Becoming Fifth Avenue: It’s Electric!
“Becoming Fifth Avenue” is a series of posts in celebration of the bicentennial of the avenue, which was first laid out in 1824. The Greenwich Village segment, between Washington Square North and 13th Street, officially opened on November 1st of that year. Though you wouldn’t know by looking at it today, the stretch of Fifth […]
From Wilde to Baldwin: The Literary Tapestry of Greenwich Village
Oscar Wilde (October 16, 1854 – November 30, 1900) was a playwright and poet, a native Irishman turned British transplant, and, of course, a maverick and icon whose work and legacy continues to light the way for the LGBTQ+ community. Known for works like The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde had […]
Gothic Glimpses in Greenwich Village
Gothic architecture originated in Europe in the 12th century. As engineering developments allowed for the construction of significantly larger buildings, the pointed (Gothic) arch rose to prominence and was used to construct tall ceilings while still allowing for natural light to enter interior spaces. In New York City, most examples of Gothic architecture are from the […]
Business of the Month: Garber Hardware, 710 Greenwich Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Very few families can credibly claim to have […]
Transfer from the T to the O at 14th Street: Subway Plans in the East Village Past, Present, and Future
The subway is our city’s circulation system, one that needs to work efficiently and grow and evolve to meet the needs of all New Yorkers. After years of expansion in the first half of the 20th century, the subway system actually contracted in the mid-to-late 20th century, with several elevated subway lines dismantled during this […]
Cast & Curious: Cast Iron Architecture, South of Union Square Part I
The area south of Union Square is one of New York’s great centers of cast iron architecture. This neighborhood includes some of the city’s earliest surviving fully cast-iron buildings as well as predominantly masonry buildings with distinctive and elaborate cast iron ground floors or ornament. Our South Of Union Square Cast Iron Tour includes 32 […]
East Village Building Blocks: Historic Food Sites in Little Ukraine
While less than a square mile in size, the East Village has a rich immigrant history more varied than entire cities many times its size. The neighborhood has been home to many ethnic groups, prominently among them Ukrainians. The center of that community, largely located in the blocks of the East Village east of Avenue […]
A Shiver Down Your Spine: Haunted Greenwich Village
New Yorkers are practical, busy, and no-nonsense people. The scariest thing for most is missing that subway connection when trying to get to an important meeting on time. We simply don’t have time for ghosts and spirits. But they seem to have time for us, especially in New York’s spookiest neighborhood. Greenwich Village is no stranger […]
Greenwich Village Authors on Autumn
“O hushed October morning mild,Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,Should waste them all.” — Excerpt from the poem “A Boy’s Will” by Robert Frost, who lived at 107 Waverly Place. So many incredible, diverse literary icons have lived in Greenwich Village, drawing inspiration from their surroundings. Village Preservation’s “Homes and […]
The Poets & Activists of Loisaida
Loisaida is a robust and varied community that includes creatives, activists, and mavericks who cultivated a richly diverse neighborhood. It’s also the subject of one of the many ‘guided tours’ on our East Village Building Blocks website, which contains information on every building in the East Village. We’re taking a look at some key sites […]
Observing History through the Lens of Women Photographers: Carole Teller
This is the second in a multi-part series Photography has long been a powerful medium for documenting history, shaping narratives, and preserving memory. Women photographers have played a crucial role in capturing the spirit of our neighborhoods. Through the lens of their cameras, these women documented the evolution of our urban spaces, cultural movements, and […]
Villager Philippe Petit Brought Magic to the Twin Towers
French highwire artist and street performer Philippe Petit rose to prominence following a series of unauthorized tight-rope walks across some of the world’s most iconic landmarks. First, in 1971, Petit tight-roped between the towers of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. In 1973, he crossed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, in Sydney, Australia. And perhaps most […]
Sprouting from the Ashes: Radical Community Gardening in the East Village and Lower East Side
The 1960s and 70s were challenging times in the East Village and Lower East Side. Due to the City’s looming financial crisis and the exodus of many wealthier New Yorkers to the suburbs, the neighborhoods became peppered with vacant, abandoned, and burned-down lots. In light of the neglect from city officials, residents took the beautification […]
Bleecker Street Highlights from the Susan De Vries Collections
In 1995, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) asked Village Preservation (then known as the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation) to conduct a photo survey of Federal-era buildings of Lower Manhattan based on a list they provided. The survey ended up being a sprawling project that extended well beyond the original scope of what the LPC […]
Fascinating Rhythm: George Gershwin’s Musical Odyssey from the Lower East Side to Hollywood
One of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century spent his formative years in our neighborhood. He was the second child of Russian Jews who immigrated to the city during the 1890s, fleeing anti-semitism back home. The family spent the 1900s and part of the 1910s on the Lower East Side. Despite their proximity […]
Shorelines of History: Preserving Greenwich Village’s Waterfront
From New Amsterdam to New York City, the shores of Manhattan and the surrounding harbor — one of the best natural harbors in the world — connected a fledgling colonial port to a global economy. As our great cosmopolitan metropolis grew through the nineteenth century, it remained a maritime city, becoming the world’s busiest port […]
Little Histories Add to Big Picture South of Union Square
In 2018, Village Preservation launched its campaign to designate South of Union Square a historic district, and protect an architecturally rich neighborhood alive with New York and national history that was (and remains) endangered by ongoing development plans. The area roughly between Third and Fifth Avenues from 9th to 14th Streets played a key role […]
Welcome Aboard, Lily Gold
Today we welcome aboard our new Development Associate, Lily Gold. Lily is eager to join Village Preservation’s mission of supporting the cultural, historic, and social institutions that have made Greenwich Village a lasting and living landmark. Lily comes from the small Westchester County hamlet of South Salem, about an hour and a half north of […]
Getting Past “Yes”: A Q&A on the Affordability Crisis (Part 4)
This is the fourth installment in our Q & A series on what should be called City of Yes for Developer Opportunities, a massive rezoning that ostensibly addresses the city’s affordable housing crisis, but actually doesn’t. The proposal’s underlying assumption is that this crisis afflicts everyone, from the inconvenienced plutocrat who has to reach too […]
Exploring Federal Era Rowhouses in the Susan De Vries Collection
The latest addition to our historic image archive, the Susan De Vries — Federal Rowhouses in Lower Manhattan and Architecture Collection Part II, features roughly 350 images taken by Susan De Vries throughout Lower Manhattan in 1995. Susan De Vries is a historian, researcher and photographer who has been active in the preservation field for […]
Observing History through the Lens of Women Photographers, Part I
This is the first in a three-part series Photography has long been a powerful medium for documenting history, shaping narratives, and preserving the fabric of our communities. Women photographers have played a crucial role in capturing the spirit of our neighborhoods. Through the lens of their cameras, these women documented the evolution of our urban […]
Unusual and Unexpected NYC Landmarks
Village Preservation recently published a report analyzing NYC landmark designations from 1965 to the present. In this first-of-its-kind intensive study of all 38,000 properties landmarked in New York City since the establishment of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, VP’s Executive Director Andrew Berman analyzed trends by mayoral administration – read the full report here. In […]
The Feast of San Gennaro — A Legacy of Early 20th-Century Neapolitan Immigrants
Every September in NYC’s Little Italy, thousands flock to the neighborhood for a multi-day celebration of Italian-American culture. The Feast of San Gennaro, named after Saint Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, has been a staple tradition for the city’s Italian-American community for nearly 100 years. What began in 1926 as a one-day block party […]
143-145 Avenue D: Banking, Biscuits, Boat Basins, and More
Village Preservation previously conducted extensive research on the history of one particularly peculiar East Village Building, 143-145 Avenue D. This research culminated in a five-part blog series which was eventually used as part of the buildings entry on our East Village Building Block Resource. We were recently reminded of this building’s fascinating history following the […]
50 West 13th Street: Ironwork Lost, and Found?
50 West 13th Street, a rare surviving example of the Greek Revival style in the northern end of Greenwich Village, is deserving of recognition and protection as a New York City individual landmark for many reasons, both architectural and cultural. From 1858 to 1884, the building was the residence of Jacob Day, one of 19th […]
Annual Report Details Village Preservation’s Growth, Challenges, and Progress
Village Preservation has released its 2023–24 annual report, a colorful and comprehensive 24-page document that shows how the past year has been one of immense growth, challenges, and progress for our organization. “While we face multiplying challenges to our preservation efforts on a growing number of fronts,” wrote Trevor Stewart, president of Village Preservation, “we […]
Remembering September 11th through Images
Our Historic Image Archive highlights the history of the people and built environment of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, and New York City in general. Today we explore three of our nine collections that highlight the World Trade Center, the tragic events of 9/11, and the days and months that followed. 9/11 Tiles […]
The Fascinating Maritime Architecture of Mr. Boring
William Alciphron Boring was a prominent architect whose work played a significant role in shaping the architectural landscape of New York City, especially in areas tied to the immigrant experience and maritime life. Born on September 9, 1859, he was known for his design of key structures like the Ellis Island Immigration Station and what […]
Minetta Lane Theatre: An Off-Broadway Gem in the South Village
It’s no surprise that one of New York City’s beloved cultural platforms, the Minetta Lane Theatre, is situated in the heart of the South Village, an area which Village Preservation got landmarked in 2013. Though it may not carry the instant recognition of Broadway’s grand stages, the Minetta Lane holds a unique place in the […]
Business of the Month: Casey Rubber Stamp, 322 East 11th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Whether your thing is bed bugs or butterflies, […]
Historic Schools of Greenwich Village and the East Village Still Changing Minds
Unsurprisingly, schools in neighborhoods that are over two centuries old have changed a lot over the years. Quite a few of the buildings that serve as schools today are relatively new additions to our neighborhoods, while older school buildings have been repurposed for new uses and lives as their utility for their original purpose may […]
Red Shadow: Secrets, Spies, and Greenwich Village at the Start of the Cold War
Greenwich Village, known for its bohemian atmosphere, artistic communities, and rich history, was also a quiet epicenter of Cold War espionage. In the mid-20th century, amid the colorful cafes and intellectual debates that made Greenwich Village world-renowned, a darker narrative unfolded — one of Soviet spies operating in the heart of New York City. Alleged […]
NoHo’s Grand Cast Iron-Fronted Buildings
The cast iron buildings of the NoHo Historic District tell a tale of industry and innovation during a pivotal phase of the neighborhood’s and New York’s development. As the Landmarks Preservation Commission designation report notes, “the NoHo Historic District features many distinguished cast-iron-fronted buildings built between 1858 and 1888.” The report goes on to explain […]
Local Businesses of the Village’s Past and Present
Storefronts, and the businesses that occupy them, are some of the most iconic fixtures in New York City’s streetscape. Our neighborhoods are no different, as local businesses have long been some of the most defining community fixtures. So much so that many images within our historic image archive capture these businesses. In order to make […]
Public Art in Our Historic Image Archive
Our Historic Image Archive includes thousands of photos documenting New York City neighborhoods, people, and buildings. Public art is important part of our streetscapes, and can be found throughout our Historic Image Archive. One of NYC’s most well-known and beloved sculptures is “the Alamo” on Astor Place. Installed as a temporary exhibit in 1967, the […]
Suffrage’s Legacy in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, forever changing the course of American history by prohibiting voting discrimination based on gender. This monumental achievement wasn’t officially certified until August 26th, when U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation. That’s why every year on August 26th, we celebrate National Women’s Equality Day, […]
Welcome to the Neighborhood: Baker Falls, 101 Avenue A
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
Get Lost in History: Creating Self-Guided Neighborhood Walking Tours with Maps
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, with their charming streets, historic landmarks, and vibrant culture, are neighborhoods that beg to be explored on foot. Whether you’re a seasoned New Yorker or a curious visitor, there’s no better way to soak in these incredible neighborhoods’ rich history and artistic energy than by taking a walking […]
Looking Back at the West Village Waterfront
The photographs of the West Village waterfront in our Historic Image Archive remind us just how dramatic a transformation that area has undergone over the past several decades. Photographer James Cuebas, a Lower East Side native, captured on film the Hudson River piers in Greenwich Village in the late 1970s and 1980s. His photographs in […]
Hettie Jones (1934-2024): A Creative Force in Cooper Square
East Village resident Hettie Jones — beloved writer and poet, committed activist for social justice and preservation, and recipient of Village Preservation’s Village Award in 2019 — passed away on August 13, 2024, at the age of 90. Born in Brooklyn on June 15, 1934, Jones wrote more than 20 books over her long career, […]
James Lenox and the New York Public Library’s Greenwich Village Beginnings
James Lenox was born in New York City on August 19, 1800 to Robert and Rachel Lenox. Robert had immigrated to the United States from Scotland during the Revolutionary War, and went on to become one of the most successful real estate developers and investors in New York City. When Robert died in 1839, James […]
The Beginnings of Punk in the East Village – How the Ramones Came to CBGB
On August 16, 1974, a young, four-man rock group took the stage at a dingy East Village bar. Unbeknownst to those attending, this event would become legendary in the punk and music scenes, so much so that momentous occassion would be celebrated decades later. This is, of course, The Ramone’s first performance at the legendary […]
Business of the Month: Forbidden Planet, 832 Broadway
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. In the pioneering sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet, Commander […]
The SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District: A 1973 Designation That Helped Shape NYC’s Cultural Legacy
The year 1973 marks a significant chapter in New York City’s architectural and cultural history. On August 14th of that year, the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District was officially designated as a historic district by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). The district was subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and […]
Exploring the Many Row Houses of the Village Preservation Historic Image Archive
If we had to pick just one type of building to represent our neighborhoods, the top contender would almost undoubtedly be the row house. A ubiquitous feature of 19th-century urban streetscapes, many of these homes are happily still present throughout New York City (particularly in Manhattan and Brooklyn), and are plentiful in number in our […]
Exploring the Agnes Balcer Image Collection
The Agnes Balcer Collection of our 4,700 piece (and growing!) historic image archive is one of our smallest collections, but the photos it contains have an outsize story to tell relating to the family that donated them and Greenwich Village history. Agnes Balcer was from Bemidji, Minnesota, and worked as an executive secretary in Washington, D.C. […]
Manhattan’s Last Remaining Bath Houses
The public bath house was a fixture of late 19th and early 20th century New York City life. These grand municipal buildings served several important purposes for New Yorkers, especially those residing in tight quarters in overcrowded tenement buildings, where running water was often not an option and certainly not a guarantee. The City set […]
When Gansevoort Market Fed the City and Its Ocean Liners
On August 8, 1848, an Act of Congress played a significant role in shaping the landscape of New York City’s commerce and infrastructure: it granted part of the land to help establishment of the Gansevoort Farmers’ Market and the West Washington Market. This helped lay the groundwork for what would become one of the most […]
East Village Nightlife: A Home for Drag and DIY Performance
On August 7, 1994, drag queens took the stage at Boy Bar (15 St. Marks Place) to partake in a show titled “It’s a Mod Mod World”. Through the Jillian Jonas collection in our historic image archive, we can see the rarely told histories of this iconic space and its contemporary, The Pyramid Club (101 […]
Exploring LGBTQ+ History at the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center
The Tony Dapolito Recreation Center has a long history of serving the surrounding community, visitors from other parts of New York City, and in some cases, the world. The rec center was constructed in several phases, first opening in 1908 as the Carmine Street Baths. The original structure and was designed by the firm of […]
Fighting Back: The Tompkins Square Park Riot of 1988
Every neighborhood has a place where people go to express their discontent. For the East Village, that place is undoubtedly Tompkins Square Park. Ever since its founding in 1834, the park has hosted community meetings, protests, and several infamous riots. The most recent one broke out on August 6, 1988, between the NYPD and a […]
Getting Past “Yes”: A Q&A on the Affordability Crisis (Part 3)
Many of the questions we keep encountering about the ambitious city-wide upzoning proposal called City of Yes for Housing Opportunity stem from a basic misunderstanding. Most people take “City of Yes” to be plain English, when, in fact, it’s government-speak for “City of No political will to meaningfully address the need for affordable housing.” In […]
Harlem’s Great Churches and the Struggle for Abolition, Beyond the Village and Back
The churches of Harlem have long served as essential institutions in the neighborhood, shaping not only the spiritual lives of residents, but also the bonds that strengthen community. Many great churches, including Mother A.M.E. Zion Church, the Abyssinian Baptist Church, and St. James Presbyterian Church established their present-day homes in Upper Manhattan in the 1920s. […]
The Gay Liberation Front’s Impact on LGBTQ+ History
In June 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village was met with a resistance that launched the modern Gay Liberation Movement. Following decades of mostly discreet and targeted gay rights activism led by the Mattachine Society, the events set forth at Stonewall launched the movement into the popular consciousness. There was no […]
Klaus Nomi: the East Village’s Intergalactic Opera Singer
If you were to walk down East 4th Street in the late 1970s, you might come across an ethereal, white-faced character in a flamboyant costume, a spectacle among spectacles. Klaus Nomi (January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983), a striking and enterprising countertenor, made his mark on experimental music and performance amidst countless other countercultural […]
A Sweet Guide to Summer’s Coolest Treats
When the sweltering summer heat calls for a sweet and refreshing treat, nothing beats a scoop (or two) of ice cream. Our neighborhoods are a haven for ice cream lovers, with each neighborhood offering its own unique flavors and experiences. Today we’re exploring some of the best spots to satisfy your ice cream cravings in […]
Mass Transit and Manure: New York’s Lost Era of Horse-Drawn Streetcars
New York City summers are not easy. The heat, the humidity, and, of course, the smells. Put this together with street traffic and delayed subways, and it’s enough to make anyone dread traveling around the city during the its steamy season. But for all the problems we have with today’s mass transit system, especially this […]
Judson Dance Theater: Greenwich Village and Avant-Garde Dance
In the 1960’s, a group of dancers convened at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, to exchange and present ideas. The collective became known as Judson Dance Theater, and through a series of workshops and performances, they redefined what could be considered “dance”. With a rich tradition of hosting musicians, painters, poets, and performers […]
Getting Past “Yes”: A Q&A on the Affordability Crisis (Part 2)
The City of Yes zoning text amendment proposal continues its reckless march through the public review process, improbably announcing “next stop: housing affordability,” but really inspiring zero confidence about where the hell it’s taking us. Part 1 of this series refuted the claim that we are confronting a generalized housing crisis and answered questions about […]
NoHo’s Beginnings as an Exclusive Residential Neighborhood
The area which makes up present day NoHo began to urbanize between the 1820s and 1840s, as Greek Revival and Federal style houses built for many of Manhattan’s most successful businesspeople began to emerge here. These homes, which lined the streets around Broadway between Houston Street and Astor Place, like Bond and Great Jones Streets, […]
Early Connections to the Disability Rights Movement in the East Village
Three of the earliest sites connected to our nation’s long disability rights movement are situated within a few short blocks of each other in the East Village. Beginning in 1863, an unassuming row house on 2nd Avenue between East 5th and 6th Streets was the location of the Hospital for the Relief of the Ruptured […]
Remembering Vincent Livelli
Greenwich Village resident Vincent Livelli was a music and dance director who helped helped revolutionize the cruise ship industry. He was born on April 10, 1919 and died at age 104 on June 21st, 2024. Born in Brooklyn to Sicilian and Genovese immigrant parents, Livelli moved to Greenwich Village at three months old where he […]
Placido Mori, South Village Restaurateur to Opera Stars and Architects
The growth of the Italian-American community in the South Village in the late 19th and early 20th centuries can often be traced through the rise of Italian restaurants in the neighborhood and their acceptance with a wider audience beyond its borders. One of the leading restaurant owners of that period, from its earliest days through […]
Hess Triangle: The Defiant Plot of Land Underfoot in Greenwich Village
What does it take to hold onto property in Greenwich Village? For the Hess family, a surveying mistake and a subway expansion turned their land into the tiniest piece of private property in existence in New York City — so tiny that the City of New York thought that the family wouldn’t care to assert […]
The Village as Film Set
Historic neighborhoods are great settings that make for striking film locations. Such is the case for our neighborhoods, which have long been the stage for television and movie productions. So much so, that several images of movie productions within our neighborhoods have made their way into our Historic Image Archive. In order to facilitate the […]
Celebrating National Independent Retailers Week in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
Every year, National Independent Retailers Week brings communities together to celebrate the unique and vibrant independent businesses that form the backbone of our neighborhoods. One of the most cherished aspects of independent retailers is the sense of community they foster. Unlike impersonal chain stores, local businesses often become gathering places where neighbors meet, friendships are […]
Remembering Dorothy Lichtenstein
Dorothy Lichtenstein, wife of groundbreaking American artist Roy Lichtenstein, was a proud patron and philanthropist of the arts and friend of Village Preservation. She was born on October 26, 1939, and died at age 84 on July 4th, 2024. Brooklyn-born Dorothy Herzka grew up in Crown Heights and attended Midwood High School. After college, she […]
Welcome Aboard, Hannah Berry
Today, we welcome Hannah Berry (pronouns: she/they) to the Village Preservation team as our new Arthur A. Levin Program Associate. Hannah previously worked as an intern for Village Preservation, assisting with numerous research and programming projects. During her time as intern, Hannah contributed to research and development of a (forthcoming) map on NYC’s jazz history, promoted […]
Business of the Month: CC Cyclery, 530 East 13th Street (CLOSED)
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. The bicycle has been found to be more […]
More Art History Revealed at 8 West 13th Street
It’s sometimes almost incredible to think about the sheer volume of artistic talent that has been located in our neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. It’s perhaps even more overwhelming when multiple artists were present within one building over the span of just a few short years. Such was the case at […]
The Wit and Verse of the American Byron: Fitz-Greene Halleck
Fitz-Greene Halleck, a 19th-century American poet, is best known for his witty and satirical verse. His connection to Greenwich Village is an intriguing aspect of his life, highlighting the cultural vibrancy of the area during his time. However, while he was once known widely as the American Byron in his lifetime, today he is a […]
