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
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
By AmandaG
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 “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
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
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
By Amanda
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
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
By Drew
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
By Karen
It’s not that often that we here at Off the Grid report on happenings on the Upper East Side. But a big preservation victory there earlier this month with broad … Continued
Do the tall arches of the sturdy red-brick Anthology Film Archives reassure you? Does the stillness of the New York City Marble Cemetery give you a thrill? Perhaps passing exuberant … Continued
By Karen
This week we have two milestone anniversaries that relate to my old stomping grounds, Carmine Street. On this date, May 6, in 1908, the public bathhouse that is now the … Continued
By Ted
On May 3, 1849, Jacob August Riis was born in Denmark. At age 21, he immigrated to New York, arriving June 5, 1870. He immediately felt the need to protect … Continued
By Ted
Welcome to the inaugural post in our Throwback Thursday series where we will share some of our favorite old photos of everyday life in the Village, East Village, and Noho. … Continued
The 20th century had hardly begun when the New York State legislature signed into law a new act to address old problems in this city regarding tenement construction. This groundbreaking … Continued
I recently spent my vacation visiting the European cities of Barcelona, Rome, and Trieste. During my time there, dutifully and happily playing the role of tourist, I was reminded of … Continued
By Ted
It’s finally warm enough to re-start a new feature, Places We Love, focusing on architectural, cultural and commercial favorites that local folks feel are worth preserving, particularly in the East … Continued
By Karen
This is part of the Looking Up series of posts, which explore the unique architectural and historical stories that can be discovered when we raise our gaze above the sidewalk, … Continued
By Drew
For today’s post in our Then & Now series, we thought we’d feature a few locations in our neighborhoods as they looked in the 1980s. Similar to last week’s post … Continued
The New York Marble Cemetery and the New York City Marble Cemetery (yes, it’s confusing) both turn 45 tomorrow. Well, they’re actually a lot older than that (over 180 years … Continued
By Amanda
On February 24th, 1975, Led Zeppelin’s double studio album Physical Graffiti was unleashed upon the world. The band’s second most commercially successful album, it went sixteen times platinum in the … Continued
The British poet W.H. Auden, a towering figure of 20th century letters, is not the first person you’d put in a shabby apartment on St. Mark’s Place. Yet there he … Continued
By Karen
Have you ever noticed a rowhouse or tenement that’s almost handsome? Something … is … off. Oh! That’s what it is: Its top is shorn. Where a decorative cornice once … Continued
By Karen
We’ve been focusing a lot lately here at Off the Grid on the newly designated South Village Historic District and the designation report that allows us to learn much about … Continued
By Sheryl
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
As you likely know by now, the South Village was designated an official New York City historic district by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) at the end of December. Part … Continued
By Drew
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
By Ted
Today we take for granted that every building has an architect behind it. You need an architect to create a blueprint, right? Then an array of engineers, craftsmen and laborers … Continued
By Karen
Yesterday, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) voted to create a new landmark district, called the South Village Historic District. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has … Continued
By Sheryl
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
By Amanda
For today’s “Building Broadway” offering, I couldn’t help but notice a curious detail as I walked along the bustling thoroughfare: pilasters with bird feet bases at 670 Broadway! Well, that’s … Continued
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
With next Tuesday’s hearing on the possible landmark designation of the Tifereth Israel Town & Village Synagogue on East 14th Street — the nearly 150 year old former German Baptist … Continued
GVSHP is proud to share it’s new report “Ten Years – A Thousand Buildings – One Hundred Blocks: A Decade of Progress on Landmark and Zoning Protections in the Village, … Continued
Tucked mid-block between historic tenements on 6th Street in the East Village is a modern building devoted to the preservation and exhibition of Ukrainian art. While the building is new, … Continued
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
It’s always fun to look at then and now photos of buildings and streetscapes we’ve long come to admire here on Off the Grid. Today, just ahead of the Labor … Continued
I used to hear from people who said that they hated being in New York City in the summer, and would escape on the weekends to the Hamptons, upstate New … Continued
In the early 1900s, the East Village was teeming with theaters and movie houses. Second Avenue was the Yiddish Rialto, or Theater district, lined with venues showcasing theater performed, written, … Continued
A couple of weeks ago I was walking along 3rd Street in the East Village and stopped in front of a sculpture park that I had seen many times before. … Continued
On August 8, 2008, GVSHP and the East Village Community Coalition formally requested that the City landmark the historic Congregation Mezritch Synagogue building at 415 East 6th Street in … Continued
In honor of Bastille Day this Sunday, July 14, we here at Off the Grid thought we would take a look at the French Quarter, a small area south of … Continued
On Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets sits a small, unassuming two-story garage. Chances are you’ve walked past it and never even noticed it. The large garage door with … Continued
The Landmarks Preservation Commission has recently begun creating on-line slide shows to showcase various history months as represented by some of the city’s roughly 31,000 landmarked properties. In March, they … Continued
Just prior to yesterday’s rally and press conference to save historic Mary Help of Christians Church from demolition (see press release HERE and pictures HERE), GVSHP came upon information that … Continued
We’re gearing up for tomorrow’s LPC public meeting in which the commissioners will vote to “calendar” the proposed South Village Historic District. With this in mind, we thought we’d take … Continued
While we received some incredibly good news last week about possible future landmarking in the South Village, this week also marks the anniversary of some critical past victories in South … Continued
I am not a native New Yorker, but as a long-time (now former) resident of the South Village, I had the distinct privilege of getting to know many people who … Continued
By Ted
Those following May Day protests today might be interested in learning about the day’s long roots in labor history, going back to 1886. May 1, 1886 was selected by the … Continued
Op-Ed from The Villager newspaper, April 25, 2012 http://thevillager.com/2013/04/25/quinn-and-city-cant-omit-3-key-south-village-sites/ Quinn and City Must Not Omit Three Key Sites From South Village Landmarking (if you want to help, write the City … Continued
Earlier in the week we looked at what sites the Landmarks Preservation Commission excluded from our proposed South Village Historic District in their draft proposed phase II designation. As promised, … Continued
Do you recognize the three-dimensional map in this photo? Hint: half a century ago, the model-making team of Raymond Lester Associates was meticulously recreating the city’s five boroughs in preparation … Continued
This Sunday, the Season 6 premiere of Mad Men will transport us back to late 1960s New York. Along with the characters’ backgrounds, props, and costumes, locations play a big … Continued
By Amanda
On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was shot as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This ended the life of one of … Continued
Last week we received written confirmation from the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) that they intend to hear and vote upon the remaining section of our proposed South Village Historic District … Continued
GVSHP has gotten many inquiries about exactly what the City Council vote last week on the Hudson Square rezoning, and the announcements regarding the proposed South Village Historic District, means … Continued
Do you recognize this location? The building partially visible at left is the only part of this scene that has survived nearly 120 years after the photo was taken in … Continued
Yesterday, in anticipation of the vote on the Hudson Square rezoning, we took a look at some of the sites currently threatened or recently lost in the South Village. Today, … Continued
With the important vote on the Hudson Square rezoning by the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee this Wednesday, we will find out if the City Council will approve or deny the … Continued
Tomorrow, Community Board 3’s Landmarks Subcommittee will hear proposals for changes to two East Village landmarks: St Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery (an individual landmark and part of the St. Mark’s Historic District) … Continued
GVSHP’s program this evening, the Art of Exterior Ornamentation: A Talk with the Owners of Essex Works, features a local company that provides restoration of ornamentation on historic buildings. The … Continued
Did you know that since 1991, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation has offered elementary students an unparalleled opportunity to engage with New York City’s past by exploring the … Continued
Tomorrow evening GVSHP will be holding a special event at one of the East Village’s newest cultural hot spots- the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MORUS). Opened on December 8, … Continued
Walking East 3rd Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2012 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued
Walking East 3rd Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2012 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued
Walking East 3rd Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2012 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued
Recently someone asked me about a building he walked by in the East Village. Showing me a photo of the building on his phone, he figured it was a substation … Continued
As GVSHP recently announced, the Hudson Square rezoning application is now on the desk of the Manhattan Borough President, after Community Board #2 pointedly recommended it be turned down UNLESS … Continued
Last Tuesday, October 9th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. Stretching between the Bowery and Avenue A, East 2nd Street and St. Mark’s … Continued
As Curbed and EVGrieve recently pointed out, the renderings for a new building to be constructed on the long-empty lot between 13th and 14th Streets near 3rd Avenue were released … Continued
The Board of Standards and Appeals recently decided in favor of developers seeking to build rooftop additions at 329-335 East 9th Street and to allow illegally built additions to remain … Continued
We recently learned that the proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District has been scheduled for a vote by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on October 9. Since the district was … Continued
As we continue to document the research we have compiled on every building and site in the East Village, we run across some incredible stories of the neighborhood’s history. Such … Continued
The building from this “Spot the Shot” post is at 229-231 East 12th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. “The Claremount” was constructed in 1901 by developer Max Weinberg, who … Continued
Don’t let this title confuse you- it’s the magic of Hollywood! GVSHP’s favorite prohibition-era series Boardwalk Empire is back filming in the East Village today, in the empty lot next … Continued
By Dana
Nestled in the middle of a block of 11th Street between Avenues A & B are two tenements that share their history with one of the most well known and … Continued
By Andito
GVSHP recently came across a great website called 1940s New York. In 1943, four local newspapers published a New York City Market Analysis, which provided hundreds of photos & color-coded … Continued
It’s no secret that preservationists often turn to maps for inspiration and research, but it isn’t all the time that a map can can lead to an extremely revealing discovery. … Continued
Summer makes one think of our public pools and recreation centers (whether they’re open or not). The first one that came to mind was the Tony Dapolito Center, which opened … Continued
By Dana
Two years ago today, the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II, or what GVSHP terms the South Village Phase I District, was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation … Continued
On June 5 the Board of Standards and Appeals will hold a hearing for variances sought by the owner of 329-335 East 9th Street to build rooftop additions. The developer’s … Continued
By Andito
“On Saturdays when I did not have to lecture, we used to visit the saloon of Justus Schwab, the most famous radical center in New York. Schwab was the traditional … Continued
This weekend, the New York Landmarks Conservancy is again organizing the state-wide Sacred Sites Open House Weekend. This free event offers a unique opportunity to explore the interiors of more … Continued
On April 28th, 1982, the landmark film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance had its world premiere. A stunning, wordless, 86 minute visual collage featuring images of natural beauty, urban decay … Continued
We always thought the building at 193 Second Avenue at the corner of 12th Street was extraordinarily handsome and well-designed. Based on our extensive research of the East Village … Continued
Walking along East 2nd Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue, you might have noticed a historic building that, in terms of its age and style, seems out of context … Continued
By Amanda
We are thrilled to share with you the news that GVSHP successfully nominated the South Village to the Preservation League of New York State’s “Seven to Save” list — their … Continued
It was on this date in 1951 that the infamous espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg began. The Jewish-American Communists, along with Soviet spy Morton Sobell, were accused of … Continued
One of my favorite things about historic architecture research is uncovering the fascinating histories of lesser-known buildings (and then sharing those facts with anyone who will listen!). When I worked … Continued
As I was considering a topic for last week’s Presidents’ Day post, I came across a great find from our nation’s past that took place right here in present-day NoHo. … Continued
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
The final performance of the off-Broadway hit The Fantasticks took place at the Sullivan Street Playhouse at 181 Sullivan Street in the South Village on January 13, 2002. That marked the end … Continued
Walking East 7th Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2011 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued
Walking East 7th Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2011 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued
Walking East 7th Street is a collaboration between GVSHP and the students in NYU’s Fall 2011 Intro to Public History course. Each pair of students was tasked with researching the … Continued