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
Two Village Ghost Stories!
As a surprise Halloween treat, this year’s Bowery Boys ghost stories podcast is focused all on the Village! While some of the stories are quite familiar to us at GVSHP, … Continued
This Day in Preservation History: Home of Alexander Hamilton (Jr.) is Landmarked
The Federal-style rowhouse at 4 St. Mark’s Place, also known as the Hamilton-Holly house and the former home of Trash and Vaudeville, was designated an individual New York City landmark on … Continued
Whaam! Pow! Celebrating the Life and Work of Roy Lichtenstein
In a city filled to the brim with galleries, museums, artists’ studios, and, of course, avid art lovers, we’ve all undoubtedly walked by a display of Pop Art at some … Continued
Iconic album covers of Greenwich Village and the East Village: Then and now
There’s no shortage of sites in the Village and East Village where great makers of popular music lived or performed. Less well known, however, are the multitude of sites that … Continued
Mysterious Name & Address Cast in Iron Reveals Layers of History
Walking on East 9th Street the other day I saw a new and surprising element on the Mud Cafe storefront at 307 East 9th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, … Continued
Eleventh Street Methodist Episcopal Chapel Landmark Designation
On this day in 2010, the Eleventh Street Methodist Episcopal Chapel (545-547 E. 11th Street) was designated a New York City landmark.
When New York really became New York
On this day in 1664, then-Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant surrendered what was known as New Amsterdam, the capital of New Netherland, to English naval Colonel Richard Nicolls. The European settlement … Continued
What’s in Webster Hall’s Past – and Future?
August 8th, 2007 was a joyous day in the GVSHP office – because that’s when we first received written notice from the LPC than they planned to consider Webster Hall … Continued
Roundup of posts on immigration and the Village
Immigration is a core theme in the history of New York City, and in the Village this is reflected in both the architecture and remaining and past cultural enclaves. People … Continued
Happy Birthday, Debbie Harry
Deborah Harry, lead singer of the seminal punk and new wave band Blondie, was born July 1, 1945. Both she as an artist and the group Blondie grew out of … Continued
The Legacy of the Stonewall Riots
The infamous raid on the Stonewall Inn occurred at 3am on June 28th, 1969, and was followed by five nights of ongoing protests. These events came to be known as the … Continued
St. Marks’ Historic District Extension, Designated June 19, 1984
The St. Mark’s Historic District Extension was designated 15 years after the St. Mark’s Historic District and only consists of two buildings, 102 and 104 East 10th Street. But they … Continued
What do the East Village and Bartlesville, OK have in common?
Two pretty big things, actually, which is surprising, considering one is the funky heart of our nation’s largest city, while the other is a ‘city’ of 36,000 in pretty sparsely-populated northeastern … 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
A History of the East Village in 10 Objects
The following is an updated re-posting originally authored by Dana Schulz. As May is Lower East Side History Month, we at GVSHP thought it would be nice to revisit a … Continued
April 23, 1976: Ramones Debut Album Released; Music Changed Forever
On April 23, 1976, the Ramones self-titled debut album was released, changing the face of music forever. Clocking in at just 29 minutes, ‘The Ramones’ was the absolute antithesis of … Continued
The Ramones’ First Performance
On March 30, 1974, the Ramones played their very first public performance. The Ramones are of course considered the inventors of punk rock, as well as the ultimate downtown band and … Continued
Fillmore East Then and Now
On March 8, 1968, the Fillmore East opened at 105 Second Avenue. The first night’s lineup of Big Brother & Holding Company, Tim Buckley, and Albert King was the start of a three … Continued
Business of the Month: Dashwood Books, 33 Bond 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
The Oldest Building in the Village?
The following is a re-posting of a post by Elizabeth Finkelstein from 2011: Call it whatever you’d like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain, the Village is really, … 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
Unveiling & Dedication for the Mosaic Trail Light Poles
The final pieces of the renovation of Astor Place will be unveiled and dedicated tomorrow. Thanks to the creative verve of Jim Power, aka the Mosaic Man, and the support … Continued
A Landmark of Affordable Housing
Built in 1936 as the very first public housing development in New York City or the nation, The East Village’s very own First Houses was landmarked on tomorrow’s date in … Continued
This Day in 1979: The Talking Heads’ ‘Life During Wartime’ is released
On this day in 1979, The Talking Heads released their single ‘Life During Wartime‘ from the album Fear of Music. The song not only went on the be a classic … Continued
Village People, Halloween Edition: Shirley Jackson
Halloween is right around the corner, so for this installment of Village People, let’s take a look at a Greenwich Village resident who knew a thing or two about fear … Continued
The City, Infected With Progress
Let’s talk about…gentrification. Did your heart just start racing? The term gentrification and its many implications is such a hot button issue, so complex and layered, that just reading the … Continued
Unrecognizable: Former Village Institutions and what has taken their place
It’s no secret that the Village has changed. However, due to rising demand for real estate, hyper-gentrification threatens the unique and special fabric of our neighborhoods. It’s not just small and … Continued
Business of the Month: Astor Place Hairstylists, 2 Astor Place
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 Saturday Festivals Abound!
Village Preservation is fortunate to be participating in two terrific events this coming Saturday, September 17th and we invite our friends and readers to come and visit us! Astor Alive! … Continued
Groundbreaking Gadgets on 4th Avenue
The following post was originally written five years ago to showcase one of our neighborhood buildings with an interesting history, 133 Fourth Avenue. From 1904-1926 this 1897 building on the … Continued
The Astor Place Riot
Recently we have been running a series in Off the Grid on the Village as the birthplace of modern drama. NoHo has its own history with drama, and as it … Continued
Summer’s Bounty from Farm to City
Summer time, and the bounty of vegetables and fruits are abundant. Sometimes you want a touch more of the flavor of the farm with your meal. Besides local grocery stores and … Continued
Lafayette Street- Urban Planning That Still Resonates Today
Greenwich Village is not the only part of the City which defies the New York City grid. NoHo also challenges the regularity of the 200+ year old grid with what … Continued
Kleindeutschland Roundup
In the late 19th and early 20th Century, the East Village and Lower East Side were home to a substantial German immigrant community. As a result, this area became known as … 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
GVSHPride: Roundup of LGBTQ Resources and Information
Happy Pride Week! Each June during the week leading up to the Gay Pride March, NYC celebrates Pride Week. Throughout the week, different groups and organizations will host events, throw parties, … Continued
What Style Is It? Mid-to-Late19th Century
Greenwich Village, the East Village and NoHo offer a vast array of architectural styles that span their long histories. Through this series “What Style Is It?” we will explore the … Continued
Demolition of Affordable Housing, and Landmarking
There are many tactics that developers may use to get rid of tenants, or to make conditions easier for them to push them out, in order to assist with demolition … Continued
When Pavement Was Pretty: New York’s Cobblestone Streets
When we think of a typical historic neighborhood, what do we picture? Brick or stone buildings, to be sure. Tree-lined streets, maybe. But more often than not, I bet your … Continued
Paraiso Found: What was there before it was a Garden?
What was there before it was a garden? We get that question often here, and are always ready to help community partners unearth the often little known yet rich history … Continued
National Park Service LGBTQ Map
Its been almost two years since the Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel announced the LGBTQ Heritage Initiative by the National Park Service (NPS) outside the Stonewall Inn. As part … Continued
Celebrating 51 Years of Landmarking
Fifty-one years ago today, on April 19, 1965, the New York City landmarks law went into effect. A year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landmarks law has been … Continued
One Hundred Twenty Five Years of NYC Streetcars Started in the Village
New York City Trolley or Streetcar service ended in New York City on April 6th, 1957 on Welfare (now Roosevelt) Island. But it began one hundred twenty five years earlier … Continued
Astor Place Reconstruction Recalls Historic Streets, Mosaics & The Alamo
If you are one of the over 100,000 people a day that make your way through Astor Place or Cooper Square, you cannot help but notice the amazing amount of progress … Continued
History For Sale: 3 East 3rd Street
Whenever we see another ‘For Sale‘ sign in our neighborhoods, it is often the cause for worry or fear. Concerns naturally arise that another out-of-context tower might obliterate the skyline, … Continued
Big Changes Proposed For What Was Once A Federal Rowhouse
25 Bleecker Street is one of nine extant buildings originally constructed as Federal style row houses in the NoHo East Historic District. It was built c. 1830 for David Chrystie … 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
Upscale Makeover Planned for Former Animal Hospital and Women’s Shelter, 348 Lafayette Street
The Noho Historic District embraces a broad arc of New York City’s commercial history from the early 1850’s through the 1920’s, during which time this section prospered as a major retail and … Continued
Happy 47th Birthday, St. Mark’s Historic District
Forty-seven years ago, on January 14th 1969, the Landmarks Preservation Commission concluded that, “On the basis of a careful consideration of the history, the architecture and other features of this … 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
Barbara Shaum, 1929-2015
In June, 2015 GVSHP was proud to award Barbara Shaum a Village Award. We are very sad to share the news that she passed away in September. Her longtime friend … Continued
Landmarks 50: Merchant’s House Museum
All this year we have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the New York City landmarks law, and today we focus on one of the very first buildings to be … Continued
Village Preservation East Village Oral History: Marilyn Appleberg
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 … Continued
Landmarks50: 4 St. Mark’s Place
4 St. Mark’s Place, also known as the Hamilton-Holly House and current home of Trash and Vaudeville, was recently in the news as it came on the market for $11.9 million. … Continued
Haunted Greenwich Village
As Halloween is right around the corner, we here at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation would like to satisfy your cravings for hauntings as you go out and … 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
Honorary Street Names: 2nd Avenue
As we here at GVSHP have previously discussed, many streets in Greenwich Village bear an honorary secondary name recognizing important people and institutions associated with the Village and its history. These … 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
Celebrate Labor Day!
For many people, Labor Day means one last trip to the beach or pool before the unofficial end of summer. Or some need to finish their back-to-school shopping, so it … Continued
Alexander Hamilton and the Village
The hyped musical “Hamilton” opened on Broadway last weekend to rave reviews. The excitement surrounding the musical and the legacy of Alexander Hamilton, one of the United States’ Founding Fathers, … Continued
Art in the Village: The Ashcan School
The Ashcan School refers to a loosely knit group of urban realist painters based in New York City during the early 20th century. Founded by artist and teacher Robert Henri … Continued
‘Kids’ 20th Anniversary
Twenty years ago today the movie ‘Kids’ was released. The film is about a day in the lives of a group of New York City teenagers. The film received more than its share … Continued
Samuel Jones and Great Jones Street
Great Jones Street is located between Lafayette Street and the Bowery and is named for Samuel Jones, who was born on July 26th, 1734. Jones was born in what is now … Continued
Extra! Extra! Newsies Strike of 1899
Today there are many ways for us to access the news: radio, print, television and internet. However, back in 1899 the only way to get the news besides word-of-mouth was … Continued
The HOWL! Festival
Historically, the Village and East Village have always been the place for artists, writers, performers, and a slew of other creatives in New York City, a fact that is widely … Continued
A Brief History of “Rent”
On April 29, 1996, playwright Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Rent” made its Broadway debut at The Nederlander Theatre. As many Broadway show-goers and longtime East … Continued
Greenwich Village CSAs
The organic food movement is no longer just a trend, but a necessity for many consumers — as evidenced by the long lines endured at grocery stores such as Whole … Continued
This Day in History: NYU Incorporated
Today is the 184th anniversary of the incorporation of NYU. Originally chartered as the “University of the City of New-York”, in 1831 admission was open to all during a time … Continued
The Lowline
At last, it appears that spring has finally arrived in New York City, and not a moment too soon. Many of us feel sun and nature deprived after months of … Continued
Our Irish Heritage
The history of Greenwich Village is a history of immigration. Although the St. Patrick’s Day Parade as we know it follows an uptown route along 5th Avenue, the original Irish … Continued
On this day in history…
GVSHP is marking March, Women’s History Month, with some great public programs. But today I am going to focus on two men who helped to shape the history, geography, and … 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
Folk Music In Greenwich Village: 1940s-1953
There are some that mark the beginning Greenwich Village’s involvement with the revival of American Folk music as 9 April 1961, with the ‘Beatnik Riot’ in Washington Square Park. But … Continued
Community Board Public Hearing on GVSHP’s University Place/Broadway Corridor Rezoning Proposal Jan. 14
Community Board #2 will be holding a public hearing next Wednesday, January 14th at 6:30 pm at Grace Church High School, 46 Cooper Square (Bowery/East 6th Street), 3rd floor regarding … 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
Union Square: Activism by Design
Union Square is known today as a site of public gathering and for expressions of discontent. This is built upon Union Square’s rich, multi-layered history as a public space in … Continued
LGBTQ History: Bleecker Street
An early twentieth-century song entitled ‘The Greenwich Village Epic’ declares: ‘Fairyland’s not far from Washington Square.’ By this time, park police had arrested men for having sex with male partners … Continued
LGBTQ History: MacDougal Street
(This post is the first of a series on the history of the LGBTQ community in Greenwich Village.) It is easy to assume, in the aftermath of the Stonewall riots, … 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Happy Birthday Combat Rock and Joey Ramone
We have two great birthdays in the world of punk to mark. The two celebrants straddle the East and West Village, and both sides of the Atlantic.
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 Ramones’ First Public Performances
The Ramones sprung onto the scene in mid-1974, revolutionizing rock music and performance by reinjecting energy, simplicity, and humor into a genre which had become increasingly serious, self-important, and bloated. … 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
(Street) Signs of the Times
If you haven’t already read it, the Times reported last week on the recent completion of a catalog of New York City’s ‘honorific’ street names designated since 1998. These honorific … Continued
323 East 6th Street: Religious Centers Bookend a City Disaster
This post is the first of a four-part series called Everyday Lives, Ordinary People: A History of East Village Immigrants, a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall … Continued
2013: The Year In Review
We at GVSHP want to wish everyone a happy holiday season and best wishes for the new year. We’ll be posting intermittently for the next week or so until we … Continued
An 89-Year Tradition Continues in Washington Square Park
Last week, all eyes were on Rockefeller Center for the lighting of that famous Christmas tree. But did you know that the tree lighting in Washington Square Park was a … Continued
Great Scot! The Designs of D. & J. Jardine
Today we thought we’d feature a few designs by the late 19th century architecture firm of D. & J. Jardine. A prolific firm in New York City in general, the … Continued
Things We’re Grateful For: Federal Houses
At this time of year, we’re thinking about the many things we’re grateful for, as well as the founding of our country. Both those bring us to the many Federal-era … Continued
When Greenwich Village was farmland
Here in Greenwich Village, we are surrounded by history. So sometimes when I walk the streets, I try to imagine what life was like at different times in the past. … 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
