Louisiana’s notorious Angola State Prison. Folk singer Pete Seeger. The Dry Dock District in Alphabet City. The Library of Congress. Kurt Cobain. http://youtu.be/mcXYz0gtJeM?t=15s Seemingly unrelated, right? Not exactly. They are … Continued
In September the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to grant variances to the Mutliple Dwelling Law to allow rooftop additions to be built at 329, 331, 333 & 335 … Continued
On November 22, 1918, the first performances were staged at the Village’s renowned Provincetown Playhouse in the theater company’s permanent home. Founded in 1915 in Massachusetts as the Provincetown Players … Continued
“Brownstones occupy a unique place in the New York psyche, as one of the city’s most prototypical signposts, like yellow cabs and fast walkers, yet are able to stir aching … Continued
We have recently learned that a new building permit application has been filed with the Department of Buildings for 75 First Avenue in the East Village. The permit, just filed … Continued
Monday, October 8, is Columbus Day, a day of recognition of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World 520 years ago as well as a day to celebrate … Continued
The Board of Standards and Appeals recently decided in favor of developers seeking to build rooftop additions at 329-335 East 9th Street and to allow illegally built additions to remain … Continued
We recently learned that the proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District has been scheduled for a vote by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on October 9. Since the district was … Continued
As we continue to document the research we have compiled on every building and site in the East Village, we run across some incredible stories of the neighborhood’s history. Such … Continued
The seminal tome of the Beat generation, Jack Kerouac’s novel, “On the Road,” was published on September 5, 1957. Though written in 1951 on a continuous 120 foot roll of … Continued
The building from this “Spot the Shot” post is at 229-231 East 12th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. “The Claremount” was constructed in 1901 by developer Max Weinberg, who … Continued
Do you know where this building is located? One of the most well known and talented families of Yiddish theater who also happened to own some of the theaters … Continued
Nestled in the middle of a block of 11th Street between Avenues A & B are two tenements that share their history with one of the most well known and … Continued
On Wednesday the City Council voted 44-1 in favor of the NYU 2031 Plan. Since the very beginning GVSHP has advocated for a rejection of this plan and instead suggested … Continued
In 2008 NYU planned to demolish the Provincetown Playhouse to make way for a new law school building. Located at 133-139 MacDougal Street the Provincetown Playhouse was an incredibly significant … Continued
You can’t watch a music video, open a fashion magazine or even walk down the street without seeing the latest fashion craze, Technicolor hair. Like so many fashion trends (mohawks … Continued
Yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a designation hearing for the proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. The hearing room was packed and overflowing with supporters of the district … Continued
On Tuesday, June 26 the Landmarks Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. This historic district was proposed last year by … Continued
Today is the 108th anniversary of the General Slocum disaster. The greatest loss of life in New York City before 9/11, this singularly important event had a particularly profound impact … Continued
On June 5 the Board of Standards and Appeals will hold a hearing for variances sought by the owner of 329-335 East 9th Street to build rooftop additions. The developer’s … Continued
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Loisaida Festival, a celebration of Latino culture, community, and the arts. Marlis Momber, a commercial photographer who moved to and began documenting … Continued
“On Saturdays when I did not have to lecture, we used to visit the saloon of Justus Schwab, the most famous radical center in New York. Schwab was the traditional … Continued
NYU’s massive, out-of-scale plan to construct 2 million square feet of new buildings within the Washington Square Village and Silver Towers superblocks is touted by the University as being desperately … Continued
Last week the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express announced that Duo Multicultural Arts Center (DMAC) was one of the 40 sites in New York City selected to … Continued
We always thought the building at 193 Second Avenue at the corner of 12th Street was extraordinarily handsome and well-designed. Based on our extensive research of the East Village … Continued
There’s lots to love about the culture, architecture, and history of the East Village, and the Fourth Arts Block (East 4th Street between the Bowery and Seond Avenue) is a microcosm … Continued
Yesterday, the National Archives released its records of the 1940 Census. And that’s a big deal because census records remain sealed for 72 years. So historic researchers, genealogists and family … Continued
Following a recent post about the Roman Catholic Church of Mary Help of Christians at 440 East 12th Street, we conducted a Q & A with one of its parishioners, Janet … Continued
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, … Continued
Many vestiges of the immigrant communities that called the East Village home remain to this day. The area in and around First Avenue and Avenue B between East 11th and … Continued
This week marks the one year anniversary off GVSHP’s blog Off the Grid. We launched Off the Grid to engage new audiences in the dynamic history of the neighborhoods we … Continued
On February 16, 1990, we lost one of the most memorable and enduring figures of the 1980’s Downtown arts scene, Keith Haring (born May 4, 1958). Haring came to New … Continued
Pigeons shake their wings on the copper church roof out my window across the street, a bird perched on the cross surveys the city’s blue-grey clouds. Larry Rivers ‘ll come … Continued
Between the 2nd and 3rd stories of this handsome building at 310-312 East 11th, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, there is a faint sign that reads “Knickerbocker Boarding.” Today the … Continued
Last week we had a bittersweet victory when the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted in favor of designating the East 10th Street Historic District mere minutes after the Department of Buildings … Continued
As a reminder on Tuesday, January 17, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will have a hearing for the proposed East 10th Street Historic District. It is very important for you … Continued
What an amazing picture! Talk about the good old days. We love historic images here at Village Preservation. They help us with our research, like our building-by-building documentation of the … Continued
You may have seen 60 Minutes last night with a segment about the impact of the mortgage crisis on neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. With owners and banks abandoning homes the city has … Continued
‘ Tis the season! Since we’re in the midst of both the holiday and presidential campaign season we thought it would be appropriate to share a precious moment from holidays … Continued
Talk about 6 degrees of separation! A half- painted over, fading ghost sign (old hand painted advertisement) on a wall of a tenement building at 620 East 6th Street has more … Continued
Last month we all cheered when it was announced that the Bowery Historic District was added to the State and National Register of Historic Places – a well-deserved recognition of … Continued
This past weekend we were caught off guard when Jack Frost paid us a visit before the Great Pumpkin! Wonder what Linus would have made of that? While the weather … Continued
Recently, the block of East 13th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in the East Village has received a lot of attention after it was announced that a developer purchased … Continued
In an article from the October issue of O Magazine actress Katie Holmes declares, “I love Greenwich Village.”Back in 2009 it was widely speculated that Holmes and her husband Tom … Continued
One of the many wonderful things about the East Village is the fascinating layers of history that convey the evolution of the neighborhood. The buildings at 19-23 St. Mark’s Place … Continued
Last week we talked about the history of the building at 48 3rd Avenue and left you wondering about the rest of the block of 3rd Avenue between 10th & … Continued
Last week we tantalized you with an incredible photograph of 3rd Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets taken by Berenice Abbott in 1937. Today, we revisit that block to take … Continued
We are very fortunate that photographer Berenice Abbott captured images of New York City in the 1930s and 1940s (Abbott, by the way, lived off and on in Greenwich Village, … Continued
The tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in Greenwich Village and its impact on women’s rights and the labor movement is well known. There is a plaque at the Brown … Continued
One of the East Village’s few individually designated New York City landmarks is a distinctive Gothic Revival church at 545 East 11th Street. The building, today known as Father’s Heart … Continued
Its irrepressible mid-century modern façade of opaque black glass is punctuated by cheery yellow balconettes, a slender projecting wall of red glazed brick, and cube-shaped letters spelling out B-U-R-G-E-R … Continued
Last week we explained what a landmark is and how designation affects property owners. Today, we’ll try to dispel some of the inaccuracies and misconceptions about landmarking and historic … Continued
We speak often of historic districts, individual landmarks and national and state register sites but, what do those terms really mean? This post will review how the designation of landmarks … Continued
What does a beloved TV sitcom mom, Ike and Tina Turner, and one bad motha have in common? All were portrayed by actors who honed their craft at a theater … Continued
We are all becoming increasingly “green” minded – we recycle, reuse and buy local. Yet, when it comes to the built environment many believe that building new is a better … Continued
