As you should now be aware, today is primary election day in New York City. The polls close at 9:00 P.M. tonight, so if you haven’t already, check the location of your polling place and go out and vote. As many of the primary races around the city feature people who have worked in their […]
On September 9, 2003, the Gansevoort Market Historic District was officially designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The designation not only culminated a three-year effort to protect the increasingly endangered Meatpacking District from the very real prospect of mass demolitions and oversized new development (such as the Hotel Gansevoort, which preceded the […]
It was a sad day for cinephiles on September 6, 1990 when the Bleecker Street Cinema closed. The beloved movie house was another casualty of the trends that had led to the demise of similar smaller cinemas – the ones that showed older classic films and lesser-known independent and foreign films. There was enormous pressure […]
On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was shot while visiting the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York; he died eight days later on September 14. Both the man responsible for the assassination, and the man who assumed the presidency as a result, had some interesting connections to our neighborhoods. McKinley was only the third […]
Do you have childhood memories of your mom sewing your clothes? Or have you ever come across your grandmother’s old sewing machine and huge stash of patterns and fabrics? If you know someone who sews, ask them if they know the name “Butterick” and they will very likely say yes. That’s because 150 years ago […]
Journalist, author, and Greenwich Village resident Malcolm Gladwell turns fifty today. Happy Birthday, Mr. Gladwell. Like many authors who have chosen to make the Village their home, Gladwell is originally from elsewhere. Born in Great Britain, Gladwell grew up in Ontario, Canada before moving to the United Stated. He lived in Indiana and Washington D.C. […]
It’s always fun to look at then and now photos of buildings and streetscapes we’ve long come to admire here on Off the Grid. Today, just ahead of the Labor Day weekend, we wanted to check in on the Hebrew Actors’ Union building at 31 East 7th Street in the East Village. With its stark […]
I used to hear from people who said that they hated being in New York City in the summer, and would escape on the weekends to the Hamptons, upstate New York, the Poconos, etc. To me, sitting in traffic every Friday and Sunday, or dealing with peak-fare crowed trains, is not how I want to […]
Founded 111 years ago by reformer Mary Kingsbury Simkhovitch, Greenwich House began as a place to help improve the lives of the expanding immigrant populations in the neighborhood. While times have changed, Greenwich House continues to serve seniors, children, and families with services such as arts education, after-school programs, substance abuse programs, and social and […]
In the past Off the Grid has taken a look at some of the architecture surrounding Tompkins Square Park, including St. Brigid’s Church, the Tompkins Square Lodging House for Boys, the Charlie Parker House, and the Tompkins Square Branch of the New York Public Library. Today we thought we would take a look inside the […]
…what a long, strange trip it’s been. On August 26th, 1970, an electric lady was introduced to the rock and roll scene on 8th Street in Greenwich Village. Ushered in by none other than Jimi Hendrix, Electric Lady Studios at 52 West 8th Street was built to provide Hendrix with affordable studio space that would […]
On August 28th, 1963, one of the most iconic and transformative events of the civil rights movement took place, the ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.’ One of the largest demonstrations ever staged in our nation’s capitol, it featured Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech, and is credited with helping […]
An amazing resource that we have featured here and there on Off the Grid is the theater drawings of Anthony F. Dumas. From the Jewish Rialto along lower Second Avenue to the little gems hidden in the nooks and crannies of the Village’s quirky streets, Dumas seemingly covered it all. And while many of these […]
With Labor Day fast approaching and temperatures rising, my thoughts are turning to … ice cream! Greenwich Village has recently become one of the best neighborhoods in New York City for the treat, and with fall just around the corner, now is the time to indulge.
Last week the Whitney Museum revealed its 3D cut-out recreation of the noted Edward Hooper painting Nighthawks in the prow of the Flatiron Building. The ‘pop-up’ project highlights the museum’s ongoing exhibition Hopper Drawing, which examines the drawings and creative process of the Greenwich Village-based artist. Hopper moved to New York in 1899, and after […]
On Monday, September 16th, GVSHP and our co-sponsor The New School for Public Engagement will present a screening of the documentary film, “For the Records” by Emily Judem and Hazel Sheffield. The subject of the film is the record store Bleecker Bob’s which closed last April after 45 years of doing business in Greenwich Village, […]
In the early 1900s, the East Village was teeming with theaters and movie houses. Second Avenue was the Yiddish Rialto, or Theater district, lined with venues showcasing theater performed, written, and directed by Jewish New Yorkers, often in Yiddish. Vaudeville pioneer B.F. Keith (the ‘K’ in RKO theaters, and eventually films) opened his first theater […]
Last week GVSHP took an important step in documenting the South Village for its listing on the National Register of Historic places by photographing a selection of sites to be included in the nomination report. This nomination, written by architectural historian Andrew Dolkart, will soon be sent to the State Office for Historic Preservation to […]
On August 16, 2006, GVSHP sent the Landmarks Preservation Commission an urgent request to consider landmark designation of the the old Fire Patrol House #2 at 84 West 3rd Street, between Sullivan and Thompson Streets in the South Village. At the time, the building had just been put on the market by its owner, the […]
A couple of weeks ago I was walking along 3rd Street in the East Village and stopped in front of a sculpture park that I had seen many times before. Just past Avenue B, the park holds a number of metal sculptures which, without doing any research, seemed to be the work of current artists […]
On August 12, 1964, ground was broken for the construction of 505 LaGuardia Place (then known as 505 West Broadway), the first of the three towers which, along with the giant Picasso sculpture “Sylvette,” form what was called University Village. The entire complex was built by NYU, and two of the towers are owned by […]
On August 8, 2008, GVSHP and the East Village Community Coalition formally requested that the City landmark the historic Congregation Mezritch Synagogue building at 415 East 6th Street in the East Village (you can read the request, and more about the building’s history, here). At the time, plans had been filed to demolish the […]
Six years ago today, on August 8, 2007, the Landmarks Preservation Commission wrote to GVSHP responding to our request to consider Webster Hall, the East Village social and assembly hall built in 1887 , for landmark designation. In their letter, the Commission informed us that in response to the information we submitted, the building was ‘calendared.’ […]
As seen in: Don’t Believe REBNY’s Hype; Landmarking Can Help Affordability Read the full article in The Villager or Gotham Gazette BY ANDREW BERMAN | In July, the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) went on a media blitz, touting their latest report blasting landmark preservation in New York City. […]
Twentieth century pop art icon Andy Warhol was born on August 6th, 1928 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But his life as an artist and visual pioneer was very much about New York, largely downtown New York. Warhol certainly made his mark on the Village and East Village, and both, in turn, made their mark on him. […]
Our Building Broadway series provides a glimpse into the manufacturing past of Broadway’s historic loft buildings. From Houston to 14th Streets, read more posts in this series by clicking here! Located between 11th and 12th Streets, 809 Broadway has been in the news recently with the announcement that Blatt Billards is leaving this location for […]
Today marks the birthday of great Greenwich Village artist and chronicler of everyday life in Lower Manhattan John Sloan, born August 2, 1871. Sloan worked as an painter and illustrator, first in Pennsylvania, and then most notably in New York at the turn of the twentieth century. His work is now highly regarded, and he is considered […]
This past Monday evening, many of us gathered on MacDougal Street near Bleecker for the unveiling of a bronze plaque honoring the San Remo Café. The San Remo Café operated in this corner location for many years and was a home of sorts for so many of Greenwich Village’s most creative people. One of those […]
On August 1, 2000, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation convened the first meeting of the Save Gansevoort Market Task Force. This project of GVSHP eventually led to landmark designation for most of the Meatpacking District, State and National Register of Historic Places designation for the entire neighborhood, and two successful campaigns to prevent […]
On July 31, 1923, the New York Times featured an article about an injunction against seven places of business located in the South Village that served alcohol against the strictures of the Volstead Act, or Prohibition. The article refers to “anti-Bohemian” sentiment by neighbors resulting in tip-offs to the authorities about the speakeasies. As GVSHP […]
As the summer rolls on, we thought we’d take the time to do a little Landmarks update. The above screenshot from our Landmarks Applications Webpage shows three Certificate of Appropriateness (C of A) applications to be heard in August at the Landmarks Commission. Click on the photo to learn more about these applications and how […]
Building Broadway is a new series from Off the Grid that highlights the beautiful historic loft buildings that line Broadway between Houston and 14th Streets. These posts cover only bits and pieces of the histories of these buildings; learn how to become your very own building sleuth with our guide to researching the Village! Kicking […]
On Monday, July 29th, GVSHP, along with our friends at Two Boots, unveils our latest historic plaque, this one commemorating the San Remo Café, which was a favorite Village hangout for writers, musicians and other artists from the 1940’s to around 1970. Regulars included Allen Ginsberg, Dylan Thomas, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, Miles Davis, […]
Want to learn more about Bella Abzug and other feminist and civil rights pioneers like her? Visit GVSHP’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Map. Bella Savitzky Abzug was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants from Russia on July 24, 1920. First elected on November 3, 1970, she would become a U.S. congresswoman, leading […]
Talking Point Read the full article here July 18, 2013 BY ANDREW BERMAN | In late June we learned that the state Assembly and Senate had passed legislation that, among other things, allows the sale of air rights from piers within the Hudson River Park for development one block inland, with the […]
This evening, our friends at the The Wooden House Project, a blog that explores Brooklyn’s wood-frame houses, will be conducting a walking tour of some interesting wooden houses in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. I’ll be taking the tour tonight, but thought I would take this opportunity to get in the right frame of mind […]
MacDougal Alley is one of those hidden enclaves of Greenwich Village that many passersby may not notice, but if they do they are treated to a wonderful piece of city history. Many of the residences here were former stables built beginning in 1833 when the alley was formally created as a private court to serve […]
Last week Off the Grid featured a story about the 55th Annual Washington Square Music Festival, which presents free concerts in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evenings in July. This week, we thought we would venture East, where the Third Street Music School has been featuring free Thursday afternoon concerts since 1981. Music in Abe […]
As everyone keeps their fingers crossed that Con Edison can keep the power flowing during this week’s heat wave, we thought we’d take a look at the history of its monumental headquarters building on Irving Place. Though situated on the north side of 14th Street, the tower of the Consolidated Edison Building looms over the […]
Now that I have your attention, what I have to say isn’t just about pizza. It’s about what we already know: Greenwich Village is a really special place. Why would you ever want to leave? Imagine if you had a successful business in New York City – any neighborhood in New York City – and […]
For those who don’t know it, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection at 59 East 2nd Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, is one of the most striking and impressive ecclesiastical structures, not only the East Village, but all of New York (their website is here). While it has served as the […]
In honor of Bastille Day this Sunday, July 14, we here at Off the Grid thought we would take a look at the French Quarter, a small area south of Washington Square with a large French population in the latter decades of the 19th century. This area, part of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District […]
On West 13th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues stands a parking garage on the very edge of the Greenwich Village Historic District. It happened to catch my eye one day as I was walking by so I thought I’d learn more about its history. As it turns out, the building began as a furniture […]
Last night, the 55th Washington Square Music Festival held its first of four free concerts in Washington Square Park. The music festival is sponsored by the Washington Square Association, an organization founded in 1906 as a neighborhood civic organization working to preserve the neighborhood’s residential character.
On this day, July 9th, back in 1962, Bob Dylan recorded his song, “Blowin’ in the Wind.” There are many, many connections between Bob Dylan, this song, and the Village, and you can read about some them in this Off the Grid post from two years ago. Some of the places where Dylan wrote and […]
It may be the dog days of summer, but tomorrow the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hear nine applications for changes to landmarked properties in our neighborhoods, ranging from the Meatpacking District to the South Village and NoHo, and from minor changes to dramatic proposed makeovers. You can find information about the extent of these […]
School may be out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take time to appreciate the art and architecture of PS 34 Franklin D. Roosevelt at 730 East 12th Street in the East Village. With the popularity of the show Mad Men, (check out our blog about Village spots featured on the show) […]
On the corner of Avenue B and East 8th Street sits the striking former Tompkins Square Lodging House for Boys and Industrial School, which opened on April 21, 1887, and was designated an individual New York City landmark on May 16, 2000, one of dozens of individual landmarks in the East Village (see a list […]
On the last Sunday of June, since 1970, the New York City LGBT community has celebrated the last day of Pride Week with a march (NOT a parade) that ends its route where the gay-rights movement began, Greenwich Village. By now everyone knows the story of the 1969 Stonewall Riots that happened on Christopher Street […]
On this particularly rainy Monday, an image of Gene Kelly singin’ and dancin’ in the rain sure does come to mind. Lo and behold, an exciting discovery was made: the writers of the classic 1952 movie musical Singin’ in the Rain (and countless other Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals) got their big break at the […]
On Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets sits a small, unassuming two-story garage. Chances are you’ve walked past it and never even noticed it. The large garage door with spray-painted “No Parking” message is less than inspiring. However, this building was once witness to history. In 1891, the leading cause of child mortality was […]
On Monday evening I attended the Jefferson Market Garden Friends’ Annual Garden Party. If you are already familiar with the Jefferson Market Garden (a 1991 Village Award winner), there’s no need for me to tell you what a wonderful place this is. If you are not, then allow me to tell you a story about […]
Yesterday the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held its only public hearing on “phase II” of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District. There was a great turnout in support of landmarking the district and we thank everyone who came to testify, sent letters to the commission, and otherwise voiced their support. You can read GVSHP’s testimony […]
Today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be holding a public hearing on the proposed South Village Historic District. Yesterday, the NoHo East Historic District turned ten years old! Yes, on June 24, 2003, the area that encompasses parts of Bleecker, Mott, and Elizabeth Streets and the Bowery was officially given local landmark protections (see map […]
Yesterday the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and The Church of the Village unveiled a bronze historic marker now permanently affixed to the facade of this landmark church memorializing the first meeting of what came to be PFLAG, led by Jeanne Manford, at the church […]
We’re gearing up for the Landmarks Preservation (LPC) hearing about “Phase II” of the proposed South Village Historic District next Tuesday, June 25. We hope you can join us at the LPC at 1 Centre Street, 9th floor, and testify in favor of designating this and the rest proposed South Village Historic District. You can […]
Lately we’ve been receiving emails asking about what’s happening at 688 Broadway in NoHo, which is located on the east side of the street between East 4th and Great Jones Streets. The site is currently an outdoor market, but its vendors don’t have long before the market will close. What will go there in its […]
The Landmarks Preservation Commission has recently begun creating on-line slide shows to showcase various history months as represented by some of the city’s roughly 31,000 landmarked properties. In March, they highlighted Women’s History Month, and in February, Black History Month. Now for the first time, the LPC has also created a “Gay Pride Month” slide […]
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night as we celebrated our 33rd Annual Meeting and presentation of the Village Awards at the beautiful Tishman Auditorium at The New School, one of our favorite events of the year. At this festive mix of business and pleasure, our valued members and the general public get […]
Tonight, GVSHP will present our Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony. This evening will look back on the work of the Society over the last year, while honoring those who make a special contribution to our Village neighborhoods. Here at Off the Grid, we have been exploring each of our 2013 Awardees the past few weeks. […]
While Bil Baird may not be a household name today, his legacy lives on across the globe through a famous scene in the 1965 movie, The Sound of Music. Baird, a master puppeteer, produced and performed “The Lonely Goatherd” (above) with his wife Cora and their band of marionettes. With a little movie magic, however, […]
The East Village has seen many changes over the last twenty years, but perhaps none so inspiring as the changes due to the work of Ninth Precinct Community Council President Jeremiah Shea. Shea, and his work on behalf of the neighborhood, will be honored with a 2013 Village Award at GVSHP’s Annual Meeting and Awards […]
As the city’s and nation’s economy works through its slow recovery, the New York public library reminds us how the last great national economic crisis affected our city. Though we commonly recall images of Depression-era squatters in Hoovervilles in Central Park, various temporary encampments sprouted throughout the city during the 1930s — many of them […]
Last week I wrote about one of my favorite spots in the South Village, the Sir Winston Churchill Square. If you took my advice and went for a visit, you may have noticed an old painted billboard on the brick wall above the park. This is for Avignone Pharmacy (now Avignone Chemists), another one of […]
You don’t often hear “NYU” and “award” in the same sentence (at least not when GVSHP is giving the award). But a bold and unapologetic group of NYU faculty who have spearheaded the charge from within against the university’s massive Village expansion plans was a favorite of the GVSHP Awards Committee this year. Let’s find […]
If you have ever spent time in the area where Bleecker Street meets Sixth Avenue, then you know it’s a busy place with lots of people, cars, buses, bicycles, strollers, pianos, and more. When the weather is nice, a lot of people like to get a slice or a bagel and sit on a bench […]
The Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (BAN), a grassroots organization, has been a passionate force within the New York City preservation community since 2007. Co-founded by David Mulkins and Anna Sawaryn, BAN advocates for the preservation of the historic buildings on the Bowery. They focus their efforts particularly on the east side, which lacks the zoning […]
On June 5, 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, as he left the ballroom after giving his victory speech following his win in the California Presidential Primary. Many believed his primary victory would lead to securing the Democratic nomination for President, and the Presidency. This was one of many assassinations […]
On June 5, 1981, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its first national notice about cases of what would come to be known as AIDS. In its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (a national publication of public health information and recommendations) published that day, the CDC noted that five previously healthy gay […]
Since 1885, a drug store has stood at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 6th Street. Although it has had various owners over the years, members of the Palermo family have owned the store since 1962. Ever since, the family has worked to provide the community knowledgeable and personalized service in the sale of prescription […]
In the East Village, community gardens began growing when neighborhood activists threw “seed-bombs” into empty, trash-strewn lots. Tomorrow, GVSHP teams up with Green Guerillas – the organization that arose from these first green activists – for a walking tour of the neighborhood’s community gardens. Since the tour is sold-out, we thought we’d provide a history […]
Most of us have just celebrated the unofficial beginning of summer with the Memorial Day weekend. The first Memorial Day, though, was observed on May 30, 1868, to honor those who died in the Civil War. Flowers were placed on the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1873, New […]
Mills House Number 1 at 160 Bleecker Street (at Thompson Street) in the South Village was a large experimental ‘reform housing’ project built by noted architect Ernest Flagg from 1896 to1897 and financed by banker and philanthropist Darius Ogden Mills. The two ten story wings of the hotel for single men were composed of 1,500 small 5 […]
Last week, as part of our Map It! series, we featured the long-forgotten Minetta Place, which used to be located on the block just west of Minetta Street and south of Minetta Lane. Our former Director of Preservation & Research, Elizabeth Finkelstein, asked what exactly was going on in the first photo of that post. […]
While Memorial Day is often known (unofficially, of course) as the kick-off to summer, it is an official U.S. Federal holiday that recognizes those who have died in service to our country. It began following the Civil War, but has since been extended to include all Americans who died serving in the military.
On May 25, 1967, the film Barefoot in the Park, based on the Neil Simon play, was released. It’s fun to watch this film now, to see how some things have changed, and some have not. The first scene is of our happy newlywed couple riding in a horse-drawn carriage in Central Park. But ‘Barefoot […]
Just prior to yesterday’s rally and press conference to save historic Mary Help of Christians Church from demolition (see press release HERE and pictures HERE), GVSHP came upon information that the church and much of this block were actually built upon a long-forgotten 19th century cemetery, New York’s third, and at the time largest, Catholic […]
Since the first public market opened in the area in 1884, Gansevoort Market — or the Meatpacking District — underwent many changes in building form and use as the area became more commericalized over the decades. Though now associated with high-end boutiques, galleries, and restaurants, Gansevoort Market by the 1980s and 1990s was a collection […]
Last week, Off the Grid celebrated the upcoming Obie and Tony Awards. Today, GVSHP is honored to announce … the 2013 Village Awardees! Each year, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation honors our community by presenting the Village Awards, to recognize the people, places, organizations, and more that contribute significantly to the quality of […]
We’re gearing up for tomorrow’s LPC public meeting in which the commissioners will vote to “calendar” the proposed South Village Historic District. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some buildings that once existed in the proposed area as part of our Map It! series. While Minetta Brook has long been […]
It’s Awards Season! The Obie Awards for Off-Broadway theater will be presented on Monday, May 20th, and the Tony Awards for Broadway theater on June 9th. So it’s an exciting (or excruciating) time in the theater world. Theater is so important to the economy of New York City. Going to a Broadway show is a […]
A recent post by Rock Cellar Magazine entitled “Rock Meccas of NYC: What Are They Now?” had us here at Off the Grid lamenting the loss of such wonderful music venues as the recently closed Kenny’s Castaways and Bleecker Bob’s Record Store. The article’s then and now photographs are a must see. But the music […]
The middle of the 19th Century saw an influx of wealthy New Yorkers moving north of Washington Square. To cater to this growing population, lavish new developments began to spring up around Union Square. Gothic Revival religious institutions such as the James Renwick-designed Grace Church and the Richard Upjohn-designed Church of the Ascension (a […]
While we received some incredibly good news last week about possible future landmarking in the South Village, this week also marks the anniversary of some critical past victories in South Village landmarking efforts. Let’s see what good fortune mid-May has brought to us in years gone by…
Today, we’d like to extend a “Happy ‘Landmark’ Birthday” to the NoHo Historic District Extension, which the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated on May 13, 2008. As you can see in the above historic district map, the extension connects the NoHo Historic District and the NoHo East Historic District. For the most part, the 56 […]
After 60 years, Joe’s Dairy, a small South Village institution specializing in fresh mozzarella (plain, salted, and smoked) will close up their retail store. Community gossip, which is confirmed by Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, says the retail store will only be open through today and tomorrow. Joe’s Dairy was a Village Award winner in 2009, […]
I am not a native New Yorker, but as a long-time (now former) resident of the South Village, I had the distinct privilege of getting to know many people who had actually spent their entire lives there. Some say that Greenwich Village, unlike most other New York City neighborhoods, really is like a little village […]
How time flies – five years ago last March, the former East Eleventh Street Baths between Avenues A and B became an official New York City Landmark. I remember it very well; I wrote the designation report, after all! Last year, I featured this building on Off the Grid as one of my favorite things. […]
Yesterday’s benefit house tour was a tremendous success. The weather was crisp, clear, and beautiful, the homes spectacular, and the reception at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise’s gallery at 620 Greenwich Street, with wine from Mark Trujillo, was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who supported the benefit, our intrepid Benefit Committee (especially co-chairs Cassie […]
If you’re ever strolling along Sixth Avenue near the West 4th Street subway station – perhaps you are on your way to Washington Square Park, or going to get “a slice” – you might pass a small spot of trees just on the uptown side of the basketball courts. Slow down! I urge you to […]
Warm, sunny days in the Village have us here at GVSHP looking forward to our annual house tour, which takes place this Sunday, May 5th. There’s still time to buy tickets! They can also be purchased the day of the tour at a higher rate. The forecast for Sunday calls for a beautiful day — […]
Those following May Day protests today might be interested in learning about the day’s long roots in labor history, going back to 1886. May 1, 1886 was selected by the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions at a conference in 1884 as a target deadline for labor unions to achieve a standard 8-hour work […]
A new application for storefront work at a gas station on the corner of Eighth Avenue and 13th Street has us reaching into the GVSHP files today on Off the Grid; below is a “Then & Now” post written by former GVSHP staffer Dana Schulz about another gas station site in the Village. The odd, […]
Last November, we showed how — to our amazement — the City’s own “Community Profile” of Community Board #2 categorized the Trump SoHo “Condo-Hotel” as a residential property. This would make it illegal under the zoning, because when built, the zoning in Hudson Square did not allow any sort of residential development. We (and many […]
Op-Ed from The Villager newspaper, April 25, 2012 http://thevillager.com/2013/04/25/quinn-and-city-cant-omit-3-key-south-village-sites/ Quinn and City Must Not Omit Three Key Sites From South Village Landmarking (if you want to help, write the City and Speaker Quinn today — click HERE) BY ANDREW BERMAN | On April 15, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public meeting to present its […]
Common lore has it that the demolition of Penn Station fifty years ago was the impetus behind the modern preservation movement in New York, but in fact, preservation efforts in Greenwich Village and elsewhere had begun long before. This coming Tuesday, April 30, GVSHP will present a conversation with scholars Franny Eberhart, Jon Ritter, and […]
In just a week and a half, GVSHP will hold our 15th Annual Benefit House Tour. There’s still time to buy tickets to see six beautiful private homes in the Village on Sunday, May 5th. The benefit is our biggest annual fundraiser, and the proceeds help us provide free educational events throughout the year as […]
Richie Havens, the iconic singer and guitarist, passed away yesterday at the age of 72. Though originally from Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, by his late teens Havens had moved to Manhattan and made his home in Greenwich Village, which was in the midst of the beatnik/folk revival scene of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
It’s disappointing but hardly surprising — NYU destroying a small but important piece of the Village’s architectural heritage and character. What is puzzling, however, is how utterly unnecessary the destruction appears to be. NYU is renovating its Brittany Hall dormitory at 55 East 10th Street, at the northwest corner of Broadway. The 15-story tower is […]
A familiar site to New Yorkers and visitors alike, the charming Washington Mews sits just one block north of Washington Square Park. There are a few street names in New York with the word “mews” attached; this indicates that many, if not all, buildings were originally developed as small-scale horse stables for nearby townhouses. These […]
