Blurring the Lines with Blind Windows

In response to our recent post “A Sign That Tells More Than Just Street Names,” about the oddly ‘elevated’ street sign embedded above the third floor of 128 Charles Street, an Off the Grid reader also wondered about the rows of mysteriously “bricked up” windows along the Greenwich Street facade of the building. Well, dear […]

My Favorite Things: Holiday Edition

Last Saturday night I joined hundreds of other holiday revelers in one of my favorite offbeat, annual Village traditions: Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night. Now in its twentieth year, Unsilent Night proved to be the most magical 45 minutes I have ever spent meandering through the Village streets.

In Memoriam, Anthony Amato

Anthony Amato, the founder and artistic director of the Amato Opera, died last Tuesday at the age of 91. Through his company, Anthony Amato created a home for opera within the Village’s larger theater scene, forging a role for the immigrant community’s contribution to the arts and culture of the neighborhood. Anthony and his wife […]

Advocating for the Future

You may have seen 60 Minutes last night with a segment about the impact of the mortgage crisis on neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio.  With owners and banks abandoning homes the city has decided to demolish them as a means to prevent blight and crime.  The reporter, Scott Pelley, walked down the street with a former city official counting […]

On the Square

As we enter the final phase of the holiday shopping season we thought we would continue our look at some of the historic retail establishments in our area. Last week we looked at Wanamaker’s huge store and annex near Astor Place. Farther north at Union Square, a major retail presence for decades was the S. […]

East 7th Street: A Foodie’s Paradise

In recent years, the East Village on the whole has come to be known for its budding gastronomy scene.  One street in particular that has really hit it big in this scene is East 7th Street.  With our program tomorrow evening on the social history of East 7th Street, we thought it only made sense […]

My Favorite Things: Washington Square North

The iconic early 19th century rowhouses that flank the north side of Washington Square Park are in many a passersby’s mind synonymous with the early history of the neighborhood.  Originally, the whole block looked like this.  Developed in 1833 under the auspices of the Trustees of Sailors’ Snug Harbor, the row was built to house […]

Things I’ll Miss About GVSHP: Part 2

Nearly four centuries ago, Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant, whose life has been the stuff of legend on account of his wooden leg and his role in losing New Amsterdam to the English, lived on a farm in the area we now call the Village. Generations later, his great-grandson, Petrus, bequeathed land for the construction of […]

Dog Day Anniversary

On December 4th, 1971, John Stanley Wojtowicz married Ernest Aron in Greenwich Village, in what Mr. Wojtowicz described as a Roman Catholic ceremony. This event might be considered noteworthy for taking place nearly four decades before the legalization of gay marriage in New York, and decades before the now ubiquitous debates about, and demand for, equal […]

Back to the Butchers

Recently, we told you all about the East Village Meat Market, a traditional Ukrainian butcher shop on 2nd Avenue and 9th Street.  We also told you that this was the last such surviving  butcher shop in the East Village.  Two others that have been lost within the past 5 years are Kurowycky Meat Products, formerly […]

Things I’ll Miss About GVSHP: Part 1

As many readers are probably aware, in January I’ll be leaving my position of 3½ years as GVSHP’s Director of Preservation & Research (shameless plug: apply for my job). It’s a bittersweet move for a host of reasons. Suffice it to say, it’s been an absolute dream to spend my days fighting tirelessly for a […]

East Village Tenement Housed “the Most Dangerous Woman in America”

Anarchist and revolutionary thinker Emma Goldman, known for her political activism, writing, and speeches, can claim East 13th as her home in the early twentieth century. Goldman was known for supporting a wide-range of controversial causes, including free speech, birth control, women’s equality, union organization, and workers’ rights. She was considered, by the Federal Bureau […]

The Backstory on Backhouses

One of the many wonderful things about our neighborhoods is the seemingly limitless possibility for surprises.  Though small in scale and geography, the Village, East Village, and NoHo may have more unexpected and often unknown nooks and crannies than any other area of New York City.  And sometimes those surprises are hidden from the public, […]

Thanksgiving Ragamuffins

Thanksgiving has been an unofficial tradition in the US since settlers first came here, an unofficial holiday since 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of giving thanks in the midst of the Civil War, and an official one beginning in 1942. Many different traditions have sprung up around this holiday, but have […]

Big Reveal on East 11th Street

We’ve been anxiously awaiting the big reveal of the new artwork on the All Saint’s Ukrainian Church on East 11th Street, just west of our offices in the Neighborhood Preservation Center. So we’re thrilled to see that the scaffolding has finally come down!

History’s Mysteries: Ghost Sign on East 6th Street

Talk about 6 degrees of separation!  A half-    painted over, fading ghost sign (old hand painted advertisement) on a wall of a tenement building at 620 East 6th Street has more random connections than Kevin Bacon. If you’re curious to find out how an old ad on a wall on East 6th Street is connected to “The […]

West Village Colossus

Rising like an ark over Christopher Street, the Archive Building’s construction and multiple uses over a New York century reflect the changing character of the Far West Village waterfront and the city as a whole. Join us as we trace the unique history of this colossus of the West Village.

    Happy 20th Anniversary, Blue Man Group!

    Twenty years ago today, on November 17th, 1991, Blue Man Group “Tubes” opened at NoHo’s own Astor Place Theatre, where the group continues to dazzle audiences to this day. Happy Anniversary to one of our favorite things in the Village!

    My Favorite Things: The Corner of West 4th and West 10th Streets

    Villager’s often point to the neighborhood’s low scale buildings and meandering, off-the-grid street pattern as one of the many factors that make the Village so special. I have to admit, I have a love/hate relationship with the Village’s off-kilter streets. But then again, I get lost with a map. Prior to 2005 (the year I […]

      372 Lafayette Street – Take Two!

      Back in August, we wrote about 372 Lafayette Street, the proposed new building designed by Morris Adjmi that will – once given the go-ahead by the Landmarks Preservation Commission – occupy the site of the existing one-story garage on the corner of Great Jones Street in the NoHo Historic District. The LPC was only partially […]

      On This Day: Ellis Island Closes

      On this day in 1954, November 12th, America’s gateway, Ellis Island, closed its doors for good. According to History.com, 40% of Americans today can trace their roots through Ellis Island.  If we had to guess, that percentage most likely increases dramatically when looking at the population residing in the Village.  The South Village was marked […]

      My Favorite Things: Gone But Not Forgotten Edition

      This is the latest installment of Off the Grid’s series, “My Favorite Things,” in which we showcase some of our very favorite spots around the neighborhood, highlighting the incredible architecture, history, people, and businesses of the Village, East Village, and NoHo. As the old saying goes, you win some, you lose some.  That’s particularly true […]

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 11.9.11: For Food Lovers

      Gothamist goes inside the vault at Pfaff’s, the 19th century beer cellar turned cocktail loungs….and inside the new Veselka Bowery….and inside Prima, the new East Village seafood-centic cafe/bar First look at the menus of Whitehall, the new West Village, London-inspired restaurant and bar (Grub Street) The New York Times reviews the Bowery’s Saxon & Parole […]

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 11.9.11: East Edition

      Demolition permits on file for historic 316 East 3rd Street (EV Grieve) New York’s most loathed architect is no stranger to the East Village (NY Post) EV Grieve looks at the collapsed chimney on East 13th Street….and as of yesterday residents were still displaced Billy Leroy, of Billy’s Antiques & Props, misses the Old New […]

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 11.9.11: West Edition

      image courtesy of Bob Estremera On the market: a loft/antique store hybrid and St. Vincent’s condos (Curbed) Gothamist goes inside the new Greenwich Village Country Club Off-Off Broadway theater, Manhattan Theatre Source, closing….as is 30-year-old jazz cafe, Caffe Vivaldi (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York)…but you can sign a petition to save Vivaldi! House with the largest […]

      Three Cheers for Father’s Heart Church!

      Last month we all cheered when it was announced that the Bowery Historic District was added to the State and National Register of Historic Places – a well-deserved recognition of one of New York’s oldest and most historic streets. We are also thrilled that another historic site in our neighborhood, an East Village icon, was […]

      Kielbasa Done the East Village Way

      If you’re like me and grew up around Eastern-European family, you know that it’s pronounced kah-bah-see and that it’s best served with a little sauerkraut and spicy mustard. You then also probably know that the traditional neighborhood butcher shops that serve up this sausage delight, among other smoked and cured meaty goodness, are now few […]

      Russ & Daughters: An Extraordinarily Ordinary Place

      As GVSHP gears up for our benefit evening Much Ado About Noshing this evening with Village writer Calvin Trillin and two generations of the Russ & Daughters family, we decided to revisit our roots and explore the history of 179 East Houston Street, the building owned by the beloved appetizing store. Russ & Daughters has been […]

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 11.5.11: West Edition

      Looking back at Gansevoort Plaza (Forgotten NY) MTA misspells “Bleecker Street” (Gothamist) Greenwich Village duplex feels like something  more uptown …. a former Today Show host’s Butterfield House penthouse is asking 7M …. and Marc Jacobs exec swaps one Village townhouse for another (Curbed) Gothamist has all your Greenwich Village Halloween Parade pics HERE and […]

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 11.5.11: East Edition

      Cooper Union may charge tuition (NY Times) Villa Capri condos coming to Avenue C (Curbed) Public Theater renovations boosted by $2 Million donation (NearSay) Zip code 10003 has 169 chain stores! (EV Grieve) Greenwich Village Country Club starts putting on University (WSJ) Director Adria Petty puts EV dream pad on the market (The Local East […]

      Veselka Bowery Opens Tonight

      With GVSHP’s office located on the corner of 2nd Avenue and East 11th Street, staff are very familiar with Veselka, the Ukrainian restaurant/diner on 2nd Avenue and East 9th Street. (Besides, Veselka was a recipient of a Village Award in 2010, and we love our Village Award winners.) On Wednesday night staff enjoyed a preview […]

      My Favorite Things: Alamo (the Cube)

      It’s fall, 1967. A one-ton steel cube is dropped by the Lindsay administration into the middle of a grimy traffic island in an increasingly dodgy part of town. Instantly scuffed and plagued by graffiti, the hulking, monochromatic form could have easily been dismissed as a bland mid-century beautification scheme. A stark gift to the people […]

      Ready, Set … Nosh!

      This past weekend we were caught off guard when Jack Frost paid us a visit before the Great Pumpkin! Wonder what Linus would have made of that? While the weather may be unpredictable one thing that is foreseeable is the irresistible draw we all have for comfort foods as the temperatures drop. Everyone has a […]

      Halloween Round Up

      We hope that everyone had a safe, fun, and sugar-filled Halloween!  To close out the holiday we’ve rounded up some of our favorite events and decorations from around the Village that embody the neighborhood’s Halloween spirit.  Let’s start right in GVSHP’s backyard with St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery’s Dia de los Muertos celebration.

      Deadly History

      With today being Halloween, we thought we would take a look at … dead bodies in the Village! You can tune out the ominous laughter you may be hearing right about now, today’s post is actually about some fabulous historic cemeteries in the East and West Village.

      Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.29.11: West Edition

      Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York has more on disappearing newsstands High Line gets record $20 million gift (DNAinfo) Marc Jacobs exec sells Bank Street townhouse for $7 million (IBT) OWS protests health care system at former St. Vincent’s site (DNAinfo) Who should play Robert Moses in Oliver Stone’s new HBO movie? (Gothamist) NYU plans renovations to […]

      Village Halloween Parade Origins

      Earlier this week, we were thrilled to announce that Westbeth – the country’s first subsidized housing complex for artists and the first large-scale adaptive re-use of an industrial building for residential purposes – was designated an individual NYC landmark. Originally built as the Bell Telephone Labs, the complex was a birthplace of numerous modern technological […]

      My Favorite Things: Calvin Trillin

      Today, Off the Grid features the second entry in a new series, “My Favorite Things,” in which we highlight the architecture, history, people, and businesses of the Village, East Village, and NoHo. Calvin Trillin, a resident of Greenwich Village since the 1960s, has just published his 25th book, Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff. The […]

        Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.26.11: West Edition

        Former Harry Chong Chinese Laundry space for rent again (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) Epic rooftop spread awaits at $10.5 million West Village house (Curbed) The “chopped out” city from Greenwich Village (Ephemeral New York) Former West Village restaurant properties being converted to retail stores (Fork in the Road)….and on Bleecker Street, Jo Malone and Brush […]

        Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.26.11: East Edition

        Christadora apartment on the market for first time in 17 years (EV Grieve) Chelsea developer purchases East Village ‘mystery lot’ for $33.2 million (The Real Deal) LPC says rooftop addition too big for Bond Street (Curbed) Politicians in tow as neighbors protest conditions at 515 East 5th Street (The Local East Village)….and the Villager has […]

        Village Storefronts Dress Up for Halloween!

        Take a walk around the Village and you’ll certainly notice all of the festive Halloween decorations.  Stuck at your desk?  Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our photo tour of Village storefronts dressed up for the October occasion!

        Westbeth Landmarked!

        The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) just voted unanimously to landmark Westbeth, following through on a promise made seven years ago to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) and other community groups working to extend landmark protections in the Far West Village. 

        A Nightmare on 13th Street

        Recently, the block of East 13th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in the East Village has received a lot of attention after it was announced that a developer purchased a large vacant lot in the middle of the block.  Buildings on the block have been rumored to be haunted.  While we may not be […]

        More Cheese for the South Village?

        It seems you can’t miss Murray’s Cheese, the well-known South Village shop devoted to all things cheese, these days. They were recently featured in the New York Times and the food blog Eater, all for what Villagers have known for a long time: Murray’s is a true Village treasure. The Greenwich Village Society awarded the […]

          My Favorite Things: West Village Edition

          Today Off the Grid ushers in a new series, “My Favorite Things.” In it we will showcase some of our very favorite spots around the neighborhood, highlighting the incredible architecture, history, people, and businesses of the Village, East Village, and NoHo.  Let us know what you think! Few places can be said to exemplify the […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.19.11: East Edition

          Enjoy Karl Fischer’s 263 Bowery penthouse for just $15K per month (EV Grieve) Brazen Katz’s Deli purse-snatcher on the loose! (Gothamist) Starbucks hired Liqueteria’s manager to help launch their new juice bar chain (NY Post) MTA eliminates that pesky Alphabet City in new subway map (EV Grieve) East Villagers rally to save St. Mark’s Bookshop […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.19.11: West Edition

          Jim Carrey may be the latest celeb to buy in 176 Perry (Curbed) In 1951 Washington Square Park had doggie problems (Ephemeral New York) Grey Dog will be closing its flagship Carmine Street location (Gothamist)…but there will be a funeral next week (Eater) Greenwich Village folk history documented in Canadian film (DNAinfo) Fork in the […]

          Pastrami or Lox?

          Tough decision, I know.  Luckily, in the East Village/Lower East Side, you don’t have to travel far to stock up on both of these Jewish treats.  If you’ve ever stood on line for a pastrami on rye at Katz’s or grabbed a bagel with lox and a schmear at Russ & Daughters, you know what […]

          Our House is on Open House This Weekend!

          Since 1999, GVSHP’s office has been housed on the second floor of the Neighborhood Preservation Center (NPC) at 232 East 11th Street. The entire building housed the rectory of the adjacent St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery until the lower floors were restored after a fire to house NPC and the top floor reserved for […]

          ‘Kate Spade House’ Wasn’t Always “Charming & Chic”

          Over the past couple weeks, blogs have been buzzing with news and photos of 215 East 12th Street- dubbed the “Kate Spade House.”  Owned since 2007 by Pamela Bell, one of the four original partners of the Kate Spade brand, this 4-story, 25-foot wide townhouse is described by Stribling as “brimming with original detail, charm […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.12.11: East Edition

          Facing eviction, Village Scandal holding sale to pay for legal fees (EV Grieve) Looking at the Bowery– the original ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ (NY Times) Under St. Mark’s given new life (The Local East Village) Peek inside historic twin townhouses on East 10th Street (Curbed) Will Balazs convert Cooper Square Hotel into the Standard? (Eater) […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.12.11: West Edition

          After 13 years Babbo is still popular, and neighbors don’t like it (Gothamist) Curbed reports that construction is underway at 2 scandalous Village sites- Gene Kaufman’s ‘Hotel on 13th Street‘ & DDG Partners’ luxury condos at 345 West 14th Street STD’s are climbing in Greenwich Village (AM NY) Is the St. Vincent’s triangle becoming a […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.12.11: For Food Lovers

          Dessert Club Chikalicious welcomes in fall with new sweets (Serious Eats) Grade A restaurants are back in the East Village (KikaEats) Take a tour through West Village French restaurant Lyon with Eater’s feature Explain Your Tchotchkes Ray’s Pizza on 6th Avenue & 11th Street closes (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) Apparently, the Village is a great […]

          Katie Holmes Loves the Village!

          In an article from the October issue of O Magazine actress Katie Holmes declares, “I love Greenwich Village.”Back in 2009 it was widely speculated that Holmes and her husband Tom Cruise purchased a $15 million townhouse at 42 West 12th Street in the Greenwich Village Historic District.

          Stop the Presses!

          As GVSHP announced on its blog last Thursday, we will be hosting a fundraiser in November featuring our own Greenwich Village writer Calvin Trillin, and the 98-year-old appetizing store Russ & Daughters. The event is taking place at Astor Center, the food and wine educational center connected to Astor Wines & Spirits. We thought we […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.7.11: East Edition

          Looking at the very understated sidewalk canopy and signage at the new IHOP (EV Grieve) John Legend lists Scarano-on-the-Bowery pad for $2.5 Million (Curbed) Gothamist shares pictures and stories from the candlelight vigil for Bob Airhood….and EV Grieve has more pictures and news of Chico’s tribute to him Rite Aid paints over a memorial on […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.7.11: West Edition

          Second floor combo of 165 Perry could all be yours for $6.8 Million (Curbed) What happens when Jennifer Aniston moves into the neighborhood? (Capital NY) West Beth Gallery hosts ‘Urban Ethos‘ (NearSay) Greenwich Village resident, Joey Arias, gets standing ovations for new show ‘Arias With a Twist‘ (NY Times) Progress happening at former Chumley’s building […]

          The Loew-Down

          Image via William With all the recent discussions about the triangle site at 7th Avenue and West 12th Street, we thought we’d take a look at the space’s use earlier in the twentieth century. As you may know, this triangular plot of land where Greenwich Avenue, 7th Avenue, and West 12th Street intersect today houses […]

          Much Ado About Noshing — November 7th

          Yesterday, Village Preservation announced that tickets were going on sale for our fall fundraiser, Much Ado About Noshing. Featuring food maven, humorist, and New Yorker staff writer Calvin Trillin and the Russ and Daughters family, the evening of conversation and food will stimulate your mind and your palette.  Salmon and other delicious appetizers will be […]

          Peeking into Grove Court

          This secluded alley of beautiful pre-Civil War homes made recent real estate headlines when one of its houses, 5 Grove Court, went on the market for $4.2 million.  The Corcoran listing describes its drool-worthy details: “exposed beams, 3 fireplaces, handsome working kitchen and a rooftop garden.”  In fact, in 2003, Architectural Digest featured the gorgeous […]

            The Greenwich Village Follies

            October has arrived, which means it’s time for another round of the Greenwich Village Follies, playing at The Duplex every Sunday this month beginning at 6:30pm. Make sure to stop by for a musical jaunt through the history of our favorite neighborhood! Now, it’s no coincidence that the word “follies” is evocative of yesteryear. The […]

            Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.3.11: East Edition

            EV Grieve checks out the 3-level penthouse at the Brownstone East Village Complex puts together a list of the 50 best dive bars in NYC, 15 are in the East Village Michael Moore was at St. Mark’s Bookshop (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York)….and in more books store news- the owner of East Village Books nabbed a […]

            Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.3.11: West Edition

            Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York takes a look at the disappearance of Village gas stations, like the recently shuttered Lukoil on 8th Avenue & Horatio….he also looks at the disappearance of newsstands Community Board 2 angered after NYU goes to the media first (Villager) A look at Washington Square Park’s ‘Tramp’s Retreat‘ of the 19th Century […]

            On Set in the Village

            Last week we took a look at some of the many Village locations used on the television series Friends. Not content to stop there, however, today we are going to showcase more locales in and around the Village which were supposedly the scene of several popular TV shows. Let’s start with Will & Grace.  Where […]

            What an Electrifying Past: 19-25 St. Marks Place

            One of the many wonderful things about the East Village is the fascinating layers of history that convey the evolution of the neighborhood. The buildings at 19-23 St. Mark’s Place are an excellent example of how the East Village has changed over time from a wealthy merchants neighborhood, to a landing spot for immigrants, to […]

            Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.28.11: East Edition

            LUNGS, new neighborhood group, unites community gardeners against development (The Local East Village) Air conditioner fell out of window on 2nd Avenue on Sunday (EV Grive) Former ‘candy chick’ of the Filmore East looks back at the club on its 40th anniversary (The Local East Village) The importance of the vestibule at St. Mark’s Bookshop […]

            Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.28.11: West Edition

            Old St. Vincent’s building prepares for return as pricy condos (Curbed) A tweedy English bike ride is coming to the Village (Racked) Would you pay $2 million to live next to Alec Baldwin?  Want to live in a cruise-themed Perry Street pad? (Curbed) Photos of Saturday’s Lightsaber Battle in Washington Square Park (Gothamist) 88 Bedford […]

            Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.28.11: For Food Lovers

            DeBragga is the latest meat-packer to depart the Meatpacking District (Grub Street) Stuffed Artisan Cannolis relocating to West Village (Fork in the Road) On October 9th in Gansevoort Plaza, the Good Food Fest will be held Eater takes an early look at Frankies 570 on Hudson Street Newcomers Coppelia and Miss Lily’s can’t replace Florent […]

            A Genius of Music and Art

            On September 6, 1981, the infectious and other-worldly sound of Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” was unleashed upon the world.  The song became a club hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and in the decades since its synthetic riffs have become among the most recognizable, and the most sampled, in pop music history. […]

              Five Questions for St. Mark’s Bookshop

              Recent press has spotlighted a lease negotiation between St. Mark’s Bookshop, the independent bookstore on Third Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets and its lease holder, the Cooper Union. St. Mark’s Bookshop won a 2007 Village Award for providing specialized titles in a community-friendly atmosphere for over thirty years. As one of our truly special […]

              Newman’s Own Village Home

              Paul Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was one of the most renowned American actors of the twentieth century, appearing in The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Verdict, and many Broadway plays. He was also an innovative philanthropist who created the Newman’s Own Foundation, based out of Westport […]

              Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.24.11: East Edition

              104 East 10th Street is for sale which means no more Edgar Oliver (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York)….and Curbed has floor plans Yankees 2nd Baseman Robinson Cano played stickball with kids on Bond Street (Bowery Boogie) Tompkins Square Park dog run manager fears rat disease will kill dogs (Villager) Another piece of restaurant supply history disappeared […]

              Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.24.11: West Edition

              Washington Square Park bathroom hours get cut amid concerns of sex and drugs (DNAinfo) West 4th Street newsstand removed to reveal MTA sign from 1932 (Gothamist) Forgotten NY takes a look at lower 6th Avenue & the streets absorbed by its extension Battle over Chelsea Market expansion heats up (Crain’s) Queer History Alliance says St. […]

              A Beautiful Surprise is Uncovered in the Village

              Until very recently, the storefront at 15 8th Avenue (between West 12th & Jane Streets) looked fairly typical. Part historic, part less-so, like many in the Village it had been altered over the years to accommodate turnover in commercial tenancy. But walking by recently, we noticed that the removal of a non-original panel above the show […]

              “So no one told you life was gonna be this way”

              “Your job’s a joke, you’re broke, your love life’s D.O.A”… Sound familiar? That’s either because you recognize the opening lyrics to the theme song from Friends, or because it describes your life.  The latter may not pertain to our older, more established readers, but there’s no doubt all of us (Villagers included!) have been there […]

                Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.22.11: East Edition

                A memorial was held for Nelson Perez, man who died in Brooklyn motorcycle accident (EV Grieve & DNAinfo) East Village parking fight that left woman in coma heads to trial (CBS) EV Grieve & Eater have more information on the Adres Balazs/Cooper Square Hotel deal Rosie Mendez ate at Life Cafe on its final night […]

                  Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.22.11: West Edition

                  NYU releases sham parks plan (City Room) Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York looks back at the Wall of Remembrance at Saint Vincent’s The City’s narrowest house can now be yours for $14,000/month (Curbed) New Yorkers celebrate end of “don’t ask, don’t tell” at Stonewall (NY1) Publisher, Pearson PLC, moving to Hudson Square with $13.5 million in […]

                  Then & Now: 3rd Avenue & East 10th Street, Part 3

                  Last week we talked about the history of the building at 48 3rd Avenue and left you wondering about the rest of the block of 3rd Avenue between 10th & 11th Streets. As a reminder, this started when we came across a great picture of the block taken by Berenice Abbott in 1937. Using information […]

                  A Hidden East Village Gallery

                  Walking down the quiet, shady block of East 3rd Street between Avenues C and D, the last thing you would expect to stumble upon is an art gallery.  But look no further than number 292 where you will find a community gallery, founded by squatters, officially known as Bullet Space. If you’re intrigued, let’s start […]

                    Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.15.11: For Food Lovers

                    Check out pics and a menu of the new West Village Fatty ‘Cue located at 50 Carmine Street (Gothamist) The Waverly Diner loses its history in renovation (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) The Lobster Place on Bleecker Street closes (DNAinfo)….and Murray’s Cheese is moving in! (Eater) New restaurant on the Bowery is named after a pair […]

                      Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.15.11: West Edition

                      Rudin family has obtained $525 million for plan to remake St. Vincent’s site (Wall Street Journal) The Villager checks in with Philip Mortillaro, locksmith artist 345 West 13th Street demolished to make way for another luxury condo (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) Schedule announced for annual Washington Square Park Folk Festival (NYC.gov) NYU announces big changes […]

                      Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.15.11: East Edition

                      East Village coffee shop The Bean fights back Starbucks’ 186 locations (that’s more locations than there are subways stations!) (NY Times) Village Doorman, a new start-up will make getting packages delivered a lot easier (Bowery Boogie) Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York shares his true feelings about Cooper Union….and the New Yorker ponders, should we fight to […]

                      New Kid on the Block

                      Though nineteenth and early twentieth century townhouses and tenements seem to dominate the East and West Villages, the neighborhoods do house their share of Modern architecture. Mid-century creations like Silver Towers, the O’Toole Building, and the Burger-Klein building, among others, brashly distinguish themselves from the surrounding neighborhood via their materials, scale, and unique design. Some […]

                      Soon You Can Spend a Night on 8th Street

                      Last week our friends over at Curbed NY broke the news that the former Marlton House at 3 West 8th Street (between 5th & 6th Avenues) was going from New School dorm, which it had been for the past 25 years, to upscale hotel.  According to the NY Post, it will be a “historical boutique […]

                      This Week at the Tiles for America Site

                      Last week Off the Grid visited Mulry Square and reported on the status of the re-installation of the 9/11 Tiles for America.  We got to know two lovely Village Angels and were touched by the outpouring of love from the community.  On Saturday a memorial was held where people helped to rehang the tiles while […]