have spent considerable time documenting the architectural history of these neighborhoods, […]

                                                  Our Wishlist for the Next Buildings Commissioner

                                                  As Mayor De Blasio slowly fills the many leadership positions in a mammoth city government, those of us invested in preservation and development have been waiting for two announcements in particular: of a new Landmarks Preservation Commission chair, which happened today, and of a new Department of Buildings commissioner. About the latter, there has been […]

                                                  Looking Up: The Cable Building

                                                  This is part of the Looking Up series of posts, which explore the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, the storefront, and the second floor. Above the display windows of Crate & Barrel, and the crowded Broadway and Houston Street sidewalks, is a facade […]

                                                  Tap Into Untapped Cities

                                                  We’ve been reviewing some of the blogs that we here at Off the Grid like to follow to keep ourselves up-to-date on happenings both community-centered and across New York City. So far we have explored EV Grieve, the blog that is a must-follow for anyone interested in the East Village. We have also investigated Jeremiah’s […]

                                                  In the East Village, Aiming to Leave No Deserving Place Behind

                                                  Do the tall arches of the sturdy red-brick Anthology Film Archives reassure you? Does the stillness of the New York City Marble Cemetery give you a thrill? Perhaps passing exuberant 101 Avenue A, the Pyramid Club, puts a bounce in your step? Well, there’s good news:  these unique features of the East Village aren’t going […]

                                                    Lucy Moses Honors

                                                    It was eight years ago today on May 8, 2006 that GVSHP was honored with the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s Lucy G. Moses Award for organizational excellence.  We were in great company that night at St. Bartholomew’s Church, including Evelyn and Everett Ottner, the Park Slope preservation pioneers, who received the Preservation Leadership Award, and […]

                                                    A Tale of Two Tenements

                                                    As I was walking along East 11th Street recently I happened to notice two tenements sitting side by side that appeared to be “sister buildings” (built at the same time using the same design). When I headed back to the GVSHP office I looked through building permits we have on file from the Municipal Archives […]

                                                    Two Big Anniversaries on Carmine Street

                                                    This week we have two milestone anniversaries that relate to my old stomping grounds, Carmine Street. On this date, May 6, in 1908, the public bathhouse that is now the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center opened. Today this is at the 7th Avenue South end of Carmine Street, but in 1908, 7th Avenue South didn’t exist. […]