Firehouse Facelift Finally Revealed
It was big news last year that Anderson Cooper purchased the historic firehouse at 84 West 3rd Street in the South Village with intentions to turn the building into a … Continued
Then & Now: 3rd Avenue & 10th Street
We are very fortunate that photographer Berenice Abbott captured images of New York City in the 1930s and 1940s (Abbott, by the way, lived off and on in Greenwich Village, … Continued
NYU Expansion Plan More Than A Little Scary
NYU recently sent around a notice about this year’s NYU and Community Board #2 Children’s Halloween Parade. According to NYU, they want “YOU to help!” design an image for this … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.29.11: East Edition
The demolition has begun at 331 East 6th Street…..and 328 East 4th Street gets a Stop Work Order (EV Grieve) The Dom was the hippest East Village hangout in the … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.29.11: West Edition
Chumley’s is still not back on its feet, but sets sights on a 2012 reopening (City Room) Samuel Menashe, Greenwich Village poet, dies at the age of 85 (NY Times) … Continued
The Public Square: What’s Your Favorite Neighborhood Small Business?
The Public Square is our new weekly Q & A with the Village, East Village, and NoHo community. We’ll be querying our readers for their opinions about life in the … Continued
Honoring the Challah
Recently, our fellow-blogger friend, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, noted that the facade of the East Village building that is home to Moishe’s Jewish bakery had gotten a facelift. He asked, … Continued
Water, Water, Everywhere
With Hurricane Irene on the way, the city is bracing for some possible high winds and flooding associated with the storm. WNYC made a handy interactive map that highlights parts … Continued
A Slow Ride Back to ’75 on East 11th Street
We’re always on the lookout for album covers shot in the Village, East Village, or NoHo. Many of the great album covers of the last half century were shot on … Continued
Fourth Arts Block tour redux
This weekend, tour guide Lawrence Frommer and Fourth Arts Block executive director Tamara Greenfield led a tour of East 4th Street between the Bowery and 2nd Avenue for GVSHP. (Want … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.22.11: West Edition
Anderson Cooper’s historic firehouse at 84 West 3rd Street shows off its new renovation (Curbed) There is an entire blog devoted to showcasing photos of the goings-on at the former … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.22.11: East Edition
Could East 13th Street between 3rd & 4th Avenues become Cornell Edwards Way? (EV Grieve) Mysterious bicycle storage on Astor Place flies high (Curbed) Scott Stringer & Go Green Lower … Continued
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 … Continued
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 … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.20.11: West Edition
Village residents expose the drama behind the Whitehall Storage Conversion at 150 Charles Street (YouTube) Spend a Sunday in Greenwich Village, Circa 1960 (Gothamist) What the exterior of 777 Washington … Continued
Law & Order: Historic Images Unit
With the recent news that every Law & Order television episode will soon be available in one mammoth 104-disc set, we thought we’d round up this week’s posts with a … Continued
19th Century Fire at East Village Icon Changed the Skyline, and Safety Rules
The tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in Greenwich Village and its impact on women’s rights and the labor movement is well known. There is a plaque at the Brown … Continued
Demo Permit Filed for 437 West 13th Street
It looks like the end is near for 437 West 13th Street, the historic Art Deco meatpacking building on the corner of Washington Street that is slated to be replaced … Continued
Standing the Test of Time: Father’s Heart Church
One of the East Village’s few individually designated New York City landmarks is a distinctive Gothic Revival church at 545 East 11th Street. The building, today known as Father’s Heart … Continued
Adapting “Adaptive Re-Use”
The term adaptive reuse is used by architects and preservationists to describe the process of adapting old structures for purposes other than those initially intended. Villagers are familiar with the … Continued
Summer in the City
On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days and summer nights, Summer in the City by the Lovin’ Spoonful, reached number one on … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.11.11: East Edition
Momofuku Milk Bar’s pastry chef, Christina Tosi reveals her favorite East Village spots (The Local East Village)……. and Constance Zimmer of Entourage gives a tour of her East Village 2-bedroom … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 8.11.11: West Edition
Carmine Street Guitars builds guitars from ‘bones of New York City,’ including those of Hotel Chelsea (DNAinfo) Westway Club in the West Village Village spices up the West Side Highway … Continued
Labor Demonstrations Nothing New for Village
The sight of striking Verizon workers near GVSHP’s offices (as well as all over New York) reminds us of the long and storied history of the Village and East Village … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village: West Edition
Meatpacking District businesses are not happy about “boob bollards” (NY Post) Joe Malone coming to Bleecker this fall & Jimmy Choo arrived on Bleecker yesterday (Racked)….. and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village: East Edition
Rent, the Broadway musical set in Alphabet City, comes back to Off Broadway (NY Times) A history of Ratner’s of Second Avenue, in the Saul Birns Building (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New … Continued
A Preservation Pioneer at 100
Marking the 100th anniversary of his birth on August 11, 1911, Tablet printed a thoughtful piece on pioneering preservation architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, written by Allan M. Jalon. Jalon’s article takes … Continued
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 … Continued
Tracking History: Gansevoort Plaza Then & Now
Though the character of Gansevoort Market has certainly undergone many changes over years, there are certain buildings and views that have remained remarkably intact. One such location where you can … 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 7.31.11 – 8.6.11, West Edition
Center for Architecture Grows in the Village (A/N Blog) The History That Inspired Monument Lane (Eater) Reviewing Monument Lane (NY Times) Subway-Inspired West Village Duplex Sells for $1.9 Million (Curbed) … Continued
Time to Celebrate the Twins
The first weekend every August, thousands of twins from across North America will descend upon Twinsburg, Ohio for the annual Twins Festival. Not to be outdone, New York is full … Continued
South Village Building Damaged by Fire
At 2 AM this morning, a beautiful South Village building caught fire, resulting in a three-alarm fire that injured 10 firefighters and 1 civilian woman, sending all to the hospital. … Continued
NYU a “Bitter Subject” for Designer Patricia Field
We all know NYU has made more than a few enemies in the Village over the years with their aggressive eviction and development practices. But who knew that Sex and … Continued
A Proud and Soaring Thing
With all the brash starchitect-designed buildings that sprouted up in NoHo and the East Village in the early 2000s — 40 Bond Street, the ‘Sculpture for Living‘ at Astor Place, … Continued
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 … Continued
The History of Sheridan Square
On this day, August 1, in the year 1864 during the Civil War, General Philip Sheridan was appointed by Ulysses S. Grant as commander of the Army of the Shenandoah, … Continued
Tell Us Your Greenwich Village Ghost Stories!
When: Wednesday, August 3….6:30-8:00 p.m. Where: Jefferson Market Library, 425 Avenue of the Americas (between West 9th & 10th Streets) Cost: Free!! RSVP: reservations required…email rsvp&gvshp.org or call 212-475-9585 x35 … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.24.11 – 7.30.11, West Edition
West Village Cocktail Bar Named Best Bar in the World (NearSay) Part of the Ceiling Fell Down in the Marc Jacob’s Women’s Store (Racked) NYU Purchased 2 Apartments at 166 … 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
From Singing to Sofas: The History of the Burger-Klein Building
Its irrepressible mid-century modern façade of opaque black glass is punctuated by cheery yellow balconettes, a slender projecting wall of red glazed brick, and cube-shaped letters spelling out B-U-R-G-E-R … Continued
Iron in the Sky
One facet of the streetscapes that we encounter each day but may not give much thought to are the fire escapes that weave their way up the facades of so … Continued
What’s in a Name: Bank Street
Sometimes determining the provenance of a street’s name is fairly easy. It is true for Bank Street in Greenwich Village, which was named for … you guessed it … a … Continued
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 … Continued
On This Day: The Tompkins Square Communist Rally
The 1870’s were difficult years for our Nation. Economic depression had hit Europe and on September 18, 1873, it reached the U.S. with the failure of banking firm Jay Cooke … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.17.11 – 7.23.11, West Edition
Greenwich Village’s Red Room Tries a Price Cut (Curbed) Simpson Wong to Open Wong on Cornelia Street Next Month (Eater) Best Wine Shops in the West Village (NearSay) Twisty MePa … Continued
A Roundup of Mars Bar News
Waiting for the Wrecking Ball (NY Times) Mars Bar- Before & After (Off the Grid) Mars is Gone (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) The End of an Era, in Photos (The … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.17.11 – 7.23.11, East Edition
Part of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America HQ is for Lease (EV Grieve) Rachel Dratch’s East Village (The Local East Village) Behind the Bluestone at NoHo Newbie 41 Bond … Continued
The Times They Are A-Changing — Same-Sex Couples and the Village
As one-time Villager Bob Dylan famously called it, the Times, They Are A-Changing. This Sunday New York State will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and apparently the New … Continued
The Illuminated Village
As recent news about the painting over of the sign for the Fat Black Pussy Cat on Minetta Street can attest, historic signs add an important dimension to how we … Continued
Landmarking 101: Common Misconceptions
Last week we explained what a landmark is and how designation affects property owners. Today, we’ll try to dispel some of the inaccuracies and misconceptions about landmarking and historic … Continued
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 & … Continued
Where Music and Passion are Always in Fashion
Just last week the famed Copacabana nightclub reopened yet again. At its newest incarnation at Times Square, guests were treated to an opening night performance by salsa great Willie Colón. … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.10.11 – 7.16.11, East Edition
$120 Million Village House Boasts Healing Powers (Curbed) Bowery Wine Company Has Closed (EV Grieve) Haunted Building on 2nd Avenue (Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York) New Shop Carries on Proud Tradition … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.10.11 – 7.16.11, West Edition
Gansevoort Hotel’s Pool is the City’s Dirtiest (NY Post) Another British-themed Restaurant Set to Open on Greenwich Avenue (DNAinfo) Waverly Restaurant Gutted for Renovation, Expansion (Eater) The Crusties Move West … Continued
Recladding & Reevaluating
Like all other applications for work on landmarked properties in Greenwich Village, GVSHP has been keeping tabs on the progress of the recently-approved plans to re-clad the large mid-century white-brick … Continued
Happy Bastille Day!
We know that you all know it’s Bastille Day, but did you know that the South Village once had a large and lively French community? The 1880 U.S. census showed … Continued
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 … Continued
On This Day: New York City Draft Riots
On July 13, 1863 began several days of violence in New York City known as the Draft Riots. These civil disturbances rocked New York City and revealed a deep racial … Continued
Even More on the Mob
We’ve already established that the mafia in the East Village liked their cannolis and their veal scallopini. This next bit of history is is consistent with that pattern. Lanza’s Restaurant, … Continued
Historic Preservation 101: What is a Landmark?
We speak often of historic districts, individual landmarks and national and state register sites but, what do those terms really mean? This post will review how the designation of landmarks … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 7.3.11 – 7.9.11, West Edition
Susan Sarandon Buys West 9th Street Penthouse (NY Observer) Author Takes Readers Back to Greenwich Village’s Heyday (DNAinfo) A Soft Spot for Goat-Milk Ice Cream (NY Times) Printing House Opens … 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
Happy Birthday Blowin’ In the Wind
On July 9, 1962, Bob Dylan recorded “Blowin’ In the Wind,” a song destined to become an anthem for a generation, and for the transformative civil rights and peace movements. … Continued
More on the Mob
We’re still reveling in yesterday’s excitement of seeing Boardwalk Empire set up a mock-prohibition-era scene in the East Village. In fact, we’re drinking Mint Juleps and listening to Cole Porter … Continued
Prohibition Revisits the East Village
Get out your trilby hats and flapper dresses- Boardwalk Empire, the HBO Prohibition-era mob drama, is filming right here on East 12th Street and 2nd Avenue at John’s Italian Restaurant. … Continued
A Bookstore for Every Villager
It’s no surprise that the Village has a wealth of bookshops. Quaint, independently-owned stores that could pull even the most technology-addicted teenager away from his or her iPad, are scattered … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.26.11 – 7.2.11, West Edition
Is This the West Village’s Coolest Rooftop? (Curbed) 2011 Pride Parade Had Much to Celebrate (Gothamist) Sicily, by Way of Cornelia Street (NearSay) Tell the New York Times What You … 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
Remembering the Toy Tower
Many of you may remember the unusual, eclectic toy tower that once stood in the 6th & B Community Garden on Avenue B and East 6th Street. The East Village … Continued
Meet the Village’s Newest Landmark!
On Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 154 West 14th Street, at the southeast corner of Seventh Avenue, an official New York City landmark!
Pushing the Envelope on Avenue A
While Greenwich Village will always be equated with the Gay Rights Movement, particularly for its role in the series of protests at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, the East Village … Continued
This Day in Greenwich Village: The Stonewall Riot
Today marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, a series of riotous protests at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village that many scholars consider the launching pad for the modern … Continued
A Peek Back at the Village’s LGBT History
View A Guide to Lesbian & Gay New York Historical Landmarks in a larger map The Village erupted in riotous celebrations this past weekend at the news of passage of … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.19.11 – 6.25.11, Part II
Liquor Panel Deadlocks on 34 Avenue A (Local EV) New Mural on Houston Street Replaces Kenny Scharf’s Piece (Gothamist) Stella McCartney has Secret Garden Party in West Village (DNAinfo) Magnolia’s … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.19.11 – 6.25.11, Part I
Hudson River Park Group Focuses on Fund-Raising (NY Times) Christopher Street Bartender Beaten in PATH Train Attack (DNAinfo) Scenes from the East Village March Against Rent Hikes (EV Grieve) Van … Continued
From Banking to Biscuits: 143-145 Avenue D, Part 5
This is post #5 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
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 … Continued
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 … 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
In Memoriam: The Big Man
On Saturday, at the age of 69, Clarence Clemons, aka the Big Man, passed away in Palm Beach, Florida. Known best for his role as the unbelievably talented saxophonist in … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.12.11 – 6.18.11, Part II
Lower Second Avenue Now & Then (EV Grieve) In the East Village, Where Have All the Crusties Gone? (NY Times) Giant Mouse Sits Bashful Outside Standard Hotel (NearSay) Footlight Records … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.12.11 – 6.18.11, Part I
Best Oyster Happy Hours in the West Village (NearSay) New Consignment Shop on East 7th Street (NearSay) CB2 Meeting Highlights Furor Over St. Vincent’s Re-Development (Village Confidential) Mark Jacobs Shuffles … Continued
East Village Movie House Launched Big Careers
What does a beloved TV sitcom mom, Ike and Tina Turner, and one bad motha have in common? All were portrayed by actors who honed their craft at a theater … Continued
From Pier to Park
As the summertime blanket of heat and humidity descends over the city, our thoughts inevitably move toward the cool breezes found at the city’s waterfront. A little bit south of … 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
Umbrella, Umbrella!
No, we’re not referencing the catchy pop song of a similar title (although it’s now stuck in our heads!). We’re talking about the Umbrella House, 21-23 Avenue C, between East … Continued
An Architectural Gem in the Village: 2011 Awardee
While many of our 2011 Village Awardees are located within NYC historic districts, the Church of the Ascension holds the distinction of our only awardee this year that is listed … Continued
Words & Art in the East Village: 2011 Village Awardee
Bob Holman works with words—spoken and written—and for over many years has shared that work with the community around him. This evening, GVSHP will recognize his continuing efforts with one … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 6.5.11 – 6.11.11
The High Line is an Economic Dynamo (NY Times) After the Gold Rush by Neil Young- Album Cover Location (Pop Spots) East Village Mac-‘n’-Cheese Joint Opening Second Location (DNAinfo) 12th … Continued
Village Power-House Female Chefs: 2011 Village Awardee
Here at GVSHP we love successful women (4 out of 6 of our staff members are such women!) and we love food (who doesn’t?). So, we were delighted that West … Continued
Young in Age, but Not in Spirit: 2011 Village Awardee
Over the many years GVSHP has presented the Village Awards, awardees have often been praised for their longevity. Though in rare cases, a newly established organization or business will … Continued
A Specialty Food Shop in the Village: 2011 Village Awardee
McNulty’s Tea & Coffee Company at 109 Christopher Street is a part of a long tradition of Village specialty shops that hint at a time before grocery stores, when shoppers … Continued
Who ya gonna call?! Happy anniversary Ghostbusters
This is an updated version of a post from 2011. The Washington Square Ghost! That’s right folks, we’re talking about Ghostbusters! Today marks the anniversary of the release of the … Continued
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 … Continued
Manhattan’s Only Designated Cultural District: 2011 Village Awardee
Did you know that Manhattan’s only designated cultural district is right here in the East Village? The Fourth Arts Block (FAB) will be one of eight recipients of a 2011 … Continued
A Foundry on Jane Street: 2011 Village Awardee
In these modern times, it’s hard to imagine that there could be a metal foundry located on the very residential Jane Street. Well, there is, though it’s hardly a recent … Continued
Big Changes in Store for East Village’s Second Avenue Funeral Home
We had a hunch this day was coming. The owners of the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel, at 152 Second Avenue, have applied to make substantial changes to their … Continued
Special Program – Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future
The Museum of the City of New York presents: Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future Wednesday, June 8, 6:30 pm Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 5.29.11 – 6.4.11
Silver Towers Adorable East Village Mural Proposal (Gothamist) Another Protest Outside the Continental (EV Grieve) Annual Jane Street Block Sale on Saturday (NearSay) West Village Cat Fight (NY Post) Summer … Continued
