Readers who have been involved in our efforts to support the City’s two proposed East Village Historic Districts know that a small but vocal group is looking to halt the plan in its tracks. Those in opposition believe that owners should be trusted to preserve their own properties without governmental interference. While this is a […]
On July 13, 1863 began several days of violence in New York City known as the Draft Riots. These civil disturbances rocked New York City and revealed a deep racial and class divide that existed in New York City in 1863, one that was particularly visible in the Far West and South Village.
We’ve already established that the mafia in the East Village liked their cannolis and their veal scallopini. This next bit of history is is consistent with that pattern. Lanza’s Restaurant, located at 168 1st Avenue in a tenement built in 1871, was opened in 1904 by Sicilian-Italian transplant Michael Lanza. It is rumored that in […]
We speak often of historic districts, individual landmarks and national and state register sites but, what do those terms really mean? This post will review how the designation of landmarks came to be, what a landmark is and the differences between state and local landmarks.
Susan Sarandon Buys West 9th Street Penthouse (NY Observer) Author Takes Readers Back to Greenwich Village’s Heyday (DNAinfo) A Soft Spot for Goat-Milk Ice Cream (NY Times) Printing House Opens Rooftop Pool in West Village (NearSay) The Secret Paths of the High Line (Curbed) Battle of Hudson River Park Dog Run (NY Post) Chaos on […]
123 Third Avenue Retail Space Sells for $11 Million (EV Grieve) Stranded Cat Rescued from East Village (NY Daily News) Foes of Historic District Plan Emerge (The Local East Village) Ray Deter, Owner of d.b.a Passes Away (DNAinfo) The Mosaic Man Joins Facebook & Twitter (Bowery Boogie) East Village Couple Severely Injured in Pennsylvania Shoot […]
On July 9, 1962, Bob Dylan recorded “Blowin’ In the Wind,” a song destined to become an anthem for a generation, and for the transformative civil rights and peace movements. Dylan is said to have written “Blowin’ In the Wind” at the Fat Black Pussycat Theater on Minetta Street, and first performed it at Gerde’s […]
We’re still reveling in yesterday’s excitement of seeing Boardwalk Empire set up a mock-prohibition-era scene in the East Village. In fact, we’re drinking Mint Juleps and listening to Cole Porter right now. Okay, we don’t get quite that crazy at the office, but we have been thinking more about the neighborhood’s connections to prohibition and […]
Get out your trilby hats and flapper dresses- Boardwalk Empire, the HBO Prohibition-era mob drama, is filming right here on East 12th Street and 2nd Avenue at John’s Italian Restaurant. Set in Atlantic City, the series often departs to New York to check in with Jewish mob boss Arnold Rothstein and his then-“employee” Sicilian-American gangster […]
It’s no surprise that the Village has a wealth of bookshops. Quaint, independently-owned stores that could pull even the most technology-addicted teenager away from his or her iPad, are scattered throughout the East and West Villages. It makes sense that bookworm staples like the St. Mark’s Bookshop or Three Lives & Company exist in the […]
Is This the West Village’s Coolest Rooftop? (Curbed) 2011 Pride Parade Had Much to Celebrate (Gothamist) Sicily, by Way of Cornelia Street (NearSay) Tell the New York Times What You Think About Preservation (HDC) Coen Brothers Working on Movie About 1960’s NYC Folk Scene (Gothamist) Hudson Street Condo Complex Sparks a Battle (WSJ) In the […]
Big Gay Ice Cream Signage Spotted on 7th Street (EV Grieve) The Yiddish Walk of Fame (The Local East Village) Restaurant Review: Yuba (NY Times) East Village Bar Owner in Critical Condition after Bike Accident (DNAinfo) Filming of Tom Hanks Movie was Very Loud (EV Grieve) Ghosts of St. Marks are Brought to Life in […]
Many of you may remember the unusual, eclectic toy tower that once stood in the 6th & B Community Garden on Avenue B and East 6th Street. The East Village has a wealth of community gardens and 6th & B is definitely one of the most spirited in the neighborhood. The garden was started in […]
On Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 154 West 14th Street, at the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue, an official New York City landmark!
While Greenwich Village will always be equated with the Gay Rights Movement, particularly for its role in the series of protests at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, the East Village is also known for pushing the envelope for gay culture. And no establishment played a bigger role in that process than the Pyramid Club, located […]
Today marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of riotous protests at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village that many scholars consider the launching pad for the modern Gay Rights Movement. In 1999, GVSHP and the Organization of Lesbian and Gay Architects and Designers, gained federal recognition for the site when it became […]
View A Guide to Lesbian & Gay New York Historical Landmarks in a larger map The Village erupted in riotous celebrations this past weekend at the news of passage of marriage equality legislation, which carried over into the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride March that ends in Greenwich Village. Of course the Village […]
Liquor Panel Deadlocks on 34 Avenue A (Local EV) New Mural on Houston Street Replaces Kenny Scharf’s Piece (Gothamist) Stella McCartney has Secret Garden Party in West Village (DNAinfo) Magnolia’s Gay Pride Cupcake (Fork in the Road) Vinho Verde Week Comes to the East Village (NearSay) A Tour of the Jefferson Market Area (Forgotten NY) […]
Hudson River Park Group Focuses on Fund-Raising (NY Times) Christopher Street Bartender Beaten in PATH Train Attack (DNAinfo) Scenes from the East Village March Against Rent Hikes (EV Grieve) Van Daag’s New Coffee Menu (Local EV) An East Village Nightlife Guide from 1985 (Ephemeral NY) Tremont: A Beachy Retreat in the Heart of the West […]
This is post #5 in a series devoted to our ongoing research of 143-145 Ave D, documenting all of the detours & discoveries uncovered along the way. For background, see parts one, two, three and four. If you’ve been following our forays into the rich and storied history of 143-145 Avenue D, you’re aware of […]
GVSHP and neighbors have long suspected that there might be squatters living inside 43 MacDougal Street, the deteriorating, 1846 landmarked building about which we’ve blogged before. Yesterday neighbors woke up to find that the facade had gotten a fresh coat of graffiti, so we just ran over and snapped a photo. As it appears, if […]
We were – to put it calmly – a tad bothered when we read recently on EV Grieve that 160 Second Avenue (corner of East 10th Street), the former home of Cafe Centosette, would house a Chase Bank/Starbucks combination package. Since the cafe’s closing last April, we had been holding out hope that whatever replaced […]
Word that the West Village’s 75 1/2 Bedford Street is back on the market always brings attention to the slender house in which Enda St. Vincent Millay is said to have written “my candle burns at both ends.” But it also raises the question of whether or not this truly is the “narrowest house in […]
On Saturday, at the age of 69, Clarence Clemons, aka the Big Man, passed away in Palm Beach, Florida. Known best for his role as the unbelievably talented saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Clemons’ passing has brought sadness to so many.
Lower Second Avenue Now & Then (EV Grieve) In the East Village, Where Have All the Crusties Gone? (NY Times) Giant Mouse Sits Bashful Outside Standard Hotel (NearSay) Footlight Records Space Filled (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) East Village Residents Fed Up with Rent Laws (NearSay) Mike Myers & Mario Batali Film Atop the Washington Square […]
Best Oyster Happy Hours in the West Village (NearSay) New Consignment Shop on East 7th Street (NearSay) CB2 Meeting Highlights Furor Over St. Vincent’s Re-Development (Village Confidential) Mark Jacobs Shuffles His Bleecker Street Stores Again (The Shophound) First Blueberries of the Season Appear in Abingdon Square Farmers’ Market (Fork in the Road) NYC Icy is […]
What does a beloved TV sitcom mom, Ike and Tina Turner, and one bad motha have in common? All were portrayed by actors who honed their craft at a theater company that had its start in the East Village. Phylicia Rashad (who played Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show), Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett (who […]
As the summertime blanket of heat and humidity descends over the city, our thoughts inevitably move toward the cool breezes found at the city’s waterfront. A little bit south of the Far West Village waterfront that GVSHP fought to get landmarked (see here and here) is the massive concrete structure known as Pier 40. Though […]
On the morning of June 15, 1904, the General Slocum steamship set sail carrying over 1,300 passengers, most of whom were women and children and members of the East Village’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mark at 325 East 6th Street. Passengers were headed for a pleasant Sunday jaunt to the Locust Grove Picnic […]
No, we’re not referencing the catchy pop song of a similar title (although it’s now stuck in our heads!). We’re talking about the Umbrella House, 21-23 Avenue C, between East 2nd and 3rd Streets- the building with the lively umbrellas suspended from its facade. Built in 1899 as an Old Law Tenement by prominent East […]
While many of our 2011 Village Awardees are located within NYC historic districts, the Church of the Ascension holds the distinction of our only awardee this year that is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The Church recently completed a painstaking and spectacular restoration of the interior of its nave, for […]
Bob Holman works with words—spoken and written—and for over many years has shared that work with the community around him. This evening, GVSHP will recognize his continuing efforts with one of our 2011 Village Awards. In his many years of engagement with the community, Holman has headed up the St. Mark’s Poetry Project, helped in […]
The High Line is an Economic Dynamo (NY Times) After the Gold Rush by Neil Young- Album Cover Location (Pop Spots) East Village Mac-‘n’-Cheese Joint Opening Second Location (DNAinfo) 12th Street Brownstone Becoming Mini University for Jewish Education (EV Grieve) Phase II of the High Line Now Open! (Gothamist) In Greenwich Village, the Signs They […]
Here at GVSHP we love successful women (4 out of 6 of our staff members are such women!) and we love food (who doesn’t?). So, we were delighted that West Village restaurant Annisa is one of our 2011 Village Awardees! Power-chef Anita Lo rides her bike each morning to her highly popular Barrow Street restaurant […]
Over the many years GVSHP has presented the Village Awards, awardees have often been praised for their longevity. Though in rare cases, a newly established organization or business will stand out as a worthy recipient. Such is the case for the Le Poisson Rouge, which opened in 2008 and is thus a relative newcomer […]
McNulty’s Tea & Coffee Company at 109 Christopher Street is a part of a long tradition of Village specialty shops that hint at a time before grocery stores, when shoppers would buy bread from the bakery, meat from the butcher, and fruits and vegetables from pushcarts or small produce markets. For over 115 years, McNulty’s […]
This is an updated version of a post from 2011. The Washington Square Ghost! That’s right folks, we’re talking about Ghostbusters! Today marks the anniversary of the release of the classic film, which spawned a sequel, two animated television series, and a 2016 reboot. When released, the film was the most successful comedy in film […]
Readers who have followed our advocacy work with NYU know that much has recently changed on the south side of Washington Square. But the yellow roman brick, limestone, and terra-cotta façade of Judson Memorial Church at 55 Washington Square South, designed by Stanford White, of McKim, Mead, & White and completed in 1893, remains defiantly […]
Did you know that Manhattan’s only designated cultural district is right here in the East Village? The Fourth Arts Block (FAB) will be one of eight recipients of a 2011 Village Award, which will be presented at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation’s Annual Meeting on Monday, June 13th. FAB is being given the […]
In these modern times, it’s hard to imagine that there could be a metal foundry located on the very residential Jane Street. Well, there is, though it’s hardly a recent addition to the block. Numbers #21-25 Jane Street is home to P.E. Guerin, which has been around for 119 years (!) and is one of […]
We had a hunch this day was coming. The owners of the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel, at 152 Second Avenue, have applied to make substantial changes to their lovely little 1937 building, which has been vacant for quite some time now. Just how substantial?
The Museum of the City of New York presents: Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future Wednesday, June 8, 6:30 pm Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue The Village has been transformed over the centuries from farmland to row houses to tenements to luxury condominiums. How does a district that has long […]
Silver Towers Adorable East Village Mural Proposal (Gothamist) Another Protest Outside the Continental (EV Grieve) Annual Jane Street Block Sale on Saturday (NearSay) West Village Cat Fight (NY Post) Summer Tuesday Specials at the Mermaid Inn & Mermaid Oyster Bar (Eater) High Line: the Sequel (NY Times) The Interior Collapse of Two 5th Avenue (NY […]
This week’s Spot the Shot was taken at 725 Greenwich Street, between Charles & Perry Streets. Have you ever wondered why this row of houses looks more like the Costa del Sol than Greenwich Village? They are two of several Mediterranean-style rowhouses scattered sporadically throughout the neighborhood, and their existence speaks to significant demographic changes […]
Call it whatever you’d like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain, the Village is really, really old. Old by New York City standards, and even old by American standards. But which building is the oldest of the old? Fortunately for us as we attempt to answer this question, the Village has […]
Last week, we took readers through the tumultuous history of the MTA’s attempts to design an aesthetically appropriate Emergency Ventilation Plant at Mulry Square, Greenwich Avenue and 7th Avenue South, in the heart of the Greenwich Village Historic District . The MTA presented their latest designs to Community Board 2’s Landmarks & Public Aesthetics Committee […]
When former South Village resident Josette Lee emailed GVSHP a picture of her Dad from the 1970’s standing in front of two pushcarts located on Bleecker Street, we became as curious as she was about when exactly such carts disappeared from the South Village.
“Spot the Shot” is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]
Summer means beautiful flowers for sale! Photos from Dance Parade 2011 (Gothamist) Currywurst Bros. Brings Berlin’s Favorite Food to West Village (Fork in the Road) LA Designer Misses East Village Americana Shop (Racked) Riot in Greenwich Village Dunkin’ Donuts Caught on Video (DNAinfo) Critics Fault NYU Growth Plan (WSJ) The Whitney Breaks Ground in MePa […]
An astute reader managed to guess the location of this week’s Spot the Shot: the adorable townhouse at 48 East 10th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues. The aqua-colored vespa matches the shutters and is always parked in front, even on Google street view: We’ve always been a little enamored with this charming house, and […]
With Memorial Day here, we thought we would take a look at some of the sites in the Village that commemorate those who gave their lives in the service of our nation. Of course there’s the Abingdon Square Doughboy Statue that honors those who served in World War I, and the large plaque affixed to […]
Next Tuesday, May 31st, the MTA will present its final proposed designs for an emergency ventilation plant on Mulry Square to the Landmarks & Public Aesthetics Committee of Community Board 2. The Landmarks Preservation Commission will give their official sign-off one week later, on June 7th (UPDATE as of June 3rd: The LPC hearing on […]
On May 24, 1941 a baby named Robert Allen Zimmerman was born in Duluth, Minnesota. Twenty years later, going by Bob Dylan in homage to one of his influences Dylan Thomas, he arrived in Greenwich Village in hopes of meeting his hero Woodie Guthrie. Within four months Bob Dylan had booked his first professional gig […]
We here at GVSHP spend a great deal of time pouring over archival records and buildings department files to document the history of our neighborhoods — when buildings went up, when they came down, how they once looked, how they changed, etc. (click HERE to learn more). However, a less dusty (and frankly more fun) […]
“Spot the Shot” is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]
This weekend, our friends over at the New York Landmarks Conservancy are hosting a state-wide, free-of-charge Sacred Sites Open House Weekend. The event offers a fantastic opportunity to take shelter from the rain inside 140 religious structures all across New York State, including four churches right here in the Village!
This week’s Spot the Shot comes from…
Meat Co. to Leave for NJ (WSJ) Driver Runs Down Narcotics Officer in Village (City Room) Still Got It: Max Restaurant (Gothamist) On Second Thought: Lower Second Avenue (Forgotten NY) NYU-Funded Report Says It’s Great for Village (Crain’s) Amato Opera Building on Sale for $6.95 Million (EV Grieve) First Annual Glamour Ball at Le Poisson […]
Loyal supporters of GVSHP know our logo well, but few know the true origins of this ancient architectural motif, found in any neighborhood in New York City containing Greek Revival buildings. In that department, the Village definitely tops the list. Allow us to explain…
In a former post, we took a look at the past and future of the Mars Bar. Today we sadly report that the building’s demolition has been made official…
Numerous media outlets have reported on the Westchester resident who intentionally drove his van into two narcotics officers standing on the sidewalk outside 73 Washington Place last Friday night. The crime was apparently payback for a past run-in between the targeted officer’s partner and the driver. Fortunately, both officers survived, though one was immediately hospitalized. […]
This spring marks the 30th Anniversary of the St. Mark’s Greenmarket and Music at Abe Lebewohl Park. The joint milestone got us a little nostalgic (okay, we know, when are we not nostalgic?) and we decided to take a walk down the memory lane of this neighborhood staples’ home- Abe Lebewohl Park. If you’ve ever […]
As early as 1963, Jane Jacobs urged that a fledgling NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) protect and designate the Greenwich Village waterfront and the Far West Village neighborhood in which she lived. However, in 1969, when the LPC did finally designate the Greenwich Village Historic District, it left out the entire Greenwich Village waterfront and […]
“Spot the Shot” is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]
Life After the Amato Opera (EV Grieve) Inauguration of New Organ at Church of the Ascension (NY Times) Birdbath Bakery Now Open on 3rd Avenue (EV Grieve) Wine Shop to Pop Cork on Christopher Street (Crain’s) The End of 35 Cooper (Local EV) Residents Laud Historic District Plan (Local EV) Bankrupt St. Vincent’s Pays Millions […]
No one was able to guess the location of this week’s Spot the Shot, but it was indeed a tricky one. The tiny man shown in the picture is carved into the Neo-Romanesque style Shenandoah apartment building at 10 Sheridan Square, built in 1928-29 by the prominent architect Emory Roth. Check back on Monday for […]
Woah! Can you believe the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue once looked like this? Our survey of the history of every single building in the East Village has turned up photos of some of the mansions that once lined Second Avenue – the neighborhood’s prime residential thoroughfare in the first half of […]
It’s now been almost a year since the owners of Nos. 47 West 8th Street and 62 West 9th Street illegally installed fake ivy on their buildings. Because both buildings sit well within the boundaries of the Greenwich Village Historic District, any changes made to their facades are subject to the rules and regulations of […]
On May 7, 2011, at the age of 72, Doric Wilson passed away, bestowing immense sadness on the Village and beyond. Doric was a rare gem who wore many hats, tipping them successfully with each role he played. One of the original pioneers of Off-Off-Broadway, Mr. Wilson was a playwright, director, producer, designer, critic, and […]
Last night, Community Board 2’s Traffic & Transportation Committee reviewed proposed revised design elements and street furniture for Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District. The Meatpacking Improvement Association (which will be responsible for maintaining the public plazas) has been working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on the proposal, which can be seen below:
Did you know that the iconic department store Macy’s actually started out right here in the Village on the southeast corner of Sixth Avenue & 14th Street? Today the Landmarks Preservation Commission payed homage to this past by voting to calendar the lovely Neo-Classical building at 56 West 14th Street – part of the original […]
“Spot the Shot” is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]
The St. Mark’s Greenmarket kicked off its 30th year on Tuesday! Historic Designation Sought for East Village (NY 1) Two open-air drinking establishments to open on the Highline (Gothamist) Remembering Kiev (Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY) Westbeth Worries About Transition to Rent Regulation (The Villager) Best coffee in the East Village (Serious Eats) Mars Bar Prepares to […]
This week’s Spot the Shot is indeed – congratulations Stephanie! – the Merchant’s House Museum at 29 East 4th Street. The style of architecture is late Federal. Built in 1832, the museum is Manhattan’s only 19th Century family home preserved completely intact on both the interior and the exterior, and thus, according to museum’s website, […]
Those wanting to fight the plan to build massive additions atop the historic Chelsea Market complex might be interested in an important community meeting tonight, and some history about this unique set of buildings.
On Sunday, GVSHP held it’s 13th annual House Tour Benefit in Greenwich Village. The sun was shining and the turnout could not have been better. Attendees were able to tour the interiors of seven diverse but equally exquisite homes, ranging from a 350-square-foot carriage house to a large restored Greek Revival/Italianate home. Each dwelling […]
Each Monday we’ll be a featuring a “Spot the Shot” post containing a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site around the Village. All featured photos will be taken by our phenomenal photographer Bob Estremera. We’ll be asking our readers to guess where each photo was taken, and revealing the answer each Friday. First […]
Ever taken refuge in a treehouse in the middle of a bustling New York City neighborhood? Or climbed through a narrow horsewalk into a private, secret courtyard? Or been in the former townhouse of a rock-and-roll legend, or prominent literary figure? This weekend, you can! It’s not too late to purchase tickets for our spring […]
Village Bookstores Survive as Borders Dies (NearSay) New York State Landmark Board to Review NYU Expansion Plans (Washington Square News) Then & Now: One Block Of Broome Street (Gothamist) An Early HOWL! This Year (EV Grieve) Goodwill Opens a Curated Vintage Shop in Greenwich Village (Racked) Second Phase of High Line Construction Nears Completion (Washington […]
The Brooklyn-born, Long Island-raised, Queens College-educated comedian Jerry Seinfeld was born on April 29, 1954. While no doubt many Off the Grid readers are Seinfeld fans, the following day is another Seinfeld anniversary which strikes even a little nearer and dearer to the heart of this blog.
We are all becoming increasingly “green” minded – we recycle, reuse and buy local. Yet, when it comes to the built environment many believe that building new is a better alternative than the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of historic buildings. So, which building is greenest? A new documentary, “The Greenest Building,” seeks to answer that […]
Last night, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) revealed maps of their two proposed historic districts in the East Village. The larger of the two proposed districts is composed of sections of blocks on and around lower Second Avenue: The smaller of the districts encompasses the entire blockfront on the north side of East 10th Street […]
This is post #4 in a series devoted to our ongoing research of 143-145 Ave D, documenting all of the detours & discoveries uncovered along the way (for background, see parts one, two and three) It’s been a while since we’ve shown some love to one of our favorite buildings over at 143-145 Avenue D, […]
On Sunday, April 9, 1961, what has come to be known as the Beatnik Riot, or Washington Square Folk Riot, took place (see the flashback in the Villager). Since the 1940’s Washington Square Park had been an epicenter for folk music – a public gathering spot where the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and […]
Preservation is a very vital component of sustainability, so it is no surprise that GVSHP’s office is in an historic building with a strong commitment to being green. The Neighborhood Preservation Center is housed in the historic Ernest Flagg Rectory of St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery. NPC, as it’s called, is dedicated to facilitating […]
City to Consider East Village Historic District Containing Nearly 300 Buildings (DNA Info) Up Next: House Tour (Manhattan Users Guide) ‘Last’ Mafia hangout now dainty tea shop (NY Post) Piece of NYC Restaurant History Could be Yours for $250 (Eater) Alpha-bite City ((NY Post) Take a Stroll Down Monument Lane (Daily Candy) East 7th Street […]
Speaking of the firm Town, Davis & Dakin (which as you’ll recall from yesterday’s post built NYU’s original main building), we recently came across some great shots of the stately Greek Revival church that once stood at 46-48 Second Avenue. According to the Historic American Buildings Survey, the Second Avenue Presbyterian Church was built by […]
This week marks the 180th anniversary of the incorporation of New York University, which was chartered in April 1831 as the City University of New York. And it seems the University was a bit pickier with its choice of architects in those early days. Feast your eyes on their spectacular Gothic Revival main building, which […]
A few days ago, the venerable Mars bar on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 1st Street painted “Thanks for the memories, miss you all” over its entrance, in expectation of the much-anticipated demise of the beloved business and the building which housed it. While the actual end date, as well as future plans for the site, […]
Much fuss has been made of the news that the adjacent “sister” houses at 18 & 20 Jones Street are both currently on the market. We’re curious to see if these beautiful Greek Revival homes will be swooped up together, or sold off separately. Only one thing is for sure (big sigh of relief): They’ll […]
Today we are thrilled to welcome Andito Lloyd – our new East Village & Special Projects Director – to the small but mighty GVSHP team! Andito will soon become a very familiar face to many of our readers, as she will be leading the force to preserve the unique, special character of the East Village […]
Historic District Advocates Make a Stand at C.A.S (The Villager) Video: Old Greenwich Village, Just Like the Suburbs! (Gothamist) Developer Meets on Fate of 35 Cooper (The Local East Village) Veal & Pumping (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) And What Happens in 20 Years, After ‘N.Y.U. 2031’? (Downtown Express) Sunday Memories, An Encore in Memory of […]
Tomorrow we’re teaming up with Green Guerillas and the Manhattan Land Trust to host a self-guided walking tour of the East Village’s varied and remarkable community gardens. Today there are over 600 of these in New York City, though the first modern community garden was right here in the East Village. The Liz Christy Community […]
We were very excited yesterday to receive the Museum of the City of New York’s announcement that they had expanded their online photo collection by over 10,000 images. But we were even more captivated when we came across their shocking ca. 1905 photos of a fire at 36 Cooper Square (built in 1894 as a […]
What’s not to love about the charming Greek Revival house at 149 Second Avenue, a throwback to another era in the life of the East Village? The house is the oldest building on its blockfront, Second Avenue between East 9th & East 10th Street, and one of the only early houses on the avenue to […]
As promised in today’s earlier post, we have photos of the revised designs for 837 Washington Street that were presented today at a public meeting of Landmarks Preservation Commission. In response to the concerns raised by the Commission during the last hearing on November 2010, the architect knocked two stories off the proposed addition and […]
A revised iteration of the proposal to build a towering addition atop the 1938 Moderne-style building at 837 Washington Street in the Gansevoort Market Historic District will be shown today to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Check back this afternoon for photos of the latest plans! This will be fifth time the LPC has seen a […]
The Villager/East Villager/Downtown Express newspaper chain recently published an op-ed I submitted regarding the ‘NYU 2031 Plan’ — the university’s blueprint for expansion over the next 20 years, a large part of which requires zoning changes and sale of public land which must be approved by the City Planning Commission and the City Council. Much […]
This Sunday at 1:00pm, GVSHP will be holding a rally to urge the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the remainder of the South Village Historic District. We hope you will join us! Details can be found here. The crowd will convene in front of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) on Sullivan Street between Bleecker and […]
Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse at 43 MacDougal Street, after reading Monday’s post on the building an anonymous neighbor sent us the following photos, which are taken from above. The space between the plywood and the building is filled to the brim with trash. Here’s a close-up:
