Two Churches with Irish Heritage in Greenwich Village
With St. Patrick’s Day just this past Saturday, we thought we would take a look at two seminal Irish institutions in Greenwich Village, The University Parish of St. Joseph’s and … Continued
Map It! Bleecker at Christopher Street
Have you ever come across a peculiar street pattern in the city and wondered how it became that way? It’s a topic that’s especially prevalent in the Village, where street … Continued
My Favorite Things: Archive Edition
A recent inquiry by a researcher looking to document the emerging folk scene in the Village had me looking through the archive of Robert Otter, a photographer who captured the … Continued
Jackson Pollock’s Old Stomping Grounds
On Thursday evening, Village Preservation and the New School for Public Engagement hosted a lecture titled, “Jackson Pollock’s Downtown Years” given by art historian and MoMa educator Larissa Bailiff. While … Continued
Superblock Sleuthing
“Superblock” is a term that we have been hearing more and more with the publication of the NYU 2031 Plan and its roadmap for massive additional development on two of … Continued
Sullivan Street Playhouse: Gone But Not Forgotten
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
The Ghost of Preservation Battles Past: The House of Genius
61 Washington Square South, before it was demolished in 1948, was known as the House of Genius, part of the so-called genius row named for the artists and writers who … Continued
It’s Crunch Time in the Fight Against NYU’s Massive Expansion Plan
Tonight will be a critical first public hearing in the public review and approval process for NYU’s massive proposed twenty-year expansion plan. Come to Community Board #2’s Zoning Committee tonight … Continued
Let’s Make 2012 a Year to Remember
We hope that you had a wonderful New Year celebration! With the arrival of 2012 we all have some resolutions that we plan to work on in the coming months … Continued
My Favorite Things: Holiday Edition
Last Saturday night I joined hundreds of other holiday revelers in one of my favorite offbeat, annual Village traditions: Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night. Now in its twentieth year, Unsilent Night … Continued
My Favorite Things: The Corner of West 4th and West 10th Streets
Villager’s often point to the neighborhood’s low scale buildings and meandering, off-the-grid street pattern as one of the many factors that make the Village so special. I have to admit, … Continued
Deadly History
With today being Halloween, we thought we would take a look at … dead bodies in the Village! You can tune out the ominous laughter you may be hearing right … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.19.11: West Edition
Jim Carrey may be the latest celeb to buy in 176 Perry (Curbed) In 1951 Washington Square Park had doggie problems (Ephemeral New York) Grey Dog will be closing its … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 10.3.11: West Edition
Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York takes a look at the disappearance of Village gas stations, like the recently shuttered Lukoil on 8th Avenue & Horatio….he also looks at the disappearance of … Continued
The First Monday in October, Another Day Without Landmark Protections in the South Village
Today, the first Monday in October, is the traditional start of the new United States Supreme Court session. This year the court is expected to have an incredibly full roster, … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.28.11: West Edition
Old St. Vincent’s building prepares for return as pricy condos (Curbed) A tweedy English bike ride is coming to the Village (Racked) Would you pay $2 million to live next … Continued
A Genius of Music and Art
On September 6, 1981, the infectious and other-worldly sound of Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” was unleashed upon the world. The song became a club hit on both sides … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.24.11: West Edition
Washington Square Park bathroom hours get cut amid concerns of sex and drugs (DNAinfo) West 4th Street newsstand removed to reveal MTA sign from 1932 (Gothamist) Forgotten NY takes a … Continued
Seen and Heard Around the Village 9.15.11: West Edition
Rudin family has obtained $525 million for plan to remake St. Vincent’s site (Wall Street Journal) The Villager checks in with Philip Mortillaro, locksmith artist 345 West 13th Street demolished … 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
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
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 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
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
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
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 6.5.11 – 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
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
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
Historic Landmark Only Partially Damaged After Minivan Attack
Numerous media outlets have reported on the Westchester resident who intentionally drove his van into two narcotics officers standing on the sidewalk outside 73 Washington Place last Friday night. The … Continued
A Look Back at the Beatnik Riot
On Sunday, April 9, 1961, what has come to be known as the Beatnik Riot, or Washington Square Folk Riot, took place (see the flashback in the Villager). Since the … Continued
Purchase your tickets for GVSHP’s Annual House Tour!
Spring means many wonderful things for Greenwich Village: Wisteria is in full bloom, Washington Square Park is full of life, and during our annual house tour several lucky people get … Continued
A Sense of Place circa 1950
Nat Kaufman was a Villager and a member of the Village Camera Club. This image of a man with a baby carriage at the Annual Washington Square Art won a … Continued
Welcome to Off the Grid!
Off the Grid will be a great way for GVSHP to share news, commentary, trivia and historic information about the Village, East Village, and NoHo, and to hear from you. … 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
Celebrating the Landmarks of Immigration in the Greenwich Village Historic District
April is both the time of year when immigrant heritage week is celebrated in New York (commemorating the day in 1907 when more immigrants passed through Ellis Island than any … Continued
Creating a Historic District in Greenwich Village
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. “Of the Historic Districts in New York City which have … Continued
The Original World Trade Center, Memorialized in our Historic Image Archive
The highly-anticipated original World Trade Center opened on April 4, 1973. Construction on the seven-building complex began in 1966, and by the time the towers topped out in 1970 at … Continued
Edward Hopper’s Greenwich Village Historic District
Here at Village Preservation, we celebrate April as “Greenwich Village Historic District Month,” since it was on April 29, 1969 that the district was landmarked, culminating a years-long battle to … Continued
Spring Inspires Poetry in Greenwich Village
“For two weeks or more the trees hesitated;the little leaves waited,carefully indicating their characteristics.” — Excerpt from the poem “A Cold Spring” by Elizabeth Bishop, who lived at 16 Charles … Continued
Politicians, Playwrights, and Parades: The Irish legacy of the East Village and Greenwich Village
For many, celebrating Irish American heritage in March brings one to Fifth Avenue for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, or perhaps a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But for … Continued
The Village Independent Democrats Fight NYU
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our Village Independent Democrats collection, added to our Preservation History Archive in early 2024. In 1953, Robert Moses announced plans … Continued
Why Aren’t These Landmarked? Black History Month Edition
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are rich with sites that have played invaluable roles in New York City’s and the nation’s Black history. Too many of these buildings have yet to be protected.
Woman Crush Wednesday: Edith Wharton’s Greenwich Village
Edith Wharton (January 24, 1862- August 11, 1937) was born into a family who was, at the time, considered to be the epitome of “Old New York,” — the New … Continued
Catherine Clivette and the first Greenwich Village Historical Society
In 1941, an elderly woman with “bright blue eyes and auburn hair” stormed down to City Hall to confront Robert Moses. The fight, reported by The New Yorker, was about … Continued
Architect and Artist: The Rigid Le Corbusier Colored Outside the Lines in Greenwich Village
A city “utterly devoid of harmony” — that is how the controversial Swiss-French architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, described New York without actually having ever visited when … 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
Three Stops on Christopher Street
Christopher Street is one of New York City’s oldest streets: known as Skinner Road in the 18th century, it was rechristened in 1799 by local landowner Charles Christopher Amos with … Continued
Pier 40’s Murals Illustrate Local History
Pier 40 was built between 1958 and 1962 for the Holland America Cruise Line, and became the largest passenger and freight terminal in the Port of New York at the … Continued
The Public Theater’s Manahatta and the Confluence of Three Nations at Astor Place
The Public Theater is opening a significant new play, Manahatta, by Native attorney, activist, and playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle. It is fitting that this important piece of theatrical literature will … Continued
Architect and Artist: The Rigid Le Corbusier Colored Outside the Lines in Greenwich Village
A city “utterly devoid of harmony” — that is how the controversial Swiss-French architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier, described New York without actually having ever visited when … Continued
The Artists of the Greenwich Village Historic District
Greenwich Village has long been a mecca for artists and artistic endeavors. For over a century and a half, the neighborhood has fostered creative energy thanks in part to its … Continued
Tribute in Light
Since September 11, 2003, twin pillars of light have pierced the Lower Manhattan sky from dusk to dawn each year, briefly reverting our skyline to an impression of its previous … 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
Who Were the Most Impactful Women of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo?
March is Women’s History Month. To mark the occasion, we’re taking a look at just some of the incredible women of our neighborhoods who had the deepest impact upon our … Continued
Finding the Most Impactful Women of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
March is Women’s History Month, and we’re taking a good long look at just some of the incredible women of our neighborhoods who had the deepest impact upon our world. … Continued
The Life and Work of Edith Lewis
The long-term partnership between Willa Cather and Edith Lewis has been reflected on and written about as a symbol of female empowerment and LGBTQ+ history for years. Today, we reflect … Continued
October Programs: Building Community in our Neighborhoods
At Village Preserevation our tours, lectures, book talks, exhibitions, and other public programs explore and celebrate preservation, history and culture. Beyond sharing vital information from the past and present about Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, our programs bring together community members from various walks of life to connect and learn from one another. Whether it is participants sharing their favorite memories of concerts at Filmore East on our East Village Rock Tour or gathering at a local school to learn about historical figures who helped shape our community, like Sarah Curry who founded the Little Missionary Day School, our programs provide the vital service of connecting you with your community and its history.
September 1st, 1939
On September 1st, 1939 German troops invaded Poland, starting Word War II, the costliest war in terms life and destruction in human history. Although the United States would not officially … Continued
June is Gay Pride; But July is Gay Liberation
Although June 1969 is in many ways burned in the public consciousness as the pivotal month for the development of the modern LGBTQIA+ Rights Movement, in many ways, the July … Continued
Ice Cream Dreaming Through the Village
A wise man once said that only one food goes just as well with pie, coffee, or tears: ice cream. But you can’t always take wise men at their word; … Continued
The Redstockings: “Rapping” for Reproductive Rights in Greenwich Village
Founded in 1969 by activists Ellen Willis and Shulamith Firestone, the Redstockings were one of the first Women’s Liberation groups, known for their then-radical support of a woman’s right to … Continued
The Gardens Less Travelled
When spring arrives, our wonderful neighborhoods are alive with activity. Many more people are out and about, enjoying the unique beauty of our slice of the big city, where you can … Continued
Great NYC Museums Go #BeyondTheVillageAndBack
New York City is blessed with a broad range of historic and internationally recognized cultural institutions across the five boroughs. But few know how many of them have origins here … Continued
The Federal Style Begins
On March 4, 1789, the U.S. Constitution went into effect as the first Congress met at Federal Hall on Wall Street, ushering in the form of government we utilize in … Continued
The Supposed Streets of Little Africa
Beginning in the late 18th century, the area more or less defined by today’s Bleecker, Mercer, Thompson, Sullivan, MacDougal, and Carmine Streets started to grow as a free Black community … Continued
Redlining and Our Neighborhoods
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) was created by the National Housing Act of 1934. Its purpose was to, among other things, help support investment and homeownership as a means of … Continued
Three Up, Three Down: Explore Our Greek Revival Heritage in Six Buildings
Two centuries ago, a war began in Europe that would shape boundaries and alliances on the continent for years to come. Greece, which for centuries had been under Ottoman rule, … Continued
Woman Crush Wednesday: Beatrix Farrand
On the northeastern edge of the Greenwich Village Historic District, at 21 East 11th Street, just west of University Place, sits an 1848 late Greek Revival townhouse with a wide … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The American Radiator Building
Sitting in Bryant Park behind the New York Public Library’s main branch, tourists and admittedly a few native New Yorkers often marvel at the clear sight they have of the Empire State Building, a rare perspective for midtown Manhattan. Perhaps even rarer is that, within that same view, the iconic tower has some competition in the standout building department from a mere 23-story landmark resplendent in black and gold, one that has a unique connection to Greenwich Village in the last century.
John Sloan: Village Visionary
Many artists have been inspired by the scenes of life in New York City, particularly Lower Manhattan. But perhaps no artist captures the feeling of New York during the hot, … Continued
Mid-Year Appeal: Help Us Do More When It’s Needed Most!
New York is at a pivot point. We’ll soon have a new Mayor, City Council, and leaders of city agencies. We’re emerging from a pandemic, and charting our future. Big … Continued
May He Stay Forever Young: 80 Things We Love About Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (born May 24, 1941) began his legendary career in Greenwich Village. The storied clubs and coffee houses in the neighborhood were the incubators for his formidable talent and … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: New York Public Library Main Branch, Steven A. Schwartzman Building, Fifth Avenue
Since 1911, the majestic main branch of the New York Public Library has been watching over Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets, welcoming researchers, scholars, students, and tourists into its hallowed halls by the millions every year.
Village Award Winners: Past, Present, and Future
With the deadline for submitting nominations for the 2021 Village Awards fast approaching (it’s this Friday — submit your nominations HERE), we thought we would take a look at some … Continued
Groundbreaking Artist and Educator Selma Hortense Burke’s Home at 88 East 10th Street
Selma Hortense Burke lived and worked at 88 East 10th Street from 1944 until at least 1949.
“The Prince of Greenwich Village,” Max Eastman
Around 1907, after recovering from a chronic backache, the 24 year old Max Eastman moved to New York City.
The New-York Historical Society Finds Its First Home in the East Village
In 1804, New York City had already celebrated 190 years since its founding. Comparatively, the United States was only 28 years young. In order to honor the already rich history … Continued
Translation and Transformation: Carl Jung, Beatrice Hinkle, and Greenwich Village Bohemia
Carl Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist whose ideas about the human unconscious had a profound effect on literature, art, and philosophy. While he was a longtime corresponder and collaborator … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The ‘Marble Palace’ A.T. Stewart Store at 280 Broadway
The A.T. Stewart Store, now better known as the Sun Building, was built in 1845-46 by New York architects Joseph Trench and John B. Snook for the prosperous and pioneering merchant Alexander Turney Stewart (October 12, 1803 – April 10, 1876). This magnificent Italian Renaissance “Marble Palace” at 280 Broadway, designated an NYC individual landmark on October 7, 1986, is one of Manhattan’s most significant 19th century structures.
Mabel Ping-Hua Lee and the Fight for Chinese American and Women’s Rights
On May 4, 1912, ten thousand people marched for women’s suffrage along Fifth Avenue.
Gettysburg General Daniel E. Sickles’ Complicated Legacy
Civil War Major General Daniel E. Sickles had one of history’s most contentious, strange, and multifarious biographies.
Politicians, Playwrights, and Parades: The Irish legacy of the East Village and Greenwich Village
For many, celebrating Irish American heritage in March brings one to Fifth Avenue for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, or perhaps a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But for … Continued
How the New York Public Library got its start in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
With 53 million items and 92 locations across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the New York Public Library (MYPL) is the largest municipal library in the world. It’s also … Continued
Native American Contemporary Art Sites in our Area
AMERINDA, American Indian Artists, Inc., is the premier Native American multi-arts services and the only independent, multi-arts organization of its kind in the United States, serving emerging and mid-career Native … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in the Bronx
Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston all host memorials, museums, or plaques that mark Edgar Allan Poe. The prolific, macabre, and often down-on-his-luck poet spent his life wandering these cities. New York City, however, is the place where Poe spent much of his time and wrote some of his best-known works.
Mostly Good News on Chain Stores in Our Neighborhoods
The twelfth annual ranking of national retailers in New York City by the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) just came out, and it reveals a 3.7 percent decrease in … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the great landmarks, and great institutions, of New York City, the nation, and the world. With more than 2 million objects in its collection, it is by far the largest museum in both New York and the country.
14 historic sites of the abolitionist movement in Greenwich Village
In the years before the abolition of slavery in New York State in 1827 and the Civil War, New York was a hotbed of both pro-slavery and anti-slavery sentiment. The … Continued
31 Literary Icons of Greenwich Village
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
The Real Auntie Mame
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Frances Perkins: From Greenwich House to the White House
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and … Continued
Retracing The East Village’s Historic Little Italy
October, the month when we mark Columbus Day, is also Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month. That combined with the recent celebrations around the 125th anniversary of Veniero’s inspires a closer … Continued
12 historic Italian-American sites of the East Village
October is Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month! That’s a perfect time to take a closer look at the East Village’s own historic Little Italy, centered around First Avenue near the beloved pastry … Continued
In Death, As In Life, Marcel Duchamp Left Mystery
Marcel Duchamp was born in France on July 28, 1887 and died on October 2, 1968. He was trained as a painter in Paris until 1905, and spent much of … Continued
“Our Village is Star in an Uptown Exhibit” — September 26, 1990
Village Preservation has been, and continues to be, the guardian of many different archives. Still, our repository continues growing, and our newest online resource, the Preservation History Archive, is somewhat … Continued
Happy (Landmark) Birthday, Salmagundi Club!
Let’s face it — 1969 was a big year. Our Executive Director Andrew Berman was born in January. The Greenwich Village Historic District was designated in April. The Stonewall Riots … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Arthur Miller Edition
In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of the Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their … Continued
17 LGBT landmarks of Greenwich Village
In late June, New York is in the throes of celebrating the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, three nights of disturbances from June 28th to June 30th 1969, which are recognized globally as the … Continued
