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Author: Dawson Knick

Celebrating Ice Cream (and small businesses) in our neighborhoods

The July heat can be miserable in the city. How do New Yorkers cool off? By hitting up their favorite independently-owned local ice cream shops. Fortunately National Ice Cream Month starts tomorrow, which makes justifying indulging that sweet tooth even easier to do. And if you’re supporting one of local small businesses that are facing […]

    Village Pride & LGBT Establishments

    June is Pride Month, a time when LGBT communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. The Stonewall uprising in June 1969 is the original inspiration behind the annual June festivities.  The global coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, including how pride festivities take place this year, as the annual NYC Pride parade has […]

    Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 60 Fifth Avenue

    Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation but somehow aren’t. 60 Fifth Avenue, the former Macmillan Publishing Company Building/the former Forbes Building This eight-story building on the northwest corner of 12th Street and Fifth Avenue is located […]

    P.S. 122: Performance Space with Lots of Fame

    The East Village and Lower East Side have many superb examples of repurposing abondanded buildings into beacons of culture. P.S. 122 at 150 First Avenue is an exemplar of how historic buildings in New York can thrive with adaptive reuse. Choreographers and performance artists on the Lower East Side and in Lower Manhattan have relied […]

      Celebrating Immigration in Greenwich Village

      Today marks the beginning of Immigrant Heritage Week. Immigration is a core theme in the history of New York City and especially our neighborhoods. People from all over the world come to Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, adding to the vibrancy, creativity, and life. On April 29th, 2019, we launched our new interactive […]

      Bravo’s Book Nook: Greenwich Village’s Newest Bookstore, In The Players Theatre

      Greenwich Village has a new bookstore located at 115 MacDougal Street in the lobby of the historic Players Theatre. The specialty bookshop, Bravo’s Book Nook, focuses on books about theater, music, children’s education, and Greenwich Village history. The store is co-owned by Michael Sgouros of the historic Players Theatre and Brenda Bell of Literally Alive […]

        The South Village Historic District Makes the National Register of Historic Places

        The South Village is an area rich in architectural, cultural, and historic resources, distinct from (though connected to) those of its surrounding historic communities, such as Greenwich Village, Soho, and Noho. Much of this area’s history is defined by tenements and immigrants, particularly Italian-Americans; by speakeasies, jazz clubs, beatnik coffeehouses, and folk music clubs from […]

        Beauford Delaney: Harlem Renaissance & Abstract Painter

        Harlem Renaissance painter Beauford Delaney was known for his colorful modernist compositions and unique approach to figuration. One of the most important African-American artists of the early 20th century, he often painted portraits of prominent black figures, street scenes, and abstract paintings. Delaney spent a good portion of his career in Greenwich Village, with many […]

        Why Isn’t It Landmarked?: 204 East 13th Street, Home To Jazz Great and Film History

        Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. 204 East 13th Street is a 4-story Neo-Grec style tenement built in 1875. The building has exceptionally vivid and intact architectural detailing on its cornice […]

        East Village Street Art Lives On

        Art is in the DNA of New York City.  It’s not only found in the many museums and galleries our city has to offer, but on the sidewalks under our feet, on walls, in parks, and all throughout our streets. The East Village has a particularly long and vital history of creating art that can […]

        The Duplex: NYC’s Longest Running Cabaret Bar

        The Duplex is the superstar of Seventh Avenue South and Christopher Street, with its name shining bright for all to see. A broad variety of shows takes place here, from campy drag acts to piano balladeers to intimate performances by some of Broadway’s brightest stars.  Many famous artists have found a home at the Duplex’s […]

        Changing Fashion of New York

        Artists and photographer Carole Teller donated hundreds of photographs to Village Preservation that she took from the 1960s through the 1990s. An East Village resident for over fifty years, Carole so beautifully and thoroughly documented her neighborhood’s architecture, daily life, and many quirks, we have had to dole it out in multiple parts in our Historic Image […]

        Holiday Shopping in the Village

        It is that time of the year where the streets are dazzling with lights, Christmas trees line the sidewalks, and you still haven’t bought a single gift for the holidays. Luckily, the Village has you covered this year with many small businesses that can offer you the perfect gift for your friends and family. Many […]

        The Most Picturesque Sites in The Village

        Every year millions of tourists make their way to New York City. While many of them may bypass the Village to flock to Times Square or the Statue of Liberty for a photo, there are many spots here that have gained popularity as a top spot to Instagram. Many of the popular spots draw tourists […]

        Live from the Village, It’s Saturday Night!

        On October 11, 1975, NBC’s Saturday Night Live made its television debut. The show was created by Lorne Michaels under the original name of NBC’s Saturday Night. It quickly evolved into a staple of American television, and is one of the longest-running shows to date. A comedian knows they have made it once they get […]

          Lady Gaga’s Greenwich Village

          Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is a born and raised New Yorker. While she spent most of her early years growing up on the Upper West Side, she owes some of her breakout career moments to Greenwich Village. Lady Gaga performs for a crowd during the Stonewall50 concert […]

          A Real Tour of Greenwich Village for ‘Friends’ Fans

          This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and celebrations. The television sitcom Friends, which premiered on September 22, 1994, is celebrating its 25th anniversary! The show presented a group of young twenty-somethings finding […]

          Meet the Interns

          Village Preservation’s team is a strong one – we’re lucky to have a group of interns who are here to gain experience in historic preservation in a non-profit environment. Internships are paid, and our interns come from all educational and life backgrounds. We work together to tailor internship experiences to fit an intern’s skills and […]

          Legendary Comedy Clubs of Greenwich Village

          New York may be known for its lively comedy scene, but Greenwich Village takes the cake when it comes to producing the most renowned comedic legends. Comedy spots all over the Village helped shape the careers of comedians like Joan Rivers, Woody Allen, Dave Chapelle, and many more. Joan Rivers in 1965. Image courtesy of […]