STOMP’s Long Run at the Orpheum Theatre
On February 27, 1994, STOMP, the “international sensation and iconic New York theatrical landmark” opened at the 347-seat Orpheum Theatre at 126 2nd Avenue between 7th Street and St. Marks. … Continued
Don’t Miss Anything When You Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
It is impossible to attend every single one of our free public programs or rallies or the city hearings that are vital to providing input on policy decisions that impact … Continued
Third Street Music School’s Long Journey to 11th Street
The Third Street Music School Settlement was founded by Emilie A. Wagner (b. April 11, 1879) as the Music School Settlement with just 10 students in 1894. How they made … Continued
A little FUN Gallery with Patti Astor
“A long time ago in the 1960s, a young white girl from Ohio committed herself to being a revolutionary,” begins a short feature documentary about Patti Astor and her FUN … Continued
Gem Spa: An 80 Year Old Institution Fighting for its Survival
New Yorkers love their small businesses, so it was no surprise that the plight of East Village mainstay Gem Spa drew so much attention and support from local residents and … Continued
Graphic Designer Extraordinaire, Milton Glaser
Milton Glaser’s “I ♥ NY” logo is one of the most iconic and most replicated logos of the late 20th century, filling the storefronts of our city’s souvenir markets and … Continued
Little Missionary’s Day Nursery, a Tradition in Good Works
Since 1896, the Little Missionary Day Nursery has been serving the families of the Lower East Side and the East Village, providing care and education for the young children of … Continued
Small Stores Thrive in Landmark Districts
It may come as little surprise that many people prefer the vibrancy of a historic neighborhood over the sterile monolithic towers and gargantuan chain stores that dominate all-too-much of the … Continued
The Exploding Plastic Inevitable featuring the Velvet Underground
On April 1, 1966, the Velvet Underground and Nico began their residency at 19-25 St. Mark’s Place in the space that would become the Electric Circus, as part of Andy … Continued
Business of the Month: Dö Kham, 117 First Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East … Continued
Exploring East Village Music Meccas with Building Blocks
This is part of a series of curated tours to help the public explore the buildings and history shared on our recently-launched East Village Building Blocks site — see it here. From 19th-century concert … Continued
Peter Stuyvesant’s Bouweries and their Legacy Today
On March 12, 1651, Peter Stuyvesant, Director General of the Dutch West India Company, purchased Bouwerie (Dutch for ‘farm’) #1 and part of Bouwerie #2 in what is today’s East … Continued
Nico Captured by Fred McDarrah
On January 7, 1967, German-born singer Nico performed with The Velvet Underground at Steve Paul’s nightclub, the Scene, and this moment was captured stunningly in a photograph by Fred W. … Continued
Many Layers of History Throughout 2018
As the calendar year comes to a close, GVSHP is looking back at some of our 2018 blog posts. Our neighborhoods are so rich in history on every street and … Continued
Prohibition Hits The Village
There have been a handful of times in this country when the outcome of a political campaign was truly stunning. Such was the case in 1919 when several groups known … Continued
Ernest Flagg Roundup!
On November 12th, 1968, Firehouse Engine Co. 33 at 44 Great Jones Street was designated a New York City landmark. The design of the firehouse, a “distinguished example of French … Continued
Trendy Nightspot is the Clue to this Historic Image Mystery, Hiding in Plain Sight
Last week we solved one of our longstanding historic photo mysteries, when Eric Robinson, the cousin of the photographer, Carole Teller, was able to identify the location of this elevated train which … Continued
A ‘Riveting’ Historic Photo Mystery Solved!
GVSHP’s historic image archive reflects an amazing cross-section of NYC history. Many of the images arrived to us unidentified in terms of location. We have solved many historic photo mysteries including … Continued
Historic Photo Mystery Solved!
As we add images to our Historic Image Archive, we try to provide as much identifying information as possible on each one. Sometimes the images come to us with the exact … Continued
Remembering the worst disaster in NYC maritime history: The sinking of the General Slocum ferry
On June 15, 1904, a disaster of unprecedented proportions took place in New York City, resulting in the loss of over 1,000 lives, mostly women and children. This largely forgotten … Continued
Irish Bars of the Village
As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, we realized we’ve discussed Irish churches, Irish heritage, Irish parade riots, and have written about cool East Village bars, East Village sports bars, historic bars, … Continued
Many Layers of History between 3rd and 2nd Avenues
Scratch the sidewalk anywhere in the Village or East Village and you’ll always find interesting layers of history. Last month, we went out on a limb and talked about 2nd … Continued
How an East Village building went from gangster hangout to Andy Warhol’s Electric Circus
Fifty years ago this week, the Velvet Underground released their second album, “White Light/White Heat.” Their darkest record, it was also arguably the Velvet’s most influential, inspiring a generation of … Continued
The Velvet Underground Make Some White Light and White Heat
On January 30, 1968, the Velvet Underground released their second studio album, White Light/White Heat. Following the band’s first album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, released in 1967, the band parted ways with … Continued
East Village vs. West — Which Is Really the Narrowest House in NYC?
The following is a re-post originally written in 2011: Word that the West Village’s 75 1/2 Bedford Street is back on the market always brings attention to the slender house in which Enda St. … Continued
How the Elevated Train and the Streetcar Both Began In Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village is known as the birthplace of many things – the modern gay rights movement, Off-Broadway theater, the New York School of artists and poets, the “new urbanism” pioneered … Continued
Fred W. McDarrah’s Greenwich Village and the East Village of the 1950s and 60s
Perhaps no single photographer could be said to have captured the energy, the cultural ferment, the reverberating social change emanating from New York City in the second half of the 20th century … Continued
Peeling Back Two Hundred Years of History on Second Avenue
I recently wrote about the rich and interesting cultural history behind the Ukrainian National Home, located at 140-142 Second Avenue just south of 9th Street in the East Village, for … Continued
The Ukrainian National Home’s Surprising History
On 2nd Avenue, just south of 9th Street at No. 140-142, sits one of the East Village’s oddest structures. Clad in metal and adorned with Cyrillic lettering, the building sports … Continued
Rosetta Stones Right in Our Home: Little Germany
On July 19, 1799, the Rosetta Stone was discovered during the Napoleonic Campaign in Egypt. This stele is inscribed in three languages — Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Demotic, and Ancient Greek — … Continued
Happy Birthday to the Strand Bookstore!
Today we celebrate 90 years of the Strand Bookstore. This beloved neighborhood institution was founded in 1927 by Benjamin Bass as a used bookstore on the famous Book Row, which consisted of 48 … Continued
Let Me Introduce To You: Sgt. Pepper’s Greenwich Village Band
The classic Beatles album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, considered by many the greatest and most influential rock album of all time, was released on May 26, 1967 in … Continued
Business of the Month: La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, … Continued
East Village vs. West — Which Is Really the Narrowest House in NYC?
The following is a re-post originally written in 2011: Word that the West Village’s 75 1/2 Bedford Street is back on the market always brings attention to the slender house … Continued
GVSHP 2016 Book List & Holiday Gift Ideas
In 2016, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation held approximately 15 book-related programs. Each author related their insights, perspectives, and tales of Village history and beyond, showing the multifaceted depth … Continued
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Ice Cream In Greenwich Village But Forgot To Ask
This summer, the Museum of Ice Cream opened in Gansevoort Market, allowing visitors to swim in sprinkles and selfie with a scoop in front of ice cream inspired accouterments. Unfortunately the … Continued
Progress on Astor Place Mosaic Lightpoles and Reconstruction
Have you heard about the exciting progress on the restoration of the beautiful mosaic-covered lamp poles as part of the Astor Place Reconstruction? Maybe you’ve even seen one of the poles installed, … Continued
2016 Village Award Winner: Strand Bookstore
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2016 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 14th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event … Continued
Tales From Our Crypts: Augustus Van Horne Stuyvesant Jr.
Gone but not forgotten, the Village is as much defined by what is above as much as it is by who is below. Though burials in Manhattan were officially banned … Continued
East Village Oral History: Lorcan Otway
Village Preservation is excited to share our oral history collection with the public, and hope they will shed more light on what makes Greenwich Village and the East Village such unique … Continued
A Look Back at 2015 Programs
As 2015 comes to a close and 2016 approaches, here is a look back at GVSHP’s public programs for 2015. In all, we produced or co-sponsored 60 programs that drew … Continued
Anarchy in the East Village! The Ferrer Modern School
The East Village was the first home of the Ferrer Modern School of New York City. First located at 6 St. Marks Place, this school was based on the European … Continued
Save the Village!
That’s the name of Tim McDarrah’s new walking tours. The tours are based on the photographs his late father, Village Voice photojournalist Fred W. McDarrah, took of people and places … Continued
Have a drink! The historic public drinking fountains of the Village and East Village
I have often noticed these old drinking fountains on historic buildings – there is one at the Jefferson Market Library on the corner of 6th Avenue and 10th Street, one … Continued
2014 Year In Review: GVSHP Programs
As we near the end of 2014, we thought we’d look back on the several dozen exciting lectures, book talks, exhibitions, walking tours, forums, panels, and community meetings conducted by … Continued
Small Business EVERYday
A week ago we were surrounded by ads for “Black Friday,” a day many people spend doing their holiday shopping at the big box stores. A few years ago, “Small … 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
East Village Sports Bars
OK, Super Bowl has come and gone, the groundhog says six more weeks of winter, and basketball and hockey don’t do it for me. So I’m focused on February 13, … 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
Historic Storefronts of the Village and East Village
If you like wandering around the streets of Greenwich Village and admiring the architecture as much as I do, I think you will enjoy this blog post that was written … Continued
A Video Legend in the East Village
Today marks the anniversary of the opening of the first Blockbuster store in the country in 1985, in Dallas, Texas. Filled with childhood nostalgia, we couldn’t help but recall the … Continued
Manic Panic – 35 Years of Making Our Lives More Colorful
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
The Awe Inspiring Interior of 62 East 4th Street
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
Happy (Almost) Birthday Off the Grid!
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
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.31.11 – 8.6.11, East Edition
The Short Life of the Tompkins Square Park Walk Man (EV Grieve) The End of a Bar & Its Surprisingly Artistic Life (City Room) Aziz Ansari’s East Village Crawl (NY … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.24.11 – 7.30.11, East Edition
Scaffolding Comes Off at the Hyatt Union Square (EV Grieve) Mysterious Arson on East 7th Street (NY Post) A Bargain at 57 Bond Street? (Curbed) 51 Astor Place Gets a … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.3.11 – 7.9.11, East Edition
123 Third Avenue Retail Space Sells for $11 Million (EV Grieve) Stranded Cat Rescued from East Village (NY Daily News) Foes of Historic District Plan Emerge (The Local East Village) … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.26.11 – 7.2.11, East Edition
Big Gay Ice Cream Signage Spotted on 7th Street (EV Grieve) The Yiddish Walk of Fame (The Local East Village) Restaurant Review: Yuba (NY Times) East Village Bar Owner in … Continued
East Village vs. West — Which is Really the Narrowest House in NYC?
Word that the West Village’s 75 1/2 Bedford Street is back on the market always brings attention to the slender house in which Enda St. Vincent Millay is said to … Continued
A Look Back at the General Slocum Disaster
On the morning of June 15, 1904, the General Slocum steamship set sail carrying over 1,300 passengers, most of whom were women and children and members of the East Village’s … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
The Dry Dock Banking House: 143-145 Avenue D, Part 2
This is post #2 in a series devoted to our ongoing research of 143-145 Ave D, documenting all of the detours & discoveries uncovered along the way. For background, see … Continued
History Remembered with Preservation and Plaques
May is coming just around the proverbial corner on our calendars. Those 31 days bring us Preservation Month, when we celebrate historic sites across the country as well as highlight … Continued
31 Literary Icons of the Greenwich Village Historic District
Greenwich Village, specifically the historic district at its core, has been described as many things, but “literary” may be among the most common. That’s not only because the neighborhood has an … Continued
Preserving the Past for the Future: A Journey Through the Greenwich Village Historic District
The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD) is a haven of history, culture, and artistic expression many have called the beating heart of New York City. The GVHD stands as a … Continued
Tips from Our Preservation Team on Researching Your NYC Building
On Village Preservation’s Resources for Neighborhood Research page, we’ve assembled links to online directories, photo archives, maps, and more from city, state, library, educational, and other organizations — including our … Continued
A Perry Street Delight: The Timeless Charm of Spanish Tiles
The west side of Manhattan from Christopher Street to 23rd Street was once known as”Little Spain.” For a time, more than 15,000 Spaniards and their American-born children and grandchildren lived … Continued
The Diversity and Beauty of Loft Buildings South of Union Square
The area South of Union Square, where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, is a dynamic blend of history, commerce, and culture. It’s where great leaps forward in social movements, … Continued
A Vibrant Tapestry: African American History in Our Neighborhoods
Our neighborhoods are renowned for their rich cultural history and storied past. While often associated with artistic bohemia and progressive movements, our streets hold a lesser-known narrative that significantly shaped … Continued
Naming a Neighborhood: The East Village
The area now known as the East Village was historically part of the Lower East Side, which was one of the most densely populated and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the … Continued
A Tilted Little Street with a Big History: Stuyvesant Street
It is sometimes hard to imagine that the East Village was once farmland, but so was nearly everything in Manhattan at one time or another that lay north of the … Continued
The City’s First Public Library Becomes Its First Public Theater, via Preservation
John Jacob Astor was the wealthiest American by the time he passed in 1848, earning his fortune of $20 million (about $800 million in today’s dollars) first in the fur … Continued
New Buildings Approved for Construction Within the Greenwich Village Historic District Since Designation
On January 3rd, 2017, Village Preservation released the first version of our report: New Buildings Approved for Construction within the Greenwich Village Historic District Since Designation. The report has been … Continued
Women Crush Wednesday: The Poets
April is National Poetry Month! Launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, the month of April marks a marvelous opportunity to celebrate the expressiveness, delight, and pure charm … Continued
Castles in the Sky on Sixth Avenue: Calvert Vaux and the Victorian Gothic
Greenwich Village, with its cobblestone streets and historic brownstones, stands as a testament to the rich architectural heritage that defines New York City. Among the many architects who left an … Continued
Hidden in Plain Sight: A Painted Sign Uncovers History on 13th Street
Our blog series “Hidden in Plain Sight” highlights the many architectural curiosities and unique features found on buildings throughout our neighborhoods — details you might not notice on first pass, … Continued
What’s So Special About the South Village?
Village Preservation kicked off its campaign to honor, document, and seek landmark designation for the South Village and its remarkable immigrant and artistic histories in December 2006, and completed the effort in December 2016 with … Continued
Kerouac and Catholicism in Greenwich Village
“…really a story about two Catholic buddies roaming the country in search of God.” So said Jack Kerouac about his book, “On the Road,” soon after it was published in … Continued
The Beats: A South Village Tour
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! Postwar America in the 1950s through the early 1960s experienced the birth of a movement and … Continued
Celebrating the Origins of the South Village
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! In December 2016, following a multi-year advocacy campaign spearheaded by Village Preservation, the Sullivan … Continued
Veterans in the Village
You’re probably not that likely to associate military veterans with Greenwich Village and the East Village; in the popular mind, the neighborhoods’ profile is much more strongly associated with peace … Continued
354 West 11th Street: An Exemplar of Greek Revival Architecture
If you ever find yourself taking a stroll in the far West Village (and I highly recommend you do), follow West 11th Street almost as far as the West Side … Continued
Hudson River Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary
We have gratefully reached that point in September in New York City when the weather is close to flawless, with clear blue skies, moderate temperatures, and a light westerly breeze. … Continued
Jewish, Hispanic, and Historic Preservationist: the Maritime Pioneers of Greenwich Village
New York is an immigrant city. It has concentrated populations of various immigrant groups making it the largest city in the world for many groups, or sometimes the largest outside … Continued
Ghost Signs Abound in Our Historic Image Archive
A year or two into my career as a historic preservationist, I was accused (in good humor) of being a warden of “the ephemera of New York.” I tended toward … Continued
The Linda Yowell Image Collection: Capturing the West Village’s Charm and Evolution Over the Decades
Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive is a treasure trove of photographs that display the visual history of our changing neighborhoods and notable New York City landmarks and sites. We are … Continued
The Founding Sisters of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
The Smithsonian Institution is a treasured facet of American culture, founded by the U.S. government on August 10, 1846 “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” The Smithsonian is the … Continued
Berenice Abbott’s Changing New York
“The camera alone can catchthe swift surfaces of thecities today and speaks alanguage intelligible to all.” Berenice Abbott The work of Greenwich Village photographer Berenice Abbott (July 17, 1898-December 9, … Continued
Touring the Churches of the East Village
The East Village is a neighborhood known for its rich history, diversity, and creative culture. That diversity includes the wealth of religious institutions found across the neighborhood, as highlighted by … Continued
More Than Dizzy and Duke: Jazz Legends South of Union Square
“I had spent many years pursuing excellence, because that is what classical music is all about… Now [jazz] was dedicated to freedom, and that was far more important.” – Nina … Continued
Exploring Historic Social Justice on Our Civil Rights Map
Launched in 2017, Village Preservation’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Map marks sites in our neighborhoods significant to the history of various civil rights and social justice movements, and now … Continued
Carol Janeway: Ceramicist and Fierce Village Advocate
It is a well-known and celebrated fact that countless visual artists have lived and worked in Greenwich Village over the years. These talented individuals have made the neighborhood their home, … Continued
Local Landmark: Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy House, 406-412 East 14th Street
One of the East Village’s earliest designated but perhaps least well known landmarks, is the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy House, located at 406–412 East 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, and … Continued
Archive Update: Photographing the Federal-era Houses of Lower Manhattan
As a historian, researcher, and photographer active in preservation, Susan De Vries has been a valued contributor to the field for over two decades. Recently, we’ve added some of her photographs to … Continued
Women Crush Wednesday: The Poets
April is National Poetry Month! Launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, the month of April marks a marvelous opportunity to celebrate the expressiveness, delight, and pure charm … Continued
Oklahoma! Meets Greenwich Village
On March 31, 1943, the classic musical Oklahoma! opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre. It ran for five years, setting a record with its 2,212 performances before closing on May … Continued
Looking Back on The Cherry Lane Theatre’s Long History
The Cherry Lane Theatre opened as the Cherry Lane Playhouse in 1923, and is located within what was designated as the Greenwich Village Historic District in 1969 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. … Continued
Sin-é: Mixing the East Village, Irish Stew, and Live Music
In honor of Irish-American Heritage Month, it’s worth remembering the cultural legacy of Sin-é (Gaelic for that’s it), a former music venue and café located at 122 St. Mark’s Place. … Continued
Village Awards – Recognizing the Places That Make Our Neighborhoods Special
2023 Awards Nominations are Now Open! Each year, Village Preservation honors invaluable local leaders, institutions, business, places and organizations at its Annual Meeting and Village Awards. This fun and free … Continued
