It’s Here Again! The 20th Annual Spring House Tour Benefit – Sunday, May 6th, 2018
Ah, springtime in New York City. Tulips and daffodils fill our parks, people pour into the streets to enjoy the sunshine, and, of course, GVSHP produces the Annual Spring House Tour Benefit! One of our most anticipated events of the year, the House Tour allows tour-goers to walk through spectacular Village homes, all while raising funds in support of GVSHP’s crucial work to educate about and advocate for the distinctive character and irreplaceable architecture of our neighborhoods.
The 2018 Spring House Tour Benefit takes place on Sunday, May 6th from 1:30 to 6:00 PM, followed by a reception from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Tickets are still available, so be sure to purchase yours soon! This is our 20th tour, a wonderful occasion to remember the past 19 years of tours, celebrate this exciting milestone, and look forward to the many more to come.
The Spring House Tour is a chance to go behind the gorgeous façades of historic townhouses and buildings, to explore the spaces and enjoy both the new and old details that so few get to see up close – details that tell fascinating stories about the neighborhood. The 2013 tour, for example, featured this beautiful, ground floor-level entrance which stands apart from the surrounding Greek Revival homes with traditional stoops leading up to parlor-level front doors.
Though we might pass something like this every day without a second thought, during the House Tour we get to learn that this 1853 house’s stoop was removed in the early 20th Century and the entrance moved to the basement floor when the home was divided into apartments. Walking right up to the doorway, we note its “unusual upward ‘ears,’ a Twentieth Century version of the Federal style.” Proceeding through that door we look for more fun clues to the building’s transformation over 150+ years. This year’s tour includes six (well, technically seven!) homes, each one incredibly unique in terms of their built histories as well as their owners’ personal touches to the interiors. Tour-goers can wander through the homes with an eye out for mid-19th century pocket doors, solid marble bathtubs, replicas of original ceiling plaster work, astounding fine art collections, lush rear gardens, stunning light fixtures, and so much more.
While visiting these extraordinary homes throughout the Village, some of them built nearly 190 years ago and central to the culture of the neighborhood through the late 20th century, the importance of GVSHP’s work – and preservation in general – becomes clear. Five of the six locations on this year’s tour fall within the Greenwich Village Historic District, designated on April 29, 1969 and successfully extended by GVSHP in May 2006 and again in June 2010. The seventh isn’t part of a historic district but was individually landmarked and saved from the wrecking ball and replacement with a 300 ft. tall office tower as a result of GVSHP’s efforts. All of this ensures that the rich architectural and cultural environment of this area is protected. Contributions to our Annual Spring House Tour Benefit help us to continue this work to maintain the sense of place and human scale that define Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo.
We welcome you to the 20th Annual Spring House Tour Benefit! Purchase your tickets today! Tickets may also be purchased on the day of the House Tour and will be priced at a higher rate than advance tickets. This year’s ticket pick-up location is the New York Studio School. The address of the school is 8 West 8th Street, however please enter through the entrance to the school on MacDougal Alley. We will have a volunteer there guiding the way.