Tony Dapolito Recreation Center Must Be Repaired and Restored, Not Demolished

The City claims the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center — a century-old city, state, and national landmark — is beyond repair and shouldn’t be fixed. It’s been closed for five years and little has been done to restore it; officials are instead proposing to demolish the landmarked building. Demolishing, as has been proposed, rather than repairing and restoring the building is environmentally irresponsible, wasteful, and disrespectful of the connection generations have had to this building. Tell them to repair and restore this beloved site.

Village Preservation has been the leader in documenting, celebrating, and advocating for the preservation of the South Village, the once-predominantly immigrant section of Greenwich Village south of Washington Square and West 4th Street, between LaGuardia Place and Seventh Avenue South. In 2006 Village Preservation submitted a proposal for landmark designation of the entire area, based upon the areas rich history in connection to immigrants, countercultural movements, and its early LGBT and African-American communities. This resulted in three historic district designations (the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II, the South Village Historic District, and the Sullivan Thompson Historic District) and four individual landmark designations, protecting about 650 buildings and more than 30 blocks.

Learn about our campaign to protect the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center

Campaign Links

Press
Images & Graphs

Map Showing Expansion of Landmark Protections in the South Village, 2006 – 2016

Photos from the Center for Migration Studies Collection of Village Preservation Historic Image Archive

Video of LPC Designation Vote

12/13/2016

Video of Village Preservation LPC testimony re: Sullivan Thompson Historic District

Photos of the Proposed Sullivan Thompson/South Village Phase III Historic District

Photos from Village Preservation’s presentation of its South Village rezoning plan at the CB2 Land Use Committee hearing

02/12/2014

Video of the South Village Historic District Celebration

12/17/2013

South Village Historic District Celebration PowerPoint presentation

12/17/2013

Map of the South Village Historic District, designated

12/17/2013

Photos from the City Council hearing on Hudson Square rezoning

02/12/2013

Save the South Village Video Project

Demolished, Destroyed or Altered Historic Buildings in the South Village Since Proposal for Historic District Designation Submitted in 2006

10/04/2012

South Village Named One of NY State’s “Seven to Save”: Photos & Video

03/21/2012

Map of affected sites in the unprotected South Village

Nearby proposed rezonings increase development pressure on the South Village

Video and images from the Rally to Save the South Village

04/10/2011

Images of South Village Buildings Landmarked, Not Yet Landmarked, or Lost/Altered, as of June 2010

Celebrating the South Village Phase One victory

06/24/2010

Images of Lost or Compromised Buildings in the South Village

Map of Progress on Proposed South Village Historic District

Actor John Leguizamo on Village Preservation and its work in the South Village

Map of Significant Sites in the Italian-American South Village

South Village on YouTube

South Village Presentation

03/24/2007

LPC Press Release on Designation of Sullivan-Thompson Historic District

12/13/2006
Letters & Docs
Joint letter in opposition to demolition of Tony Dapolito Recreation Center 07/19/2024
Letter to City Officials for Honorary Street Renaming for Cecere Way on MacDougal Street 11/28/2017
Sullivan-Thompson Historic District LPC Designation Report 12/13/2016
Village Preservation Testimony to LPC re: Sullivan Thompson Historic District 11/29/2016
Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer's Testimony to LPC re: Sullivan Thompson Historic District 11/29/2016
Village Preservation Progress Map on Proposed South Village Historic District
IFC BSA Variance
57 Sullivan Street LPC Fact Sheet
57 Sullivan Street LPC Research File
Zoning Variance Application for 51-57 Carmine Street 08/19/2015
Council Member Corey Johnson urges the City Planning Commission to move ahead with rezoning plan proposed by Village Preservation 06/13/2014
Letter from Councilmember-Elect Corey Johnson urging landmarking of the remainder of the South Village 12/13/2013
Letter to LPC urging landmarking of the remainder of the South Village 10/17/2013
Village Preservation’s testimony in support of the South Village Historic District 06/25/2013
Letter from LPC to Village Preservation About Inclusion of Three South Village Sites in Proposed Historic District 05/06/2013
Follow-up letter to LPC about expansion of South Village Historic District Boundaries 04/19/2013
Letter to LPC from six elected officials urging expansion of proposed South Village Historic District boundaries 04/17/2013
Letter to LPC about proposed boundaries of new South Village Historic District 04/10/2013
Letter from LPC Chair re: Consideration of Proposed South Village Historic District 03/19/2013
Letter to LPC Chair Tierney about South Village landmarking commitments 03/15/2013
City Council Announcement re: Hudson Sq. Rezoning and South Village Agreements 03/13/2013
Ad to Speaker Quinn from Village Preservation and two dozen others in The Villager 02/28/2013
Assembly Member Deborah Glick’s testimony at Hudson Square rezoning City Council hearing 02/12/2013
Village Preservation testimony at Hudson Square rezoning City Council hearing 02/12/2013
Letter to Speaker Quinn urging that Hudson Square rezoning includes protections for South Village 02/06/2013
Greenwich Village Block Associations & SoHo Alliance join in urging Speaker Quinn to vote down Hudson Square rezoning if not accompanied by South Village landmarking 02/04/2013
Village Preservation testimony to the City Planning Commission 11/28/2012
Letter of support from State Senator Bill Perkins 11/28/2012
Letter to Borough President Stringer urging changes to Hudson Square rezoning application 11/08/2012
Community Board 2 Resolution on rezoning 10/25/2012
Details of plans for 180 6th Avenue 10/25/2012
Letters to Speaker Quinn, LPC Chair Tierney & City Planning Chair Burden about new development threats to the integrity of the South Village 10/01/2012
Village Preservation letter to LPC urging designation of South Village following ‘Seven to Save’ listing 03/26/2012
Village Preservation letter about proposed Hudson Square Rezoning’s effect on South Village 10/18/2011
Letter to LPC about the possible sale of the Children’s Aid Society’s Coltoff Center and South Village landmarking 12/01/2010
Letter to LPC urging prompt designation of remaining 2/3 of South Village 09/07/2010
Letter to DOB Commissioner about 178 Bleecker Street 01/22/2010
Dept. of Buildings intent to revoke approvals letter for 178 Bleecker Street 01/07/2010
Village Preservation testimony on proposed Sullivan St. rezoning 01/06/2010
Historic Information on Each Individual Building in Proposed South Village Historic District
Historic South Village Preservation Project Advisory Board
Determination of Eligibility for listing on State and National Register of Historic Places
Reports & Analysis
REPORT: Federal Houses Landmarked or Listed on the State & National Registers of Historic Places, 1999-2016
Information about Village Preservation's proposed South Village rezoning plan 02/12/2014
LPC Designation Report for South Village Historic District 12/17/2013
LPC Map of South Village Historic District 12/17/2013
South Village State & National Register Historic District Report 12/01/2013
South Village State & National Register Photographs and Maps 12/01/2013
Description of Proposed South Village Historic District from the LPC  05/20/2013
LPC map of proposed South Village Historic District 05/20/2013
Overview of architectural styles included in LPC’s proposed South Village Historic District 05/20/2013
Preservation League of NY State letter to Speaker Quinn 02/21/2013
LPC Designation Report for South Village Phase I/Greenwich Village Extension II  06/22/2010
South Village Historic District Proposal and Report by Andrew Dolkart 
“The Italians of the South Village” report by Mary Elizabeth Brown
Landmark Proposals
Support for the South Village Landmarking Proposal

Updates

  • December 18, 2024

    New Oral History: Film Forum’s Karen Cooper

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  • December 2, 2024

    Celebrate South Village Month in December

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  • August 19, 2024

    NYU Continues to Challenge Rules Prohibiting Its Expansion in NoHo and SoHo

    Read More

  • July 16, 2024

    City’s Plans for Tony Dapolito Rec Center Demolition and 388 Hudson Street Face Huge Backlash; Speak at Community Board 2 on Thursday at 6:30 pm

    Read More

  • December 19, 2023

    Remembering Important Anniversaries in Neighborhood History — ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas,’ Hudson Waterfront Transformation, LGBTQ+ History, and South Village Landmarking

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  • December 7, 2023

    “What’s So Special About the South Village?” Monthlong Celebration Continues

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  • December 1, 2023

    December Is the First Annual South Village Month!

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  • October 1, 2022

    Italian American History and Heritage Month Begins

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  • October 15, 2021

    Oversized and Out-of-Context Development Plans for 15 Greenwich Avenue, 182 Spring Street Get Landmarks Review Next Tuesday

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  • September 10, 2021

    Oversized and Monotonous New Development Proposed in Sullivan-Thompson Historic District; Hearing Monday

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  • May 6, 2021

    Remembering Jane Jacobs on Her Birthday

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  • April 30, 2021

    Look At All We’ve Accomplished!

    Read More

  • December 13, 2016

    CITY VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO LANDMARKFINAL PHASE OF GVSHP’S PROPOSED SOUTH VILLAGE HISTORIC DISTRICT!

    Read More

  • December 13, 2016

    CITY VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO LANDMARK FINAL PHASE OF GVSHP’S PROPOSED SOUTH VILLAGE HISTORIC DISTRICT!

    Read More
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