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Author: Elizabeth

Walking East 7th Street: Tompkins Market and Armory

Walking East 7th Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2011 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the cultural history of one particular block of East 7th Street and sharing with us something fascinating they discovered along the way. All posts below were […]

My Favorite Things: Holiday Edition

Last Saturday night I joined hundreds of other holiday revelers in one of my favorite offbeat, annual Village traditions: Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night. Now in its twentieth year, Unsilent Night proved to be the most magical 45 minutes I have ever spent meandering through the Village streets.

Things I’ll Miss About GVSHP: Part 2

Nearly four centuries ago, Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant, whose life has been the stuff of legend on account of his wooden leg and his role in losing New Amsterdam to the English, lived on a farm in the area we now call the Village. Generations later, his great-grandson, Petrus, bequeathed land for the construction of […]

Things I’ll Miss About GVSHP: Part 1

As many readers are probably aware, in January I’ll be leaving my position of 3½ years as GVSHP’s Director of Preservation & Research (shameless plug: apply for my job). It’s a bittersweet move for a host of reasons. Suffice it to say, it’s been an absolute dream to spend my days fighting tirelessly for a […]

Big Reveal on East 11th Street

We’ve been anxiously awaiting the big reveal of the new artwork on the All Saint’s Ukrainian Church on East 11th Street, just west of our offices in the Neighborhood Preservation Center. So we’re thrilled to see that the scaffolding has finally come down!

Happy 20th Anniversary, Blue Man Group!

Twenty years ago today, on November 17th, 1991, Blue Man Group “Tubes” opened at NoHo’s own Astor Place Theatre, where the group continues to dazzle audiences to this day. Happy Anniversary to one of our favorite things in the Village!

372 Lafayette Street – Take Two!

Back in August, we wrote about 372 Lafayette Street, the proposed new building designed by Morris Adjmi that will – once given the go-ahead by the Landmarks Preservation Commission – occupy the site of the existing one-story garage on the corner of Great Jones Street in the NoHo Historic District. The LPC was only partially […]

Village Halloween Parade Origins

Earlier this week, we were thrilled to announce that Westbeth – the country’s first subsidized housing complex for artists and the first large-scale adaptive re-use of an industrial building for residential purposes – was designated an individual NYC landmark. Originally built as the Bell Telephone Labs, the complex was a birthplace of numerous modern technological […]

The Greenwich Village Follies

October has arrived, which means it’s time for another round of the Greenwich Village Follies, playing at The Duplex every Sunday this month beginning at 6:30pm. Make sure to stop by for a musical jaunt through the history of our favorite neighborhood! Now, it’s no coincidence that the word “follies” is evocative of yesteryear. The […]

A Beautiful Surprise is Uncovered in the Village

Until very recently, the storefront at 15 8th Avenue (between West 12th & Jane Streets) looked fairly typical. Part historic, part less-so, like many in the Village it had been altered over the years to accommodate turnover in commercial tenancy. But walking by recently, we noticed that the removal of a non-original panel above the show […]

Reasons to Save 316 East 3rd Street

Word has been spreading that a developer intends to demolish an historic rowhouse at 316 East 3rd Street, near the corner of Avenue D in the East Village, and replace it with a Karl Fisher-designed seven-story condo.  Prior to this, however, GVSHP and three other community groups submitted an emergency request to the Landmarks Preservation […]

Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.20.11: East Edition

As 51 Astor nears its final days, a look back at the battle for Astor Place (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) Some fantastic shots of the East Village from 1978-1999 (Michael Sean Edwards) Karl Fisher is set to demolish a historic East village rowhouse (EV Grieve) There was a fire at the Flea Market Cafe (The […]

Big Plans for 372 Lafayette Street

Architect Morris Adjmi has big plans in store for the corner of Lafayette & Great Jones Streets in NoHo. This afternoon, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be weighing in on his proposed new six-story apartment building at No. 372 Lafayette Street.

What’s in a Name?: The Saul Birns Building

Included within the boundaries of the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District is the venerable limestone and terra cotta-clad Saul Birns Building, located on the west side of Second Avenue between 6th & 7th Streets. The building definitely stands out on Lower Second Avenue, which is lined primarily with converted early-to-mid-19th […]

All Saints Ukrainian Church

We’ve long been curious about the history of the All Saints Ukrainian Church, which we pass by everyday because it’s located just down the block from our offices in the Neighborhood Preservation Center. Located at 206 East 11th Street, the church has been faced with stucco for as long as we can remember. Thus we […]

    For Sale: 264 East 7th Street

    We were intrigued to discover late last week that 264 East 7th Street, one of our favorite houses in the East Village, is for sale. Located between Avenues C & D, the 1842 Greek Revival house is part of a row of six that survive from when the block was first developed. They are distinguished […]

    Win Some, Lose Some in the East Village

    Readers who have been involved in our efforts to support the City’s two proposed East Village Historic Districts know that a small but vocal group is looking to halt the plan in its tracks. Those in opposition believe that owners should be trusted to preserve their own properties without governmental interference. While this is a […]

    Call 311 About 43 MacDougal Street!

    GVSHP and neighbors have long suspected that there might be squatters living inside 43 MacDougal Street, the deteriorating, 1846 landmarked building about which we’ve blogged before. Yesterday neighbors woke up to find that the facade had gotten a fresh coat of graffiti, so we just ran over and snapped a photo. As it appears, if […]

    Another Chase? Don’t Bank On It

    We were – to put it calmly – a tad bothered when we read recently on EV Grieve that 160 Second Avenue (corner of East 10th Street), the former home of Cafe Centosette, would house a Chase Bank/Starbucks combination package. Since the cafe’s closing last April, we had been holding out hope that whatever replaced […]

    Judson Memorial Church: 2011 Village Awardee

    Readers who have followed our advocacy work with NYU know that much has recently changed on the south side of Washington Square. But the yellow roman brick, limestone, and terra-cotta façade of Judson Memorial Church at 55 Washington Square South, designed by Stanford White, of McKim, Mead, & White and completed in 1893, remains defiantly […]

    Spot the Shot – Revealed!

    This week’s Spot the Shot was taken at 725 Greenwich Street, between Charles & Perry Streets. Have you ever wondered why this row of houses looks more like the Costa del Sol than Greenwich Village? They are two of several Mediterranean-style rowhouses scattered sporadically throughout the neighborhood, and their existence speaks to significant demographic changes […]

    Final MTA Mulry Square Vent Plant Designs Unveiled

    Last week, we took readers through the tumultuous history of the MTA’s attempts to design an aesthetically appropriate Emergency Ventilation Plant at Mulry Square, Greenwich Avenue and 7th Avenue South, in the heart of the Greenwich Village Historic District . The MTA presented their latest designs to Community Board 2’s Landmarks & Public Aesthetics Committee […]

    Spot the Shot!

    “Spot the Shot”  is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]

      Spot the Shot – Revealed!

      An astute reader managed to guess the location of this week’s Spot the Shot: the adorable townhouse at 48 East 10th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues. The aqua-colored vespa matches the shutters and is always parked in front, even on Google street view: We’ve always been a little enamored with this charming house, and […]

      MTA to Reveal Latest Designs for Mulry Square

      Next Tuesday, May 31st, the MTA will present its final proposed designs for an emergency ventilation plant on Mulry Square to the Landmarks & Public Aesthetics Committee of Community Board 2. The Landmarks Preservation Commission will give their official sign-off one week later, on June 7th (UPDATE as of June 3rd: The LPC hearing on […]

      Spot the Shot!

      “Spot the Shot”  is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]

        Sneak a Peek Inside Four Village Churches This Weekend

        This weekend, our friends over at the New York Landmarks Conservancy are hosting a state-wide, free-of-charge Sacred Sites Open House Weekend. The event offers a fantastic opportunity to take shelter from the rain inside 140 religious structures all across New York State, including four churches right here in the Village!

          Historic Landmark Only Partially Damaged After Minivan Attack

          Numerous media outlets have reported on the Westchester resident who intentionally drove his van into two narcotics officers standing on the sidewalk outside 73 Washington Place last Friday night. The crime was apparently payback for a past run-in between the targeted officer’s partner and the driver. Fortunately, both officers survived, though one was immediately hospitalized. […]

          Spot the Shot!

          “Spot the Shot”  is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]

          Seen and Heard Around the Village: 5.9.11 – 5.13.11

          Life After the Amato Opera (EV Grieve) Inauguration of New Organ at Church of the Ascension (NY Times) Birdbath Bakery Now Open on 3rd Avenue (EV Grieve) Wine Shop to Pop Cork on Christopher Street (Crain’s) The End of 35 Cooper (Local EV) Residents Laud Historic District Plan (Local EV) Bankrupt St. Vincent’s Pays Millions […]

          Spot the Shot – Revealed!

          No one was able to guess the location of this week’s Spot the Shot, but it was indeed a tricky one. The tiny man shown in the picture is carved into the Neo-Romanesque style Shenandoah apartment building at 10 Sheridan Square, built in 1928-29 by the prominent architect Emory Roth. Check back on Monday for […]

          Second Avenue Mansions of Yesteryear

          Woah! Can you believe the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue once looked like this? Our survey of the history of every single building in the East Village has turned up photos of some of the mansions that once lined Second Avenue – the neighborhood’s prime residential thoroughfare in the first half of […]

          Fake Ivy Continues to Flourish in Greenwich Village

          It’s now been almost a year since the owners of Nos. 47 West 8th Street and 62 West 9th Street illegally installed fake ivy on their buildings. Because both buildings sit well within the boundaries of the Greenwich Village Historic District, any changes made to their facades are subject to the rules and regulations of […]

          Gansevoort Plaza Designs Revealed

          Last night, Community Board 2’s Traffic & Transportation Committee reviewed proposed revised design elements and street furniture for Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District. The Meatpacking Improvement Association (which will be responsible for maintaining the public plazas) has been working with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on the proposal, which can be seen below:

          Spot the Shot!

          “Spot the Shot”  is Off the Grid’s weekly photo guessing game, whereby we post a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site taken in the West Village, East Village, NoHo, or Meatpacking District and ask our readers to guess where it is. New photos are posted on Mondays and answers revealed on Fridays. All […]

            Spot the Shot – Revealed!

            This week’s Spot the Shot is indeed – congratulations Stephanie! – the Merchant’s House Museum at 29 East 4th Street. The style of architecture is late Federal. Built in 1832, the museum is Manhattan’s only 19th Century family home preserved completely intact on both the interior and the exterior, and thus, according to museum’s website, […]

            Spot the Shot!

            Each Monday we’ll be a featuring a “Spot the Shot” post containing a photo of a building, architectural detail, or site around the Village. All featured photos will be taken by our phenomenal photographer Bob Estremera. We’ll be asking our readers to guess where each photo was taken, and revealing the answer each Friday. First […]

              See You on Sunday at the House Tour!

              Ever taken refuge in a treehouse in the middle of a bustling New York City neighborhood? Or climbed through a narrow horsewalk into a private, secret courtyard? Or been in the former townhouse of a rock-and-roll legend, or prominent literary figure? This weekend, you can! It’s not too late to purchase tickets for our spring […]

              Seen and Heard Around the Village: 4.18.11 – 4.22.11

              City to Consider East Village Historic District Containing Nearly 300 Buildings (DNA Info) Up Next: House Tour (Manhattan Users Guide) ‘Last’ Mafia hangout now dainty tea shop (NY Post) Piece of NYC Restaurant History Could be Yours for $250 (Eater) Alpha-bite City ((NY Post) Take a Stroll Down Monument Lane (Daily Candy) East 7th Street […]

              The Church of the Nativity & Landmarking the East Village!

              Speaking of the firm Town, Davis & Dakin (which as you’ll recall from yesterday’s post built NYU’s original main building), we recently came across some great shots of the stately Greek Revival church that once stood at 46-48 Second Avenue. According to the Historic American Buildings Survey, the Second Avenue Presbyterian Church was built by […]

              The Past and Future NYU

              This week marks the 180th anniversary of the incorporation of New York University, which was chartered in April 1831 as the City University of New York. And it seems the University was a bit pickier with its choice of architects in those early days. Feast your eyes on their spectacular Gothic Revival main building, which […]

              18 & 20 Jones Street

              Much fuss has been made of the news that the adjacent “sister” houses at 18 & 20 Jones Street are both currently on the market. We’re curious to see if these beautiful Greek Revival homes will be swooped up together, or sold off separately. Only one thing is for sure (big sigh of relief): They’ll […]

              Welcome Andito Lloyd, Our Newest Staffer!

              Today we are thrilled to welcome Andito Lloyd – our new East Village & Special Projects Director – to the small but mighty GVSHP team! Andito will soon become a very familiar face to many of our readers, as she will be leading the force to preserve the unique, special character of the East Village […]

              837 Washington Street – Not Quite There Yet

              As promised in today’s earlier post, we have photos of the revised designs for 837 Washington Street that were presented today at a public meeting of Landmarks Preservation Commission. In response to the concerns raised by the Commission during the last hearing on November 2010, the architect knocked two stories off the proposed addition and […]

              Rally on Sunday to Save the South Village

              This Sunday at 1:00pm, GVSHP will be holding a rally to urge the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the remainder of the South Village Historic District. We hope you will join us! Details can be found here. The crowd will convene in front of the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) on Sullivan Street between Bleecker and […]

              43 MacDougal Street: Even Worse Than We Thought

              Just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse at 43 MacDougal Street, after reading Monday’s post on the building an anonymous neighbor sent us the following photos, which are taken from above. The space between the plywood and the building is filled to the brim with trash. Here’s a close-up:

              Cornell Edwards of The Flower Stall, 1932-2011

              We were extremely saddened to read on EV Grieve this morning that Cornell Edwards, owner of the Flower Stall at 143 E. 13th St, has passed away. Cornell opened The Flower Stall in 1967, and since that time was not only a devoted small business owner, but also a wonderful steward of the neighborhood and […]

                43 MacDougal Street – Demolition by Neglect?

                By all accounts it looks like we’re in for a rainy week, which doesn’t bode well for 43 MacDougal Street, the neglected and badly deteriorating 1846 house on the corner of King Street in the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District that we’ve been urging the City for years to step in and save. April showers mean increased […]

                Edward Hopper’s Drug Store

                We’ll be the first to admit it: We have Edward Hopper fever. Those who were present at our recent lecture on the artist’s work know the extent of the research we have put into locating the subjects of Nighthawks at the Diner and Early Sunday Morning, two of Hopper’s most iconic Village paintings. But these […]

                  The Second Avenue El

                  The New York Public Library’s digital gallery contains some fun photos of the Second Avenue elevated train, which began operation in 1880 and cast shadows upon the street for more than 60 years. We know what you’re thinking: Isn’t this a photo of First Avenue? Yes indeed. Despite its name, the elevated actually ran along […]

                    Trains returning to the High Line

                    Each week we spend a great deal of time tracking applications coming before the Landmarks Preservation Commission for work on historic buildings in our neighborhood (photos and status updates to these applications can always been seen on our Landmarks Applications Webpage). Rarely does one catch our eye – and make us smile – the way […]

                    Dates Can be Deceiving

                    In chipping away at the gargantuan task of researching the history of all the buildings in the East Village, it’s always nice when a building wears its history on its sleeve. We’ve noticed that oodles of buildings throughout the neighborhood supply us with dates, whether on plaques or inscribed in parapets or on cornices. And […]

                    A Slice of East Village History is Destroyed

                    EV Grieve sends some sad news from the East Village today, where 326 & 328 East 4th Street – the two remarkably intact 1837-41 Greek Revival buildings the City refused to landmark after we tried desperately to save them last fall – are being destroyed after 170 years. Apparently, the developer was not as keen […]

                    Edward Hopper’s Village

                    The locations of sites around the Village portrayed in Edward Hopper’s works have been hotly debated, especially in light of the MTA’s plans to construct an emergency ventilation plant on Mulry Square (which many people think may have housed the restaurant portrayed in Nighthawks at the Diner). GVSHP will weigh in with our own theories […]

                      Cafe Royal

                      Researching the history of a building – as we’re doing for thousands in the East Village – can often be an arduous task. So it’s a great gift when sites like the Museum of the City New York’s fantastic new online photo collection become available to us. Browsing through the site, we came across an […]