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 […]

                  Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.13.11: East Edition

                  Life Cafe, the restaurant within which Rent was written, closes after 30 years (EV Grieve) Saturday morning, the second person in a year was found dead outside St. Brigid’s Church (City Room) The Local East Village takes a look at how an East Village mosque has reached out to its neighbors in the past 10 […]

                    Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.13.11: West Edition

                    NearSay and the NY Post take a look at a Top Chef’s upcoming 9th Avenue Meatpacking restaurant This week, in his Streetscapes column, Christopher Gray takes a look at Rhinelander Row, the buildings that preceeded the National Maritime Union building (NY Times) Curbed gets up-to-date photos of the St. Vincent’s Triangle Plan On Carrie Bradshaw’s […]

                      It’s a Rainy Day in France Today on Stuyvesant Street

                      As many of you know, GVSHP’s offices are located in the former rectory of St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery.  Today we couldn’t help but notice all of the action taking place around the corner in Abe Lebewohl Park and on Stuyvesant Street.  Turns out, Alec Baldwin is filming  a Capital One commercial (the actor […]

                      Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.10.11: West Edition

                      In more Friends-cast news: Rumored Jennifer Aniston Penthouse sells to someone else (Curbed) Hudson Square has a new public art project (DNAinfo) Asian locavore restaurant Wong to open on Cornelia Street Monday….and Eater has the menu too Restored 112 Washington Place back on the market for $12 million (Curbed) Village residents get first look at […]

                        Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.10.11: East Edition

                        It’s being speculated that Friends’ star David Schwimmer owns the now-demolished 331 East 6th Street (EV Grieve) And in more celebrity news….Ryan Gosling says he’s “embarrassed” over breaking up Astor Place fight (DNAinfo) City Room takes a look at Larry Fagin, one of the East Village’s last standing bohemians who teaches poetry down the hall […]

                          Then & Now: 3rd Avenue & East 10th Street, Part 2

                          Last week we tantalized you with an incredible photograph of 3rd Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets taken by Berenice Abbott in 1937. Today, we revisit that block to take a look at some of its history. In case you have forgotten how much the block has changed, this is what it looks like today. […]

                            ‘Village Angels’ Protect Tiles for America

                            As many of you may have seen or heard, the beloved 9/11 Tiles for America on the fence at Mulry Square were removed two weeks ago in preparation for Hurricane Irene.  The neighborhood group that has been tending to the tiles over the past ten years and had organized their safe removal has been unofficially […]

                            A Greenwich Village Artifact in Texas

                            We love receiving research queries here at GVSHP, but never more so than when the person asking the question has something to tell us. So we were quite pleased to receive an inquiry from a curator at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin, who wanted to know the history of […]

                            Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.7.11: East Edition

                            Want to see pictures of the crazy, quirky, opening weekend of the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop?….here’s a sneak peak- Anthony Bourdain dressed up as a nun….see pictures here, here, and here. Oldest house on East 6th Street  block has been completely demolished (EV Grieve) East Village pub-crawlers set world record– more than 170 bars […]

                              Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.7.11: West Edition

                              Waverly Inn employee injured during liquor robbery (DNAinfo) Coen Brothers confirm Greenwich Village folk film! (Gothamist) Chairman of Flatwood Capital sells his 133 Perry Street apartment for $11.8 million (The Real Deal) 10th annual Father Mychal Judge Walk of Remembrance took place on Sunday and ended at Mulry Square, where the ‘Village Angels’ hand rehung Tiles […]

                              Groundbreaking Gadgets on 4th Avenue

                              For those of you who don’t flip through your grandparents’ stacks of mail order catalogs, Hammacher & Schlemmer (say that ten times fast!) was the city’s first hardware store, opened in 1848, and is the country’s longest running catalog, first published in 1881. The store originally opened in 1848 at 221 Bowery at a time […]

                              Labor Day Redux

                              This Monday most of us will be enjoying a day off, celebrating the last unofficial (long) weekend of summer. This well-deserved holiday makes it a little hard to remember that Labor Day became a national holiday because of labor unions, who have fought for many years on behalf of working people. In the spirit of […]

                              Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.2.11: For Food Lovers

                              A tour of Jane’s Sweet Buns, East Village dessert spot that serves cocktail-inspired pastries (Food Republic) Danny Meyer will operate new restaurant within the Downtown Whitney (Eater) Uh Oh, 7-11 coming to the Bowery (EV Grieve) East 11th Street ice cream parlor teaches neighborhood teenagers more than just how to scoop (NY Daily News) Eater […]

                                Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.1.11: East Edition

                                EV Grieve continues its Hurricane-Irene-in-Tompkins-Square-Park-aftermath news….here & here. The fallen willow tree at La Plaza Cultural is more than just a loss of a tree (City Room)….as EV Grieve notes, there is even a memorial set up The man behind the Mosaic Man’s & Ray’s Twitter reveals himself (The Local East Village) Did you miss […]

                                Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.1.11: West Edition

                                A rare 7th-floor Village walk-up has gotten the attention of both NearSay and The Wall Street Journal Alec Baldwin buys a posh pre-war pad in the Devonshire House (casasugar) Bob Giraldi, Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ director, sells in 176 Perry (NY Observer) John Bartlet announces closure with letter explaining his plans to rescue animals (Racked) […]

                                  Firehouse Facelift Finally Revealed

                                  It was big news last year that Anderson Cooper purchased the historic firehouse at 84 West 3rd Street in the South Village with intentions to turn the building into a private home.  The sale came in the midst of GVSHP’s campaign to gain landmark protections for the building (the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission refused to […]

                                  Then & Now: 3rd Avenue & 10th Street

                                  We are very fortunate that photographer Berenice Abbott captured images of New York City in the 1930s and  1940s (Abbott, by the way, lived off and on in Greenwich Village, including in the  Provincetown Playhouse and Apartments, recently demolished by NYU).  With an almost singular focus on streetscapes and architecture, her images, like the one below, provide unparalleled […]

                                  NYU Expansion Plan More Than A Little Scary

                                  NYU recently sent around a notice about this year’s NYU and Community Board #2 Children’s Halloween Parade. According to NYU, they want “YOU to help!” design an image for this year’s parade. Well, we couldn’t think of anything scarier than NYU’s massive proposed 20-Year Expansion Plan, in which the university asks the City to give […]

                                  Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.29.11: East Edition

                                  The demolition has begun at 331 East 6th Street…..and 328 East 4th Street gets a Stop Work Order (EV Grieve) The Dom was the hippest East Village hangout in the 60’s (Ephemeral New York) The Local East Village looks back at CBGB circa 1977 The Hurricane Irene line outside of Trader Joe’s on Friday was […]

                                    Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.29.11: West Edition

                                    Chumley’s is still not back on its feet, but sets sights on a 2012 reopening (City Room) Samuel Menashe, Greenwich Village poet, dies at the age of 85 (NY Times) Owner of the Cherry Lane Theatre has a change of heart, will not sell! (Playbill) In hurricane news from Gothamist…..the MTA orders 350 sandwiches Saturday […]

                                      Honoring the Challah

                                      Recently, our fellow-blogger friend, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, noted that the facade of the East Village building that is home to Moishe’s Jewish bakery had gotten a facelift.  He asked, “Can renovations ever just mean renovations, without implying some major shift, a landlord’s plan to seek a higher paying tenant?”  This question got us thinking- […]

                                        Water, Water, Everywhere

                                        With Hurricane Irene on the way, the city is bracing for some possible high winds and flooding associated with the storm. WNYC made a handy interactive map that highlights parts of our neighborhoods that may be vulnerable to flooding during an intense storm. In addition to the important flooding information, the map also indirectly reveals […]

                                        A Slow Ride Back to ’75 on East 11th Street

                                        We’re always on the lookout for album covers shot in the Village, East Village, or NoHo.  Many of the great album covers of the last half century were shot on our streets, so you might say it’s a bit of a preoccupation of ours (see prior post, “It Happened Here: Album Covers“). So imagine our […]

                                        Fourth Arts Block tour redux

                                        This weekend, tour guide Lawrence Frommer and Fourth Arts Block executive director Tamara Greenfield led a tour of East 4th Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue for GVSHP. (Want to hear in advance about GVSHP’s free lecture and tour series? Sign up for our monthly event emails.) The tour provided an overview of Fourth […]

                                        Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.22.11: West Edition

                                        Anderson Cooper’s historic firehouse at 84 West 3rd Street shows off its new renovation (Curbed) There is an entire blog devoted to showcasing photos of the goings-on at the former Whitehall Storage site (The Watershed at 150 Charles Street) NYU gets a LEED Silver building on Washington Square North (Curbed) All’s fair in love and….rent-control? […]

                                          Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.22.11: East Edition

                                          Could East 13th Street between 3rd & 4th Avenues become Cornell Edwards Way? (EV Grieve) Mysterious bicycle storage on Astor Place flies high (Curbed) Scott Stringer & Go Green Lower East Side embark on a white-roof painting project (Bowery Boogie) The Local East Village creates a photo timeline of El Jardin del Paraiso on East […]

                                            Reasons to Save 316 East 3rd Street

                                            Word has been spreading that a developer intends to demolish an historic rowhouse at 316 East 3rd Street, near the corner of Avenue D in the East Village, and replace it with a Karl Fisher-designed seven-story condo.  Prior to this, however, GVSHP and three other community groups submitted an emergency request to the Landmarks Preservation […]

                                            Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.20.11: East Edition

                                            As 51 Astor nears its final days, a look back at the battle for Astor Place (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) Some fantastic shots of the East Village from 1978-1999 (Michael Sean Edwards) Karl Fisher is set to demolish a historic East village rowhouse (EV Grieve) There was a fire at the Flea Market Cafe (The […]

                                            Law & Order: Historic Images Unit

                                            With the recent news that every Law &  Order television episode will soon be available in one mammoth 104-disc set, we thought we’d round up this week’s posts with a look at the law. In flipping through some of the images in GVSHP’s Preservation Archive and Oral History Project, we found some early and striking […]

                                            Standing the Test of Time: Father’s Heart Church

                                            One of the East Village’s few individually designated New York City landmarks is a distinctive Gothic Revival church at 545 East 11th Street. The building, today known as Father’s Heart Church, has been a distinctive presence in the East Village for more than 140 years. Its name and the nature of its congregants have changed […]

                                            Adapting “Adaptive Re-Use”

                                            The term adaptive reuse is used by architects and preservationists to describe the process of adapting old structures for purposes other than those initially intended. Villagers are familiar with the Jefferson Market Library’s former history as a courthouse, the Public Theater on Lafayette Street whose building began its life as the Astor Library, or Westbeth, […]

                                            Summer in the City

                                            On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days and summer nights, Summer in the City by the Lovin’ Spoonful, reached number one on the American Pop Singles Charts.  Having entered the charts six weeks earlier over the July 4th weekend, the song stayed at No. 1 for the […]

                                              Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.11.11: East Edition

                                              Momofuku Milk Bar’s pastry chef, Christina Tosi reveals her favorite East Village spots (The Local East Village)……. and Constance Zimmer of Entourage gives a tour of her East Village 2-bedroom (NY Post) Newly released vintage video shows the East Village of 1967 (Gothamist) Neighborhood voices speak in favor of the proposed East Village historic districts […]

                                                Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.11.11: West Edition

                                                Carmine Street Guitars builds guitars from ‘bones of New York City,’ including those of Hotel Chelsea (DNAinfo) Westway Club in the West Village Village spices up the West Side Highway (NY Times) President Obama coming to the West Village TONIGHT! (DNAinfo) Greenwich Village Country Club Coming to Greenwich Village in October (Eater) The Meatpacking District’s […]

                                                  Seen and Heard Around the Village: West Edition

                                                  Meatpacking District businesses are not happy about “boob bollards” (NY Post) Joe Malone coming to Bleecker this fall & Jimmy Choo arrived on Bleecker yesterday (Racked)….. and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York has more on Bleecker Street’s “Luxe Blitz” Police search for “Bicycle Bandits” wanted in Village mugging (DNAinfo) Back on the High Line again (Forgotten […]

                                                    Seen and Heard Around the Village: East Edition

                                                    Rent, the Broadway musical set in Alphabet City, comes back to Off Broadway (NY Times) A history of Ratner’s of Second Avenue, in the Saul Birns Building (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) East Villagers protested the onslaught of gentrification (Gothamist) A look at the current state of 326 & 328 East 4th Street (EV Grieve) 636 […]

                                                    A Preservation Pioneer at 100

                                                    Marking the 100th anniversary of his birth on August 11, 1911, Tablet printed a thoughtful piece on pioneering preservation architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, written by Allan M. Jalon. Jalon’s article takes a look back at man behind the adaptive re-use of two of the Village’s most iconic buildings, the Jefferson Market Library (formerly the Jefferson Market […]

                                                    Big Plans for 372 Lafayette Street

                                                    Architect Morris Adjmi has big plans in store for the corner of Lafayette & Great Jones Streets in NoHo. This afternoon, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be weighing in on his proposed new six-story apartment building at No. 372 Lafayette Street.