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 1895. The Germania Theatre (center) was demolished a few years later, as was every other building on that block. The horse-drawn carts have long been […]
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) and Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 East 6th Street in the newly designated East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. You can see the proposals for […]
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 swing. All I want is for it to sound happy.” Click on the image to get a closer view of the text that discusses a […]
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 the Charlie Parker Residence at 151 Avenue B in the East Village. The building became an official New York City Landmark in 1999 for its […]
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 Grid has been covering this story as it’s gone through the public review process. We thought we would update you on this memorial designed to […]
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 the Grid? Today we’d like to feature the seven-story building at 30 Christopher Street. One of our readers wanted to learn more about this building’s […]
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 Duchamp, and Provincetown Playhouse actors Russell Mann, Betty Turner, and Charles Ellis got into the arch and up the spiral staircase through an unlocked door. […]
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 Sunday, January 20th at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery. As the flyer posted on the fence of the churchyard indicates, the concert will include numerous vocalists singing […]
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 the LPC has just released: the LPC Permit Application Guide. The guide can be found on our Resources page along with other useful information for […]
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 but was curious to learn more. I told him that GVSHP has completed a huge architectural survey of the neighborhood – over 3,000 buildings! – […]
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 five boroughs. At each public hearing, the LPC hears a number of applications from property owners who wish to make changes to their landmarked buildings. […]
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 events for you. Washington Square Park This past Wednesday, the Washington Square Association held the 88th annual tree lighting ceremony in Washington Square Park. The […]
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 when we noticed the property had violated the Landmarks Law by not filing for a Certificate of Appropriateness (C of A) application before it made […]
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 on East 11th Street between First and Second Avenues. As you can see, this East Village sweet spot, which has been serving up scrumptious goodies […]
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 I grew up listening to his music. His pieces always brought to mind images of rural America, but, actually, Copland was born and raised in […]
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 in the West Village and Fulton Houses between 16th and 19th Streets in Chelsea. To help at Fulton Houses: Come at noon or 3pm to […]
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 we thought we’d share some of our visual resources we have for you on the site: photos and maps. This seems to be a theme […]
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: community board hearings. Alterations to landmarked buildings that require an LPC public hearing must also be presented to the local community board. GVSHP attends all […]
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 Place, the district includes about 325 buildings and is the largest ever created in the East Village. We’re excited to see that landmark protections have […]
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 you’re invited! The block party will run from noon to 5pm and will also feature an open house in the historic NoHo space. According to […]
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 itself to the promotion of Spanish culture for nearly 150 years.
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 at the Sanborn map for block 576 that I happened to spot this strange deviation in a neighborhood where idiosyncracies are already the norm. So […]
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 1970s. I thought it would make for a great then and now. Even though not that much time has passed, there have been a number […]
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 make it, the hearing time has been set for 3:45pm. Those planning to testify should plan to arrive early (by about 3:15) to get through […]
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 rights movement and the early fight against the AIDS epidemic. We presented this information to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (read our letter HERE) in the […]
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 photo above shows what 136 East 14th Street looked like in 1908 when it was occupied by the Theatre Unique. It’s hard to believe that […]
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 Off the Grid to understanding the workings of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the city agency charged with the task of safeguarding historic buildings across […]
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 better. No. 224 East 12th Street was constructed in 1852. Since this year pre-dates the formation of the New York City Buildings Department in 1866 […]
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 garage, sits directly next to the Merchant’s House Museum, one of the few exterior and interior landmarks in the city. Because 27 East 4th 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 nearly 190 years in the ever-changing landscape of New York City isn’t remarkable enough, 186 Spring also stands as a significant link to the early […]
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 alterations to two landmarked properties in the St. Mark’s Historic District. GVSHP will be attending the meeting, as we do in Community Board 2, and […]
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, spearheaded by AIDS Memorial Park, was presented to Community Board 2’s Parks Committee and the public, at which time public feedback was taken into consideration […]
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 streets in the city, but did you know at one point it was much longer?
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 the most, successful folk groups in recording history. Songs like “If I Had A Hammer”, “Leaving on a Jet Plane”, and “Puff, The Magic Dragon”, […]
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 and Tenth Avenue. Vendors primarily from New Jersey and Long Island came by ferry to sell produce. As you can see in the photo above, […]
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. Since 2005, Rosie has served District 2 in Manhattan, which includes the East Village as well as parts of NoHo and Greenwich Village. In recognition […]
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 & Kearney Horse Auction Mart at 128 East 13th Street! The Commission’s vote marks the finishing touch on GVSHP’s six-year campaign to preserve this remarkable […]
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 Eighth Avenue and West 13th Street, the gas station and mini-market closed down in September 2011 and the lot has been covered by a construction […]
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 Village homes at their own pace. The self-guided tour also included a bonus site: the former studio of Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney at the New York […]
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 Stanford White of McKim, Meade & White, the arch has become one of the most prominent symbols of Greenwich Village. Off the Grid went into […]
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 Triangle Park in the West Village. This comes just as the rezoning plan which would allow its development received its final approvals. The park, which […]
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 to New York off the coast of Newfoundland, after hitting an iceberg just before midnight the night before. Of the 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, […]
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 with its immediate neighbors. It now serves as a residence, but what was it originally and who used it? And what’s with the parking lot […]
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 Street and 310 Spring Street – are in or just outside the area of the proposed Hudson Square rezoning, about which GVSHP and fellow community […]
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 expansion plan, and to recommend its denial. A large crowd of local residents, NYU faculty, students, alumni and tenants, community groups from around the city, […]
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 bi-annual list of the seven most significant, endangered historic sites in New York State. The announcement was made yesterday morning by the League’s president, Jay […]
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 spots cherished by local residents. Father Fagan Park, located at the southeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Prince Street in the South Village, is one […]
One of my favorite things about historic architecture research is uncovering the fascinating histories of lesser-known buildings. When I worked at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, I researched and wrote the designation report for the East Eleventh Street Baths at 538 East 11th Street. So let’s take a look at what makes this East Village spot […]
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. To my delight, the anniversary of this historic event was right around the corner, today in fact! Yes, on February 27, 1860, relatively unknown presidential […]
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 Station House on Charles Street in the Far West Village was constructed in 1896-97.
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 development occurred long before the adoption of the Commissioner’s Plan of 1811. As many of our readers know, this plan is what formed the famed […]
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 an adjustment, to say the least. Today, however, we are delighted to share that the much-needed rehabilitation of this beloved city landmark has been completed […]
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 view into the upper apartments and to read more from the theater owner, refer to this article in the Times.) Designated as part of the […]
