A New Oral History with Acclaimed Painter Wolf Kahn
Once upon a time in Chelsea, New York, a young woman lived in an apartment on the sixth floor with a magical view. Facing north, there was the Chelsea Hotel, … Continued
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Author: Karen
A Son of the East Village, Murdered, and a Controversial Opera
At this time last year, the Metropolitan Opera was aflame in controversy about an opera production called The Death of Klinghoffer. The eight performances between Oct. 20 and Nov. 15 … Continued
An American Master Fills a Landmark With Music – Come Listen
“You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s real Jewish rye,” was the slogan for a brand of bread baked in Brooklyn, and offered with a memorable ad campaign … Continued
Business of the Month: Fresco Gelateria, 138 Second Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Landmarks50: A Pre-Halloween Trip to Our Historic Cemeteries
This year the city is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Landmarks Law that created the legal framework to preserve for posterity the architectural and scenic treasures that help make … Continued
James Baldwin and His Greenwich Village
What is it about James Baldwin? This writer, long recognized as an important voice in American literature, has been gone for over a quarter-century, yet seems to be speaking incessantly … Continued
Business of the Month: Mercer Street Books, 206 Mercer Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
The Village Seen: Painter Patricia Melvin
Today is the second installment of a new occasional series, “The Village Seen,” to display the work of the many talented visual artists in our neighborhoods. Longtime East Villager Patricia … Continued
What’s In a Historic Plaque?
There’s an appealing 1951 painting by Stuart Davis owned by the Whitney Museum of American Art, though it’s not currently on view in the new building. Vibrant and memorable, the … Continued
The Village Seen: Photographer Dan Efram
Today we launch a new occasional series, “The Village Seen,” to display the work of the many talented visual artists in our neighborhoods. Longtime East Village resident Dan Efram is … Continued
Business of the Month: Ray’s Candy Store, 113 Avenue A
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Could Redevelopment Finally Be Moving Forward at P.S. 64?
East Village activists were surprised to learn recently that the city’s Department of Buildings had issued new work permits for 605 E. 9th Street, the former public school that served … Continued
The Tree of Heaven in Washington Square
I recently read the novella Washington Square for the first time, eager to see how this 1880 work by Henry James might paint the Square of olden days. Although the … Continued
Business of the Month: Yakub Shoe Repair, 229 Sullivan Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
A New Plan to Preserve the Small Businesses We Love and Need
Think about the neighborhood where you live, whether West Village or East, Astor Place or University Place. Regarding your retail shopping options, if you could pick one of the following … Continued
Business of the Month: Cobblestones, 314 East 9th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
How to Play a Historic Building
Structures from New York City’s past are leading vibrant new lives all around us every day. An 1878 military drill hall is now an exhibition space for cutting-edge art and … Continued
What the Preservation Movement Needs Now
If you’ve been involved in a movement for going on 40 years, you probably have a few things to say about it. And if you’re as observant and educated about … Continued
Community Gardens Need Just One Thing: Gardeners
This past Saturday morning, after a cooling rain shower, a gaggle of curious people went traipsing around a handful of community gardens in the East Village. We visited eight gardens, plus … Continued
Business of the Month: Greenwich Locksmiths
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
For Downtown’s Unsung Heroes: Love, Passion, and a Party
“The Lower East Side is not gone yet,” Ryan Gilliam told the group assembled in the upstairs auditorium of University Settlement on the corner of Eldridge and Rivington Streets, the … Continued
Real Estate’s Attempt to Hijack the Affordable Housing Discussion
Reprinted from Gotham Gazette, May 1, 2015. Think of the classic pieces of advice you’ve heard from parents, teachers or mentors along the way in life: Look before you leap. … Continued
This May: A Crowdsourced History of the Lower East Side
A friend of mine – and unabashed New York City chauvinist – has been known to observe a street in Manhattan and pronounce something like, “There’s more style on this … Continued
Millay and the Magnolia Tree
It’s that blooming, buoyant, too-brief time of year again, when flowers abound – particularly, this week, the fragrant pink flowers of the saucer magnolia. It was among the branches of … Continued
Business of the Month: B&H Dairy
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Landmarks of a Capital of Jazz
It’s been a heavy spring so far, with troubling news around the world, the nation, and in our city. But the colorful blooms of spring are finally opening – crocuses, daffodils, … Continued
The Small Business Spring of 2015
It was just shy of a month ago, on March 5, that a forum called “Solutions to Save Small Businesses, Art and Cultural Institutions” was held at Judson Memorial Church, … Continued
When Sundays Ran Dry
On March 23, 1896, a law introduced by New York State Senator John Raines was passed by the state legislature, making the sale of liquor illegal on Sundays, except at … Continued
Hawks With a Taste for Quality Construction
It’s easy to see, from the many blogs devoted to the subject, that New Yorkers are fans of our local hawks. These raptors add notes of wildness and grace to … Continued
Business of the Month: bookbook
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
The Kinks: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Met Preservation
Preservation and rock ‘n’ roll are rarely mentioned in the same breath, it seems fair to say – with at least one notable exception. When the great British rock band … Continued
With Black Seed, De Robertis Space Moves Forward, Mindful of the Past
Like many fans, we at Off the Grid were heartbroken when it really happened, after months and years of rumors: De Robertis Pastry Shop closed in December. Nos. 174 and … Continued
Business of the Month: East Village Cheese
Your input is needed! Today we feature our fourth “Business of the Month” — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Memo to Developers: Don’t Kill the Goose That Laid the Golden Egg
Call him the preservationist’s preservationist: Anthony C. Wood has not only built a distinguished career as an activist for historic preservation in New York City, but has also blazed a … Continued
Preservation Includes Community Gardens, and More
Not so long ago, there were 57 community gardens sprinkled along the streets of the East Village and Lower East Side – registered with the Parks Department’s GreenThumb program, that … Continued
Business of the Month: La Bonbonniere
Your input is needed! Today we feature our third “Business of the Month” — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Business of the Month: Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company
Your input is needed! Today we feature our second “Business of the Month” — the first one selected by YOUR votes! Now tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich … Continued
Wonderful Wednesdays: The Mosaic Man’s Work, and Hudson River Piles, Both Live On
Today you may be shaking your head over the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s shocking plan to de-calendar some 100 buildings from landmark consideration. But there’s plenty of good news in our … Continued
When the Music Teachers Come Out to Play
Sometimes the riches of what’s given away for free in New York City can feel humbling: We are offered the artistic fruits of musicians, painters and writers at the top … Continued
Business of the Month: Makari
Your input is needed! Today we kick off our new “Business of the Month” feature on independent stores in Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo. Tell us which store … Continued
Elections Past and Present
The Village is quiet today, as if enjoying a lull after the storm of elections. After months of predictions telling us the likely outcome, the predictions mostly came true, and … Continued
Commemorating a Favorite Concert Hall, the Fillmore East
GVSHP will officially unveil a new historic plaque at the former Fillmore East at 105 Second Avenue on Wednesday, October 29 at 5 p.m. The event is free and open … Continued
The Little-Known Commission Behind the City Beautiful
Have you ever walked by an unattractive building and thought – or maybe heard an innocent ask – “How could they allow that to be built?” Well, unfortunate edifices … Continued
Ideas for Preserving Our Small Businesses and Creative Spaces
Many Gotham dwellers just about have their spirit broken from all the eclectic, only-in-New-York kinds of places that have been “developed” into achingly boring, everywhere-on-the-globe kinds of places. Unique theaters, … Continued
A Victory for a Once (And Future?) Community Center, an Embattled Landmark
When you’ve been involved in a struggle since last century – 16 long years – you don’t let an opportunity to celebrate pass by. Some 200 East Villagers, elected officials … Continued
State’s ‘Path Through History’ Remains a Mystery
The Hamilton Fish House is a stately home located on lovely Stuyvesant Street in the East Village. It is owned by Cooper Union and serves as the president’s official residence. … Continued
A Historic New Home for St. Mark’s Bookshop
Now in its fourth home, the St. Mark’s Bookshop has become a kind of movable landmark, so it’s fitting that the two-month-old store on East Third Street is in a … Continued
Wonderful Wednesdays: And Now for the Good News About Preservation
Are you shaking your head sadly again? You know, that doleful tut-tut about the sweet old building just torn down, or trusty independent business that closed its doors? Well, it’s … Continued
Charlie Parker Lives, This Sunday in Tompkins Square Park
It was almost sixty years ago that, after changing the course of music forever, Charles Parker, Jr. died at the tender age of 34 in the Stanhope Hotel. Despite being … Continued
The Restaurant Toolbox: Menu Options for Saving Important Food Establishments
Most of us have experienced the surprise and sadness of walking by a favorite business and seeing it shuttered. The reasons for closures are many – including such personal … Continued
The Unconventional, Extra-Ordinary Village Bookstore That Movie Directors Can’t Resist
One of the most reliable laugh lines from the hilarious current movie Obvious Child doesn’t come from the mouth of stand-up comedians Donna (played by Jenny Slate) or Joey (Gabe … Continued
An Eye-Popping View of Our Gilded Past
The “Gilded Age” in New York City – roughly 1870 through 1900 – gets something of a bad rap as a time of overwhelming inequality, when the rich basked in … Continued
Examining a Building’s Past, Punk Rock Style
Any connoisseur of the East Village worth her salt has heard of C-Squat, a tenement at 155 Avenue C that is one of many buildings that were abandoned by their … Continued
Living Well in the Village of 1947
A neighbor was having a sale last Saturday to clear out bric-a-brac. My trusty companion and I arrived looking for the advertised guitar, which was already sold, so we left … Continued
Revitalizing a ‘Gateway to the West Village’
It may be a hazy West Village memory now, but there was a time in the recent past when some local parks were not the well-kept, well-used green spaces they … Continued
Maybe You Can Save Your Favorite Restaurant Before It Closes
On a hot summer day in the East Village, when your skin is sticky and the streets are oppressive, there’s nothing quite like escaping into the cool haven of De … Continued
Join Us to Honor Frank O’Hara and His ‘Democracy of Affection’
You’re invited to a plaque unveiling and festivities honoring Frank O’Hara on Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. outside 441 East Ninth Street. I am mainly preoccupied with the world … Continued
When They Stemmed the Flow of Immigrants into New York City
It’s estimated that in 2024, about 36% of New York City’s population is foreign-born, which is one of the highest percentages among U.S. cities. Immigrants also make up 44.2% of … Continued
Our Wishlist for the Next Buildings Commissioner
As Mayor De Blasio slowly fills the many leadership positions in a mammoth city government, those of us invested in preservation and development have been waiting for two announcements in … Continued
In the East Village, Aiming to Leave No Deserving Place Behind
Do the tall arches of the sturdy red-brick Anthology Film Archives reassure you? Does the stillness of the New York City Marble Cemetery give you a thrill? Perhaps passing exuberant … Continued
On Saving the Soul of New York City and Yourself
Penny Arcade has been living the bohemian life in New York City, and making art about it, on and off for more than four decades. She says she is “fundamentally … Continued
Next Month, Everyone’s a Historian
Back in high school, I don’t remember History being everyone’s (or was that anyone’s?) favorite subject … but around the neighborhood lately, it definitely is. When a call went out … Continued
The Land of Meatpackers, Then Models, Then Moschino
Seven years ago, a picturesque swath of lower Manhattan by the Hudson River was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. This official designation by government agencies … Continued
Places We Love: The Newsboys’ Home
It’s finally warm enough to re-start a new feature, Places We Love, focusing on architectural, cultural and commercial favorites that local folks feel are worth preserving, particularly in the East … Continued
Ten or More Questions with Bob Holman, Village Poet Extraordinaire
Bob Holman has been making poetry downtown for over 25 years. Among his many endeavors, he is perhaps best known locally as the impresario of the Bowery Poetry Club, founded … Continued
The Small-Business-Saving Squad of the East Village
It seems like everyone supports small business — it’s as American as Mom and apple pie. But all you have to do is observe the changing streetscape, or read a … Continued
What a Top Chef Loves About the Village
Anita Lo serves two of the things people need most: food and stories. Chef and owner of the esteemed Village restaurant Annisa, Lo is also a contributor to Greenwich Village … Continued
A Tale of Two Times Articles
So there I was, innocently paging through the New York Times Real Estate section this past Sunday — I know you were, too, dreaming about the $2.5 million Mercer Street … Continued
Happy Birthday W.H. Auden, East Villager
The British poet W.H. Auden, a towering figure of 20th century letters, is not the first person you’d put in a shabby apartment on St. Mark’s Place. Yet there he … Continued
Buildings With Buzzcuts
Have you ever noticed a rowhouse or tenement that’s almost handsome? Something … is … off. Oh! That’s what it is: Its top is shorn. Where a decorative cornice once … Continued
Will ‘One of the Most Important Buildings in the East Village’ Become a Landmark?
…time to prepare their testimony. The public hearing will be rescheduled for this spring.” The history of this interesting building deserves to be heard. Designed in 1866 by Julius Boekell,…
The Hottest Spot on Tompkins Square in 1904
Tompkins Square Library opened at 331 E. 10th Street, on the northern edge of Tompkins Square Park, on December 1, 1904. Like many of the New York Carnegie libraries, it … Continued
NYU Buildings Worth Landmarking, Not Protesting
Here at GVSHP, we’ve been poring over the new South Village Historic District designation report, and it has some wonderful facts and even a few surprises we thought we’d share. … Continued
Coping With the Disappearance of Beloved Places
On some level, whether it’s top-of-mind or just part of the mental wallpaper, the consciousness of a Greenwich Village lover is often occupied with mourning. You walk the ever-changing streets … Continued
How to Build a Building Without an Architect
Today we take for granted that every building has an architect behind it. You need an architect to create a blueprint, right? Then an array of engineers, craftsmen and laborers … Continued
Village Pleasures for a Long Winter’s Eve
The holidays are behind us, and a stretch of short days and long nights lies ahead. Whether you have items to exchange for something you really want, or simply find … Continued
What’s Up With that Rotting School on East 9th Street?
Oh, if only Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s administration hadn’t auctioned off P.S. 64 to a private buyer back in the sultry days of July, 1998, a whole decade and a half … Continued
Still Living in Dawn Powell’s Village
Dawn Powell lived in Greenwich Village and wrote about it as well as or better than anyone. A fiction writer, playwright and essayist who has attained the cult status of … Continued
We’re Thankful for the Building That Wasn’t
There’s a residential building under construction on Third Avenue in the East Village that doesn’t get much love in the blogosphere. It’s just another luxury residence replacing older buildings … Continued
Places We Love: That Shopable Block, East 9th Street
Today we introduce a new feature, Places We Love, focusing on architectural and cultural favorites that local folks feel are worth preserving, particularly in the East Village. If you have … Continued
Memo to the New Mayor: Strengthen the LPC
Mr. Mayor, don’t forget the Landmarks Preservation Commission! Amid lobbying on higher-profile issues like stop-and-frisk, public schools, economic inequality and even animal cruelty, the mayor elected Tuesday may not have … Continued
The Red Herring at 570 Lex
If the “art deco masterpiece” that is 570 Lexington Avenue no longer stood on the southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and 51st Street, perhaps affordable housing could be constructed in … Continued
The Anti-Chain Gang
Here in the world of preserving worthy buildings, there’s a question that often comes up. “Preserving buildings is well and good,” people say. “But what about preserving the personalities and … Continued
The Real Obstacles to Affordable Housing Construction
For stalwarts of the affordable housing scene in New York City, what obstacles come to mind that block the path to construction of new affordable units? We asked a few … Continued
One Year in the Life of the East Village/LES Historic District
On this day one year ago, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission officially designated the East Village/LES Historic District. Encompassing 325 buildings and 15 blocks, centering along Second Avenue and stretching … Continued