Bleecker & Christopher Streets — Then & Now
The produce spilling out into the street and the haphazard awnings in the above 1925 photo of Bleecker and Christopher Streets is quite different from the Bleecker Street scene of … Continued
NYU Expansion Plan; Not Over, But Still Outrageous
Last week’s news that the First Department Panel of the Appellate Division struck down Supreme Court Justice Donna Mills’ ruling halting much of the NYU expansion plan was disappointing to … Continued
A Tale of Two Tenements: 338-342 East 13th Street
Today on “A Tale of Two” I actually have three tenements to share and compare. This group can be found on the south side of East 13th Street between 1st … Continued
One-third of South Village still not landmarked
One-third of South Village still not landmarked Op-Ed BY ANDREW BERMAN, Executive Director, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation October 16, 2014 Word that an eight-story building is planned … 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
Horsing Around the Village
By the turn of the twentieth century it is estimated that almost 75,000 horses and 4,500 stables could be found in New York City. Before the mass-adoption of the car … Continued
Historic Greenwich Village and Hollywood
Last night, GVSHP presented a free public program with James & Michelle Nevius, authors of the new book, “Footprints in New York”. James & Michelle are historians and tour guides … 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
Your Neighborhood Landmark: Firehouse Engine Co. 33
We love our landmarks. So we thought we’d show it with our new series: Your Neighborhood Landmark. This series will highlight and celebrate individual landmarks across our neighborhoods that have been … Continued
Where Once There Was History, A Hole in the Ground
Working in historic preservation, you know that you win some and you lose some. The forces of real estate in New York are quite powerful, and as passionately as New … Continued
White Brick in the South Village
Thinking of white glazed brick buildings can conjure images of boxy post-war high rises on the Upper East Side, but almost fifty years before they came into vogue, white brick … Continued
Happy Birthday Neighborhood Preservation Center
This Wednesday, we here at Off the Grid are looking forward to celebrating the 15th birthday of the Neighborhood Preservation Center. The Center will be hosting its annual birthday party … Continued
Sharpen Your Pencils: A History of 710 East 9th Street
Kids today still know what a pencil is and how to sharpen it, right? In any case, following the news of P.S. 64 we reported on earlier this week, we … Continued
An Object Lesson in Lack of Government Oversight
Op-Ed BY ANDREW BERMAN, Executive Director, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation October 2, 2014 The recent news that the Trump Soho Condo-Hotel is going into foreclosure and will be … Continued
Get your Fruit, Veggies, and Milk in Tompkins Square Park
Last weekend, GVSHP, GrowNYC, and the East Village Parks Conservancy teamed up to create an exhibit that explores the history of Tompkins Square Park and its current function as a … Continued
Rose of the Ghetto
There are still a few seats available for our free public program this Thursday evening at the Jefferson Market Library. The subject is the life and times of Rose Pastor … 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
Looking Up: The Stuyvesant Polyclinic
This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, the … Continued
Tompkins Square Park on Exhibit
For the next two Sundays, GVSHP is teaming up with GrowNYC and the East Village Parks Conservancy to explore and celebrate the Tompkins Square Greenmarket. We’ll be sharing images of … Continued
The “Fighting Ninth Precinct” at 321-323 East 5th Street
Since 1912, this site has served as a station house for the NYPD (it replaced a 19th century stable and feed store). Originally known as the 15th Precinct Police Station, … 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
The Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua
This Thursday evening, September 25, we will present the third program in our series “OMG!: Churches and Synagogues of Greenwich Village.” Father Joseph Lorenzo, O.F.M., pastor at the Shrine Church … Continued
Landmarking 101: What Can They Do Here?
Perhaps one of the most frequent questions we here at GVSHP get from the public regarding landmarked sites or sites within designated historic districts is “what can they do here?” … 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
A Happily Ever After for 43 MacDougal Street?
Many longtime residents of the Village have wondered about the fate of 43 MacDougal Street, which has sat vacant for decades. Located at the corner of King Street on the … Continued
Map It! 7th Street Place
Next in the Map It! series is 7th Street Place, aka Leandert’s Place and St. Bridget’s Street, a long-lost alleyway on the Avenue B side of Tompkin’s Square Park between … Continued
High Line, Part 3
Congratulations to our friends at The High Line! The third and final section of the park will open to the public this Sunday, September 21st. GVSHP has a special kinship … Continued
Let’s Talk Affordable Housing
Next Tuesday there will be a panel discussion moderated by GVSHP’s Executive Director Andrew Berman addressing affordable housing and how it relates to — or doesn’t relate to — historic … Continued
Looking Up: The Washington Square Arch
This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, … 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
Reform the Landmarking Process To Better Protect Our City’s History
GVSHP is proud to share a report we commissioned which examines some flaws in New York City’s landmarking system, and urges that changes be made to better protect historic structures. … Continued
Building (841) Broadway: A Majestic Terra-Cotta Beauty
It’s been a while since our last Building Broadway post, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped admiring all those stunning structures along that oh-so-famous thoroughfare. Today’s feature is 841 Broadway, … Continued
From the WNYC Archives: Change and Continuity in Greenwich Village
GVSHP is pleased to partner with WNYC on this post that spotlights their archival collection. WNYC 93.9 FM and AM 820 are New York’s flagship public radio stations, broadcasting the … Continued
Map It! Manhattan Street
Last month reader Mike commented on our Lewis Street post that his aunt lived nearby on Houston, and that he remembered seeing a ‘Manhattan Street’ when he visited. I hadn’t … Continued
New York 1969
There are only a few seats left for tomorrow evening’s program with photographer Richard Blair and his new book New York 1969. Richard moved from New York to California in … Continued
In the News: 55 Years Ago Today
Much of the Village Voice from the 1950s to the mid-2000s is available to view online via a Google digitization project. The huge trove of scanned newspapers helps reveal the … Continued
Labor Day Weekend Round Up
Labor Day was created as a federal holiday in 1894, and according to the US Department of Labor, is a national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the … Continued
End of Summer Reading: Greenwich Village Stories
The recent piece on PBS’ MetroFocus series about GVSHP’s book, Greenwich Village Stories (watch here) reminds me what a perfect end-of-summer read the book is (the book can be purchased … Continued
Village Businesses of the 1930s
GVSHP has always been concerned about the status of small businesses, whether they be restaurants, theaters, or small shops. We also recognize outstanding local businesses as part of our … Continued
The Village is a Small World
Next Thursday evening GVSHP will present a program with photographer Richard Blair about his new book New York 1969. It’s a collection of some of Richard’s photos, mostly black & … Continued
A Tale of Two Tenements: 226 & 228 East 6th Street
This week we thought we’d take another look at sister tenements – designed by the same architect, built the same year, and located next to each other – in the … Continued
The Art of the Artist’s Studio
These beautiful late summer days have got us thinking about sun and sky. Which has us thinking about that most iconic of Village architectural features, the artist’s studio. So we … Continued
Photographer Rebecca Lepkoff: 1916-2014
Here at Off the Grid we were saddened to hear of the passing of Rebecca Lepkoff. She died on Sunday, August 17 at the age of 98. Ms. Lepkoff was … 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
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Last night, in the main gallery of the Salmagundi Club on 5th Avenue, GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman gave a lecture/slideshow about the state of historic preservation. Over the past … Continued
Map It! A Day in the Life of 121 Charles Street
Much has been said lately about the potential sale of 121 Charles Street in the Greenwich Village Historic District. This summer, members of the Glass family (owners of the house … 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
That Hudson River Waterfront
I think I’m infatuated with Greenwich Village’s Hudson River waterfront. I can’t seem to get enough of it. Last month our good friend Dr. Robin Nagle spoke about the history … Continued
Tompkins Temperance
From its days as beer-loving Kleindeutschland to the throngs of SantaCon attendees today, the East Village has been known – for good or ill – as a place where it’s … Continued
Map It! Looking Back at Lewis Street
Today on Map It! we’re unearthing some old maps and photos of Lewis Street, which once ran diagonally from Grand Street to East 8th Street between Avenue D and the … Continued
The San Remo Cafe: Archive Edition
Off the Grid often features images from GVSHP’s Preservation Archive and Oral History Project. The image archive includes approximately 300 images from ten different collections that document the architecture, cultural … Continued
Flowers and books for a summer day
Two weeks ago our friends at Green Guerillas led us on a tour of some remarkable gardens in the East Village. There are more community gardens in the East Village … 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
A Stroll Down 14th Street
From November 1975 to September 1976, artist Roy Colmer photographed more than 3,000 Manhattan doorways to create an art project called Doors, NYC. The New York Public Library, which houses … Continued
Building Profile: St. Denis Hotel
Completed in 1853, by architect James Renwick, the St. Denis Hotel stood at the corner of East 11th Street and Broadway. The property, which was owned by the Renwick family, … Continued
277 West 10th Street, Then & Now
Located at the corner of West 10th and Washington Streets, the imposing building at 277 West 10th Street was built between 1894 and 1896 to the designs of Martin V.B. … Continued
Building Profile: 32 Second Avenue (aka 43-45 East 2nd Street)
A recent report about a possible five-story expansion atop a century-old building has inspired us to share a bit about this capacious three-story brick structure, which stands at the southeast … Continued
Throwback Thursday: 392 West Street
With the summer breeze , a stop along the Greenwich Village waterfront to reminisce about its past seems in order. The building at 392 West Street (A.K.A. 6 Weehawken Street) … Continued
West 12th Street: Then and Now
The view above looking west on West 12th Street from Eighth Avenue taken in 1929 shows how the northern end of Abingdon Square has changed over the years. Though the … Continued
Immigration and the Village
With all the talk about immigration reform in the news lately, it got us thinking here at Off the Grid about the effect of United States immigration laws on the … Continued
Restaurant Preservation
Next Tuesday, GVSHP will present a panel discussion entitled, “Historic Preservation, Meet Restaurant Preservation.” GVSHP’s Karen Loew will moderate the evening’s discussion of what can be done to keep our … 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
Lucky Seventh Anniversary for Some Lucky Federal Houses
Seven years ago today, on July 24th, 2007, two very lucky federal rowhouse survivors on Greenwich Street were landmarked, thus insuring their nearly 200 year run of good luck would … Continued
Memphis on the Hudson
We look at historic buildings and documents a lot here on Off the Grid. Many times we cast our gaze back centuries to the 1780s or 1880s, but this time … Continued
Landmarking 101: The Case of 121 Charles Street
The freestanding house at 121 Charles Street has been in the limelight the last few weeks. The home is currently on the market and the listing notes that the home … Continued
It’s baseball season….exclusively!
OK World Cup is over, so now the spotlight is on baseball. It always bothers me that basketball and hockey are still being played in the month of June. But … Continued
Building Profile: P.S. 25, now P.S. 751
Located at 113 East Fourth Street on a through-block lot bound to the north by East Fourth Street and to the south by East Fifth Street, sits one of the … Continued
McKim, Mead & White on Avenue D
Here’s an unassuming building with some interesting connections to one of our country’s premiere architectural firms — McKim, Mead & White. Meet 119 Avenue D, which at first glance … Continued
Constructing Lafayette Street
Street construction is a constant part of New York life. The jackhammers, the dust, and the diverted traffic all conspire to fray one’s nerves and disrupt one’s day. This view … Continued
Sanitation on the Hudson River Waterfront
OK, let’s face, it, nobody likes to talk about or think about sanitation. Well, I shouldn’t say “nobody.” I know someone who not only thinks about and talks about sanitation, … Continued
Happy Birthday Woody Guthrie
Folk icon Woodrow Wilson “Woody” Guthrie was born July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma, and died fifty-five years later of Huntington’s disease in his adopted hometown of New York City. … Continued
Changing Views on Seventh Avenue South
The image above was taken in 1933. It’s a view looking across Seventh Avenue South, northwest toward Grove Street. In addition to the price of gasoline (eight gallons for $1.05 … Continued
Throwback Thursday: First Avenue Market Scenes
Welcome back to another post in our Throwback Thursday series where we feature everyday scenes of yesteryear. I recently came across some neat market photos taken by Andrew Herman as … Continued
335-343 Bowery: Then & Now
At the southeast corner of Bowery and East 3rd Street, within the recently designated Bowery State and National Register of Historic Places District, sits the Bowery Hotel, designed by Matt … Continued
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Greenwich Village Edition
Happy birthday Kevin Bacon! The versatile actor/musician/philanthropist was born in Philadelphia to Ruth Hilda and Edmund Norwood Bacon on July 8, 1958. Of course Kevin Bacon is more than just … Continued
Before & After in the Meatpacking District
Greenwich Village, like the rest of New York City, has seen many changes over the years. What was once a marshy area of sandy hills before Europeans arrived became the … 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
“Rare Cancer Seen In 41 Homosexuals”
On July 3, 1981, the New York Times ran a small story with perhaps one of the most foreboding and portentous headlines in modern history: “Rare cancer seen in 41 … Continued
Beware the Lot Line Window
Do you know what a lot line window is? Could you identify them in the historic photo of the Bayard-Condict Building above? They’re a little tricky to see given the … Continued
100 years ago…
On June 28, 1914, in a place far away from Greenwich Village, something happened that changed the world forever. The heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz … Continued
Looking Up: The Schermerhorn Building
This post is part of the Looking Up series, which explores the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, the … 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
Fighting Westway
In 2014 Village Preservation presented a program at the Community Room at Westbeth with author Prof. William W. Buzbee and his book, “Fighting Westway: Environmental Law, Citizen Activism, and the … Continued
This Day in History: Silver Towers and the South Village Move Towards Landmark Designation
They’re next door neighbors, but they could not be more different. One is high-rise and concrete, the other low-rise and brick. One is modern and geometric, while the other is … Continued
One Year Ago Today: PFLAG Plaque Unveiled
One year ago today outside the Church of the Village at the corner of Seventh Avenue and West 13th Street, GVSHP helped to unveil a plaque to commemorate the first … Continued
101 Avenue A: From German Bars to DayGlo Stars
On June 19, 2008, 101 Avenue A, home to the Pyramid Club, was found eligible for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places after GVSHP researched and … Continued
Throwback Thursday: Ghost Signs of the Village
What could be better on Throwback Thursday than taking a look-see at the advertisements of yesteryear that are still visible today? Ghost signs, or fading ads, have been described a … 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
2014 Village Awards Recap
Last evening, as part of Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting, we celebrated the best of Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo by presenting our annual Village Awards. Each June for … Continued
What’s That Orange Netting On My Neighbor’s Rooftop?
Every so often we get a call or an email here at GVSHP asking about a scaffold-like structure that suddenly pops up on a rooftop of a neighboring building. What … 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
Throwback Thursday: Behind the Scenes of 75 ½ Bedford Street
After the great Frank O’Hara plaque unveiling earlier this week (you can view video and photos from the event), today we thought we’d take a look at another celebrated Village … Continued
2014 Village Award Winner: Kathy Donaldson
GVSHP’s Annual Meeting and Awards are quickly approaching (this coming Monday night from 6:30 to 8pm at the New School’s Auditorium, 66 West 12th Street — RSVP here). This year … Continued
2014 Village Award Winner: La MaMa E.T.C.
For fifty-three years, La MaMa E.T.C. has brought amazing theater off, off Broadway and into the East Village. GVSHP is proud to honor the theater with a 2014 Village Award … Continued
2014 Village Award Winner: New York Marble Cemetery
Here’s a neighborhood old-timer for you. The New York Marble Cemetery, which turns 184 years old this year, was developed in 1830 as the first privately owned, nonsectarian cemetery in … 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
2014 Village Award Winner: Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books
Located at 34 Carmine Street between Bleecker and Bedford Streets, Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books has got a big name and an even bigger place in the hearts of Village neighbors … Continued
Scouting out some of the City’s coolest places
Recently, Off the Grid has spotlighted a number of blogs that we like to read to keep us up to date about our community and our city beyond the borders … Continued
2014 Village Award Winner: Pino Prime Meats
In the old Italian South Village, St. Anthony of Padua church stands on the corner of Sullivan Street and Houston Street, an anchor for the vibrant community of Italian immigrants … Continued
She Shot Andy Warhol
The 1960’s was a turbulent decade marked by numerous notable murders, assassinations, and attempted assassinations (some of which, like the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, the Bobby Kennedy assassination, and … Continued
