Riccardo Spina Collection

Riccardo Spina has deep roots in Greenwich Village, reaching back to his family’s arrival from Italy in 1890. He grew up at 173 Bleecker Street, and also lived around the corner at 225 Sullivan Street. His passion for photography began as a teenager when he started taking photographs with his first camera. Later he’d translate this passion for photography into studies at Parsons, where he would continue taking hundreds of photos throughout the 1970s and 80s.

The collection contains shots of small businesses, parades, architectural gems, and everyday slices of life at that time. It also features images from Riccardo’s employment at Café Figaro. Overall, this time capsule is the perfect visual of day-to-day life in the neighborhood in the mid-to-late 20th century. Now a resident of the Netherlands, Spina enjoys reflecting on his time in Greenwich Village and has shared these photographs offering a very personal perspective on our neighborhood during a period of immense change.

Rights

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to publish or reproduce must be secured from Village Preservation.

Aerial View of Greenwich Village
Bleecker Street looking east from between Sullivan and MacDougal Streets
Sullivan Street looking north to the Empire State Building from Fire Escape of 225 Sullivan Street
Bleecker and MacDougal Street
Panchitos Interior, 105 MacDougal Street
Jefferson Market Library
Aboard a PATH Train
176 Bleecker Street, Johnny’s T-Shirt City
NYC Parade for return of Iran Hostages at Broadway and Murray Street
Waverly Place, Offset Printing Copy Store
Looking northeast across the intersection of Broadway and 12th Streets
South side of Morton Street between Hudson and Bedford Streets
Sheridan Square with Village Cigars
‘Häagen Dazs’ at 30 West 8th Street at MacDougal Street
Construction Site at 555 Madison Avenue
Two Women on the south side of Broadway and 12th Street
Zito’s Bakery, 159 Bleecker Street
Waverly Place looking west across Sixth Avenue in the rain
East side of Sixth Avenue, south of Waverly Place
Woolworth Building, 233 Broadway
10th Street and Greenwich Avenue
Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and the Brooklyn Waterfront as seen from the top of the original World Trade Center
Vendors on Sixth Avenue east side, looking south from 8th Street
Growing Up in the Village: 173 Bleecker Street, Rooftop (from left: Rose Spina, Riccardo Spina, Frank Spina Jr)
Growing Up in the Village: Father Demo Square (Seated: Carlo Rossi w/ Riccardo Spina)
Growing Up in the Village: Father Demo Square (on left: Frank Spina Jr & Riccardo Spina) (on right: Carlo Rossi)
Cappy’s, 32-34 West 34th Street Fire
34th Street Fire, 32-34 West 34th Street
34th Street Fire, building at 32-34 West 34th Street
32-34 West 34th Street Fire, streetscape
Looking southwest from West 11th Street across Greenwich Avenue in foreground
Looking west across Lafayette Street along Astor Place
34th Street Fire, 32-34 West 34th Street
Astor Place and Cooper Square
Aerial View of Washington Square Park looking northwest across the park
Looking through a window northwest across Seventh Avenue South at Grove Street
Café Figaro interior at 184 Bleecker Street
Café Figaro at the southeast corner of MacDougal and Bleecker Streets 1
Café Figaro at the southeast corner of MacDougal and Bleecker Streets 2
Café Figaro at the southeast corner of MacDougal and Bleecker Streets 3
1978 Blizzard, Grand Central Station
Fifth Avenue looking north from 42nd Street after 1978 Blizzard
1978 Blizzard, crosswalk at 46th Street and Lexington Avenue
Washington Square North in 1978 Blizzard
Looking east on West 3rd Street across LaGuardia Place, NYU Bobst Library barely visible in background
Looking northeast from 4th Street across construction site on Broadway in 1978 Blizzard
West 8th Street at MacDougal Street looking north in 1978 Blizzard
Looking northwest along 8th Street towards 6th Avenue from MacDougal Street after 1978 Blizzard
Looking down Jones Street to Bleecker Street in 1978 Blizzard
Looking south on Minetta Street to 6th Avenue and Bleecker Street
Looking north on Minetta Street to Minetta Lane
Former Fat Black Pussycat at 11 Minetta Street
Former Fat Black Pussycat at 11 Minetta Street
16 Minetta Lane at Minetta Street
Minetta Street looking north