Germania Theatre Then & Now
Do you recognize this location? The building partially visible at left is the only part of this scene that has survived nearly 120 years after the photo was taken in … Continued
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Author: Amanda
East Village History: Some Protected, Some Not
Tomorrow, Community Board 3’s Landmarks Subcommittee will hear proposals for changes to two East Village landmarks: St Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery (an individual landmark and part of the St. Mark’s Historic District) … Continued
Jazz This Monday Night at Zinc Bar!
Check out this great article “notebook for night owls” from the Village Voice, dated January 31, 1963. Says cornetist Jack Fine, “Some people call our jazz traditional, some think it’s … Continued
LPC Honors Charlie Parker and Others During Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has released a list of 25 designated landmarks related to African-American culture and history. One of the 25 is … Continued
Small But Important Changes from the AIDS Memorial Team
Last week the design team behind the AIDS Memorial in St. Vincent’s Park presented some design changes at a public meeting held at the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). Off the … Continued
A Look Back in Time at 30 Christopher Street
The snow is coming down here in New York City, so why not grab a cup of hot chocolate and read up on a Village landmark with us at Off … Continued
Conspiracy Atop the Arch
Ninety-six years ago today a group of artists gathered at the top of the Washington Square Arch. Poet Gertrude Drick, painters John Sloan (who drew the etching above) and Marcel … Continued
A Concert In Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today would have been Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 84th birthday. The iconic figure of the Civil Rights Movement, assassinated on April 4, 1968, will be honored with a concert this … Continued
LPC Releases Permit Application Guide
Are you an owner of a landmarked building or someone that files applications through the Landmarks Preservation Commission? If so, we want to point you to a helpful resource that … Continued
Shining a Light on an East Village Landmark
Recently someone asked me about a building he walked by in the East Village. Showing me a photo of the building on his phone, he figured it was a substation … Continued
LPC Posts Their Hearing Schedule for 2013
Today marks the last day in 2012 of public hearings for the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the City agency in charge of regulating designated landmarks and historic districts across the … Continued
Christmas Festivities, East and West
The holiday season is well underway and our neighborhoods have wonderful events going on to help ring in the Christmas spirit. Today we thought we’d highlight a couple of upcoming … Continued
47 West 8th’s Run-In with the Landmarks Law
Do you remember the fake ivy saga involving the storefront of 47 West 8th Street in the Greenwich Village Historic District? It first came to our attention in early 2010 … Continued
Savoring the Holidays with Veniero’s
We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Now that the holiday season is underway, we wanted to celebrate with a photo of one of our favorite Italian bakeries – Veniero’s … Continued
“Simple Gifts” on Copland’s Birthday
This morning, just before Appalachian Spring played on the radio, I learned that today would have been composer Aaron Copland’s 112th birthday. This struck a particular chord with me as … Continued
Following Sandy: Our Neighbors in Need
Many residents in and near our area are still without power, heat, or water. Some are elderly or infirmed, and some have small children. Two complexes in need are Westbeth … Continued
A Photo Here, A Map There
We hope you have weathered the hurricane as best as possible. Our office is still closed due to power outages that have affected most buildings south of 31st Street, but … Continued
Get Involved: Landmarks Review at Community Boards
Following up on our earlier post discussing public hearings at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, we thought we’d focus our attention on another important part of the landmarks public review process: … Continued
Your East Village Historic District Guide
Last Tuesday, October 9th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. Stretching between the Bowery and Avenue A, East 2nd Street and St. Mark’s … Continued
A Look Back at the Public Theater
Tomorrow, Saturday, October 13th, the Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street (off Astor Place) will be hosting a block party to celebrate the re-dedication of their historic theater space, and … Continued
Celebrating Hispanic Culture in the Heart of the Old Little Spain
In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place each year from September 15th to October 15th, we wanted to highlight an institution in our neighborhood that has dedicated … Continued
Map It! Lots Shaped by Minetta Brook
Next in the Map It! series is an unusual quirk in our streetscapes that few people may have noticed. In fact, it wasn’t until last week when I was looking … Continued
Then & Now: Seventh Avenue South
When I was home recently I looked through one of my parents’ photo albums and happened to find this photo of Seventh Avenue South taken at some point in the … Continued
Finally! A Hearing for 27 E. 4th St. Today
Today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will be hearing the new building application for 27 East 4th Street, the site next to the landmarked Merchant’s House Museum. If you can … Continued
A Call for Consistency: LPC and 186 Spring Street
As we have covered in past Off the Grid posts, the South Village building at 186 Spring Street holds strong historical significance for its role in the Lesbian and Gay Civil … Continued
Yesteryear: The Theatre Unique
Today, we think of Times Square when we think of the theatre district, but over 100 years ago, 14th Street centered around Union Square was full of theatre houses. The … Continued
Inside the LPC: Public Hearings vs. Public Meetings
So, why do we start this blog post with a photo of the Municipal Building located downtown across from City Hall? We thought we would dedicate some time here at … Continued
An Unfortunate Facelift on East 12th Street
A 19th century row house on the south side of East 12th Street between Second and Third Avenues is currently undergoing a facelift, though we can’t say it’s for the … Continued
An Update on 27 East 4th Street
For a few months now, many of you have been following the proposal for a new nine-story hotel at 27 East 4th Street. The site, which currently holds a one-story … Continued
LGBT History and 186 Spring Street
In light of demolition plans that GVSHP uncovered for the Federal row house at 186 Spring Street, we recently discovered an incredible bit of history about the building. If surviving … Continued
Come Out to Weigh In on East Village Landmarks
Tomorrow, July 12th, marks a big day for landmark review in the East Village. That’s because Community Board 3‘s Landmarks Subcommittee will be holding its first public hearing regarding proposed … Continued
AIDS Memorial Park Design Closer to Reality
A little over two months ago, Off the Grid covered a meeting regarding the proposed AIDS Memorial in the triangle park next to the former St. Vincent’s Hospital. The proposal, … Continued
Map It! Stuyvesant Street
Next in the Map It! series is Stuyvesant Street, which runs through the northern portion of the East Village between Second and Third Avenues. Today, it’s one of the shortest … Continued
Peter, Paul and Mary: All Over This Village
Fifty years ago, in May of 1962, folk group Peter, Paul and Mary released their self-titled debut album. The group went on to become one of the most, if not … Continued
On This Day: Gansevoort Market Opens
On June 14, 1884 – or 128 years ago today – a municipally-sanctioned public market was opened on the five-sided block bounded by Little West Twelfth, Washington, Gansevoort, West Streets … Continued
City Councilmember Rosie Mendez: 2012 Village Award Winner
At a time when over-development is an ever-present threat in our Village neighborhoods, City Councilmember Rosie Mendez has distinguished herself as a staunch advocate for historic preservation and zoning protections. … Continued
Landmark Bid Pays Off at Former Horse Auction Mart!
We’re thrilled to announce that last week the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to confer individual landmark status on one of our favorite East Village buildings: the former Van Tassell … Continued
What’s Happening Here? Eighth Avenue and 13th Street
Walking near Jackson Square in the West Village, you may have wondered what will become of the site of the former Lukoil gas station. Located at the southwest corner of … Continued
2012 House Tour Highlights
We had a beautiful day for our 14th annual house tour benefit on Sunday, May 6th! The sun was shining and hundreds of people came out to visit six wonderful … Continued
On This Day: Washington Square Arch
On this day in 1895 (that’s 117 years ago if you’re counting), Washington Square Arch was dedicated. The above image shows what the arch looked like that year. Designed by … Continued
AIDS Memorial Design Process Underway
Last night, the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Committee of Community Board 2 held the first public discussion of the design for the AIDS memorial in the new St. Vincent’s … Continued
Titanic Connections
In the early morning hours of April 15, 1912, the 883 foot long, 50 ton, and reputedly unsinkable ocean liner the RMS Titanic sunk on its maiden voyage from England … Continued
135 East 2nd Street, Then & Now
Walking along East 2nd Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue, you might have noticed a historic building that, in terms of its age and style, seems out of context … Continued
Our Newest Federal-Era Landmarks
At their March 27th public meeting, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated four individual landmarks located in Hudson Square. These new landmarks – 32 Dominick Street, 34 Dominick Street, 36 Dominick … Continued
NYU 2031: Crowd Calls on Stringer to Vote No
Last Thursday, GVSHP led a rally on the steps of City Hall calling on Borough President Scott Stringer to hold a public hearing before he votes on the NYU 2031 … Continued
South Village Named To “Seven to Save” List!
We are thrilled to share with you the news that GVSHP successfully nominated the South Village to the Preservation League of New York State’s “Seven to Save” list — their … Continued
The Heroism Behind Father Fagan Park
The Village is full of beloved landmarks and winding streets familiar across the world. However, one of the wonderful things about being involved with this vibrant community is discovering the … Continued
My Favorite Things: East Eleventh Street Baths
One of my favorite things about historic architecture research is uncovering the fascinating histories of lesser-known buildings (and then sharing those facts with anyone who will listen!). When I worked … Continued
Today in 1860: Lincoln and the Village
As I was considering a topic for last week’s Presidents’ Day post, I came across a great find from our nation’s past that took place right here in present-day NoHo. … Continued
Happy Presidents’ Day
Can you name the only United States president to be born in New York City? Here’s a hint: he served as the city’s Police Commissioner when the 9th Police Precinct … Continued
Map It! Bleecker at Christopher Street
Have you ever come across a peculiar street pattern in the city and wondered how it became that way? It’s a topic that’s especially prevalent in the Village, where street … Continued
The Jefferson Market Library: A Striking Landmark Shines Again
To those who had grown accustomed to keeping time by glancing at the four-faced clock on the grand tower of the Jefferson Market Library, the past several years have been … Continued
A Nearly One Century “Encore!” for the Cherry Lane
A research request by a New York Times writer regarding the Cherry Lane Theatre at 38 Commerce Street unearthed a rich history of entertainment in the West Village. (For a … Continued