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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Public Square is our new weekly Q & A with the Village, East Village, and NoHo community. We’ll be querying our readers for their opinions about life in the neighborhood. Comments will be monitored and selected for featuring throughout the week. Small businesses are critical components of healthy neighborhoods and have – not surprisingly […]
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 […]
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 […]
The tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in Greenwich Village and its impact on women’s rights and the labor movement is well known. There is a plaque at the Brown Building at 22-39 Washington Place, now an NYU building, to commemorate the fire so that its past is not forgotten. There is another building in […]
It looks like the end is near for 437 West 13th Street, the historic Art Deco meatpacking building on the corner of Washington Street that is slated to be replaced by a 175-ft tall glass tower. The owners just filed an application with the Department of Buildings to demolish the building.
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 […]
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, […]
The sight of striking Verizon workers near GVSHP’s offices (as well as all over New York) reminds us of the long and storied history of the Village and East Village in the labor movement. In fact, their central role in American labor struggles is reflected in some of our neighborhood’s most important landmarks.
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 […]
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.
The first weekend every August, thousands of twins from across North America will descend upon Twinsburg, Ohio for the annual Twins Festival. Not to be outdone, New York is full of twins as well, and not just of the flesh and blood variety. Our city’s architectural landscape has been dotted with notable twins for most […]
One facet of the streetscapes that we encounter each day but may not give much thought to are the fire escapes that weave their way up the facades of so many neighborhood buildings. If you just look up throughout the Village, you’ll be treated to both dainty floral flourishes and rusting utilitarian forms. Whether intricate […]
Greenwich Village’s Red Room Tries a Price Cut (Curbed) Simpson Wong to Open Wong on Cornelia Street Next Month (Eater) Best Wine Shops in the West Village (NearSay) Twisty MePa Tower Approved by Landmarks Commission (Curbed) Grass-Covered Walls to Take Over Gansevoort Plaza (DNAinfo) Old Homestead Pays for Lesbian Couple’s Wedding on 1st Day of […]
Last week we explained what a landmark is and how designation affects property owners. Today, we’ll try to dispel some of the inaccuracies and misconceptions about landmarking and historic preservation.
We were intrigued to discover late last week that 264 East 7th Street, one of our favorite houses in the East Village, is for sale. Located between Avenues C & D, the 1842 Greek Revival house is part of a row of six that survive from when the block was first developed. They are distinguished […]
Like all other applications for work on landmarked properties in Greenwich Village, GVSHP has been keeping tabs on the progress of the recently-approved plans to re-clad the large mid-century white-brick apartment building at 2 Fifth Avenue, just north Washington Square Park. Although decidedly more modern than the historic nineteenth century townhouses in the area, the […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
On Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 154 West 14th Street, at the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue, an official New York City landmark!
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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:
By all accounts it looks like we’re in for a rainy week, which doesn’t bode well for 43 MacDougal Street, the neglected and badly deteriorating 1846 house on the corner of King Street in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District that we’ve been urging the City for years to step in and save. April showers mean increased […]
At last week’s Edward Hopper panel, speaker Linda Yowell’s dramatic slides of the destruction caused by the 1917 extension of Seventh Avenue elicited great interest from the crowd. We thought it would be fun to follow up with some before-and-after shots of the extension of Sixth Avenue, which began in 1925. In conjunction with the […]
Each week we spend a great deal of time tracking applications coming before the Landmarks Preservation Commission for work on historic buildings in our neighborhood (photos and status updates to these applications can always been seen on our Landmarks Applications Webpage). Rarely does one catch our eye – and make us smile – the way […]
This past Wednesday, representatives from the City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) came before Community Board 2’s Traffic and Transportation Committee to present a revised plan for the Jane Street Triangle redesign. DOT hopes to permanently pedestrianize this small piece of West 4th Street which has been closed to traffic for years. In response to suggestions […]
Today we pause to celebrate the anniversary of the consecration of one of the Village’s most beloved landmarks: on March 7th, 1846, Grace Church was consecrated at Broadway and 10th Street. The year 1846 was an exciting year for the Gothic Revival. James Renwick Jr.’s design of Grace Church, along with that of Trinity Church […]
EV Grieve sends some sad news from the East Village today, where 326 & 328 East 4th Street – the two remarkably intact 1837-41 Greek Revival buildings the City refused to landmark after we tried desperately to save them last fall – are being destroyed after 170 years. Apparently, the developer was not as keen […]
Recent proposals by the City to expand green spaces at the Jane Street Triangle and around Cooper Park and Astor Place would also have an impact on some of our city’s most historic and least-conforming streets. In January the City unveiled its plan for a redesign of Cooper Square and Astor Place which included an […]
