Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
Eileen Myles (they/them) is many things; An acclaimed poet and novelist. A dog lover. A lesbian and transgender icon. An East Village local. A political commentator. A photographer. A feminist. A neighborhood preservationist. Their multi-faceted contributions to the fabric of New York’s counterculture place them as one of the most influential poets of the city’s […]
In honor of the incredible strides made in preserving the South Village over the past two decades, Village Preservation has named December “South Village Month” in honor of our kicking off and finishing off our ten-year landmarking campaign in the last month of the year. The three historic district designations and half dozen individual landmark […]
This is the second part of our series on Margaret “Pi” Gardiner. Click here to read Part 1. Our new oral history explores the legacy of Margaret “Pi” Gardiner, Greenwich Village native and long-time executive director of the Merchant’s House Museum. Published this past October, Pi’s interview with our oral historian, Josie Naron, illuminates how […]
Our new oral history published in October of 2024 celebrates the legacy of Margaret “Pi” Gardiner, Greenwich Village native and long-time executive director of the Merchant’s House Museum. Published this past October, Pi’s interview with our oral historian, Josie Naron, illuminates how her family’s deep history in New York City and Long Island inspired her […]
On October 25, 2011, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission landmarked Westbeth Artists Housing, located on the block bounded by West, Bethune (hence the name “Westbeth”), Washington, and Bank Streets — a designation proposed and fought for by Village Preservation, and one of more than 1,250 buildings for which Village Preservation has secured landmark designation. Westbeth […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
New Yorkers are practical, busy, and no-nonsense people. The scariest thing for most is missing that subway connection when trying to get to an important meeting on time. We simply don’t have time for ghosts and spirits. But they seem to have time for us, especially in New York’s spookiest neighborhood. Greenwich Village is no stranger […]
The 1960s and 70s were challenging times in the East Village and Lower East Side. Due to the City’s looming financial crisis and the exodus of many wealthier New Yorkers to the suburbs, the neighborhoods became peppered with vacant, abandoned, and burned-down lots. In light of the neglect from city officials, residents took the beautification […]
Every September in NYC’s Little Italy, thousands flock to the neighborhood for a multi-day celebration of Italian-American culture. The Feast of San Gennaro, named after Saint Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, has been a staple tradition for the city’s Italian-American community for nearly 100 years. What began in 1926 as a one-day block party […]
Greenwich Village, known for its bohemian atmosphere, artistic communities, and rich history, was also a quiet epicenter of Cold War espionage. In the mid-20th century, amid the colorful cafes and intellectual debates that made Greenwich Village world-renowned, a darker narrative unfolded — one of Soviet spies operating in the heart of New York City. Alleged […]
On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment was ratified, forever changing the course of American history by prohibiting voting discrimination based on gender. This monumental achievement wasn’t officially certified until August 26th, when U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation. That’s why every year on August 26th, we celebrate National Women’s Equality Day, […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, with their charming streets, historic landmarks, and vibrant culture, are neighborhoods that beg to be explored on foot. Whether you’re a seasoned New Yorker or a curious visitor, there’s no better way to soak in these incredible neighborhoods’ rich history and artistic energy than by taking a walking […]
On August 16, 1974, a young, four-man rock group took the stage at a dingy East Village bar. Unbeknownst to those attending, this event would become legendary in the punk and music scenes, so much so that momentous occassion would be celebrated decades later. This is, of course, The Ramone’s first performance at the legendary […]
In the 1960’s, a group of dancers convened at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, to exchange and present ideas. The collective became known as Judson Dance Theater, and through a series of workshops and performances, they redefined what could be considered “dance”. With a rich tradition of hosting musicians, painters, poets, and performers […]
Three of the earliest sites connected to our nation’s long disability rights movement are situated within a few short blocks of each other in the East Village. Beginning in 1863, an unassuming row house on 2nd Avenue between East 5th and 6th Streets was the location of the Hospital for the Relief of the Ruptured […]
Greenwich Village resident Vincent Livelli was a music and dance director who helped helped revolutionize the cruise ship industry. He was born on April 10, 1919 and died at age 104 on June 21st, 2024. Born in Brooklyn to Sicilian and Genovese immigrant parents, Livelli moved to Greenwich Village at three months old where he […]
What does it take to hold onto property in Greenwich Village? For the Hess family, a surveying mistake and a subway expansion turned their land into the tiniest piece of private property in existence in New York City — so tiny that the City of New York thought that the family wouldn’t care to assert […]
Historic neighborhoods are great settings that make for striking film locations. Such is the case for our neighborhoods, which have long been the stage for television and movie productions. So much so, that several images of movie productions within our neighborhoods have made their way into our Historic Image Archive. In order to facilitate the […]
It’s sometimes almost incredible to think about the sheer volume of artistic talent that has been located in our neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. It’s perhaps even more overwhelming when multiple artists were present within one building over the span of just a few short years. Such was the case at […]
Fitz-Greene Halleck, a 19th-century American poet, is best known for his witty and satirical verse. His connection to Greenwich Village is an intriguing aspect of his life, highlighting the cultural vibrancy of the area during his time. However, while he was once known widely as the American Byron in his lifetime, today he is a […]
In the 1970s and 80s, the Hudson River piers of Greenwich Village contained a multitude of abandoned structures. The once-bustling commercial waterfront had gone almost entirely dark, leaving countless piers to fall into disrepair. Artist and activist Gordon Matta-Clark (1943-1978) saw the potential in these structures to make a statement, forcing the city to reckon […]
In late June, 2024, we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the NoHo Historic District, which was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission on June 29th, 1999. The district includes nearly 130 buildings that were constructed between the 1830s and the 1910s. These buildings represent various phases of development, with the neighborhood beginning […]
After years of effort by Village Preservation, the historic No. 50 West 13th Street is now on the path to NYC landmark designation. The Greek Revival row house between Fifth and Sixth Avenues has several different histories worthy of note: leading 19th-century Black businessman and abolitionist Jacob Day ran his business here and owned the […]
The NoHo Historic District was designated by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission on June 29th, 1999. Within its bounds are buildings significant for their innovation in architecture, like some of the city’s oldest cast iron structures, early instances of adaptive reuse, and even one of its first skyscrapers, and for their layers of cultural heritage, […]
It is the first National Monument designated to mark LGBTQIA+ history. President Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument on June 24, 2016, becoming official on June 27, 2016. The road to designation was a long one. In the 1990s Village Preservation, then known as Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), along with the now-defunct […]
Have you heard the exciting news? Village Preservation has released a special edition Greenwich Village building set made of genuine LEGO bricks! Composed of 449 pieces, the incredible miniature display depicts some of the most emblematic landmarks of the Village, from the Jefferson Market Library, to Stonewall, to the Washington Square Arch and Fountain, plus […]
When the forecast is hot and sunny, what could be better than to head to one of the incredible green spaces in our neighborhoods to enjoy the simple pleasures in life: good food, great company, and the unparalleled beauty of the parks and community gardens of Greenwich Village and the East Village. Every year, on […]
Village Preservation has been diligently documenting the rich history of visual artists who lived and worked within our proposed South of Union Square Historic District. Many of the globally significant artistic groups and institutions of the 19th and 20th centuries were formed there, and it’s where the New York School of artists and American Abstract […]
Once burning much of New York City’s refuse, the Gansevoort Destructor Plant was a looming fixture of the skyline along the Hudson River. John T. Krawchuk photographed the plant, which has since been demolished, in the 1990s as part of his masters thesis, On The Edge: the West Village Waterfront. The plant appears in the […]
Each year Village Preservation proudly honors about six remarkable people, organizations, businesses, and restorations at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards. We’ve been doing so since June 10, 1991, when we held our very first Village Awards. That year the awardees were Anglers & Writers Café; Paul Egita; First Presbyterian Church Restoration; Jefferson Market […]
One of the many benefits of preserving buildings is it provides access and connection to the valuable pieces of human history connected to them. A prime example of this is 647 Broadway, which in addition to being an architecturally significant building in the NoHo Historic District, played an important role in LGBTQ+ history during two […]
Village Preservation is very proud to honor the Sixth Street Community Center as a 2024 Village Awardee! Join us in recognizing Sixth Street and five other remarkable awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Wednesday, June 12th at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union. The awards ceremony will be emceed by […]
A new and exciting feature of Village Preservation’s sizable Historic Image Archive is the ability to filter images by category, or “tag.” We have painstakingly tagged every single one of our nearly 5,000 historic photographs (an ever growing number), so that users can easily view images organized by their interests. As an example, the “LGBTQ+” […]
Many in the community have been following the landlord-tenant dispute at 310 East 12th Street and 305 East 11th Street. Some residents were allegedly evicted after these connected properties were purchased by an investment firm in August, 2022. Others reportedly received huge rent increases and fearing displacement, immediately organized. The tenants organized. They held a […]
The Washington Square Park Conservancy was founded 10 years ago, a mere drop in the bucket of time compared to almost two centuries for the park at the heart of Greenwich Village. Yet in that short time, the organization has had an outsized impact on the historic greenspace it cares for and manages, and thus […]
When Village Preservation submitted its proposal requesting landmark protections for the Far West Village in 2004, we recognized the many building typologies that are prevalent in this historically industrial waterfront area. In particular, our report indicated that the neighborhood “contains an unusually high concentration of certain building types that cannot be found in such abundance […]
New York City has a long history of ground-level mass transit. One bygone form of this type of transit came to the city in 1827 in the form of the omnibus, a large horse drawn stagecoach. In 1832, the first horse-drawn stagecoach that ran on iron or steel tracks embedded into the street began to […]
The East Village is home to many impressive tenement buildings. Originally built to house the city’s poor and working class citizens, their facades are often ornate and eye-catching. It serves as a reminder that their original occupants, most of whom were immigrants, sought better opportunities, even as their living and working conditions were incredibly difficult […]
I moved to the West Village, all the way west, tucked between the Meatpacking District and the Hudson River, in 1991 at the age of four. My family first lived on Barrow Street and then Bank Street, both between Washington and West Streets, and both within the West Village Houses complex. When you hear the […]
Since 2006, May has marked Jewish American Heritage Month, 31 days to explore and celebrate the impact of Jewish values, contributions, and culture on the nation’s history and character. Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo are communities rich with sites that showcase and commemorate 350 years of Jewish history in our city. That hyperlocal […]
In September of 1911, the Board of Estimate approved the extension of Seventh Avenue from Eleventh Street (its previous southern terminus), to Varick Street, connecting the two thoroughfares and creating a continuous connection between the new Penn Station at 32nd Street and Lower Manhattan. The plan had followed several years of discussion, and was also […]
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. Eleanor Roosevelt was a renowned activist and political figure. She was the country’s longest-serving First Lady, from 1933 to 1945, during which time she transformed the position into a more of an active political role. […]
As the dawn of May 1, 1915, bathed the skyline of New York City in a golden hue, the bustling harbor was witness to an event that would soon echo through the annals of history—the departure from Pier 54 of the RMS Lusitania for her final voyage. For the passengers aboard, it was a journey […]
Village Preservation has been actively campaigning to designate 50 West 13th Street as an individual landmark since 2020, when it was still home to the 13th Street Repertory Company. Unfortunately, the theater had to let go of their lease in 2022, and as a result, the fate of the building is now uncertain, making the […]
Greenwich Village has drawn countless determined artists and performers into its midst. While she is known for launching her career at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Ella Fitzgerald also occasionally performed on a more intimate stage in the Village at Cafe Society alongside other future stars. Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Virginia on […]
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. The Village Independent Democrats (VID) are a reform democratic club founded in 1956. Much of the club’s advocacy work was related to improving the lives of Greenwich Village residents, including in […]
The New York City Landmarks Law was enacted on April 19, 1965, by Mayor Robert Wagner. It was the culmination of a lengthy and laborious process, spurred in part, famously, by the demolition of the original Beaux-Arts Penn Station in 1963. Though the loss of the grand McKim, Mead & White train station was consequential, […]
Springtime in New York City! What could be more inviting? Tulips, daffodils, and flowering trees and bushes fill our parks, people pour into the streets to enjoy the sunshine, and, of course, Village Preservation’s much beloved and time-honored tradition, the Spring House Tour Benefit, is right around the corner. This year marks our 23rd tour, […]
In the 1910’s — a period known as “the Greenwich Village Renaissance,” when a great flowering a radical political, cultural, and artistic ferment emerged took root this neighborhood — a new fashion trend also emerged from the bohemian subculture of Greenwich Village. Women began cutting their hair, removing their corsets, and wearing loose fitting clothes […]
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 been designated or will be designated, Greenwich Village outranks all others. This supremacy comes from the quality of its architecture, the nature of the artistic […]
Early spring is a magical time in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. As we recently discussed, the season has long been a source of inspiration for poets, artists, and musicians associated with the neighborhood. Among the clearest, and most joyous, markers of warmer weather to come are the trees as they begin to […]
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our new Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. For decades traffic was allowed to freely flow through Washington Square Park, causing much of the park to essentially be an extension to Fifth Avenue. The battle to remove this traffic was hard fought […]
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 1,368 feet (1 World Trade Center, the north tower) and 1,362 feet (2 World Trade Center, the south tower), they were the tallest buildings in […]
The Greenwich Village Historic District landmark designation report eloquently captures the essence of St. Luke’s Place: “Looking into this tree-lined street, our senses revel in the peace and beauty of this block-long row of low Italianate townhouses.” Fifteen houses, numbered 3-17 St. Luke’s Place, form a cohesive ensemble of red brick residences in the Anglo-Italianate […]
The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD) is a haven of history, culture, and artistic expression many have called the beating heart of New York City. The GVHD stands as a testament to the ever-evolving tapestry of human history and tells a poignant story within its built environment of a city that constantly reinvents itself while […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
From the domestic sphere to politics, Crystal Eastman challenged many fundamental elements of women’s roles in early twentieth century American culture. She was a trained lawyer, outspoken pacifist, fair labor law advocate, suffragist, and one of the original founders of the American Civil Liberties Union. Born in 1881 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, Eastman spent most of […]
On Village Preservation’s Resources for Neighborhood Research page, we’ve assembled links to online directories, photo archives, maps, and more from city, state, library, educational, and other organizations — including our own — all for your research endeavors. However, navigating through numerous links, maps, and archives can be daunting, especially for those new to the process. […]
“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 Street. The spring equinox has arrived, and New York City is tentatively embracing a warmer season: our parks and streetscapes are starting to bloom with […]
Westbeth Artist Housing opened in 1970. It is located in the Far West Village, and spans an entire city block bounded by Washington, Bank, West and Bethune Streets. Westbeth was not only the country’s first project to provide subsidized housing for artists, but is also one of the first examples of the large-scale adaptive reuse […]
It is no surprise that social movements for workers’ rights and freedom of speech were propelled by activists from Greenwich Village. The neighborhood in the early twentieth century was a meeting ground for a heterogeneous collection of people who sometimes shared little in common except for their passion for justice. Yet they argued with each […]
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 to demolish a large swath of Greenwich Village, from West Houston Street to West 4th Street, and LaGuardia Place (then known as West Broadway) to […]
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and soundscape recordings to celebrate and honor the artistic, social, political, and cultural movements that have grown in our neighborhoods, and the people who gave them voice. We […]
When March comes around, we often find ourselves thinking about one of the oldest types of buildings in our neighborhoods, and indeed, in all of New York City: the Federal style row house. This is because on March 4, 1789, the United States Congress met for the first time at Federal Hall on Wall Street, […]
Village Preservation shares our oral history collection with the public, highlighting some of the people and stories that make Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo such unique and vibrant neighborhoods. Each includes the experiences and insights of leaders or long-time participants in the arts, culture, preservation, business, or civic life. In August 2023, Village Preservation conducted […]
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. Carol Greitzer is a politician, activist and longtime member of the Village Preservation Board of Advisors. During her decades-long career, much of which took place within Greenwich Village, Greitzer has […]
This is the latest installation of “South of Union Square, the Birthplace of American Modernism,” a series that explores how the area south of Union Square shaped some of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. Village Preservation’s proposed South of Union Square historic district attracted painters, writers, publishers, and radical social organizations […]
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and soundscape recordings to celebrate and honor the artistic, social, political, and cultural movements that have grown in our neighborhoods, and the people who gave them […]
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our new Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. The Village Independent Democrats are a reform democratic club founded in 1956. The club recently donated their archives to Village Preservation, and we have released the first batch of the collection, which […]
One of Village Preservation’s most beloved traditions is our Annual Meeting and Village Awards, in which we celebrate our achievements of the past year, and honor invaluable local leaders, institutions, businesses, places, and organizations in our neighborhoods. Fondly referred to as the “Oscars of the Village,” these awards showcase the remarkable people and places that […]
The area South of Union Square, where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, is a dynamic blend of history, commerce, and culture. It’s where great leaps forward in social movements, literature, music, and industry took place, reflected in its diverse array of 19th- and early 20th-century architectural styles. Notably, the loft building emerged as a […]
From the 1890s through the 20th century, the area between Astor Place and Union Square was full of second-hand booksellers who formed what was known as ‘Book Row.’ Each store had a unique offering for their clientele; some specialized in antiquarian books, others in science, and others in a variety of revolutionary texts and publications. […]
The 2024 Grammy Awards set a new record for female artists: women won all nine of the top telecast categories. This incredible milestone in music could never have been reached without the trail blazed by Carole King. Heralded as the “Queen of Rock” and the “greatest songwriter of all time,” King is a four-time Grammy […]
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our new Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive.The successful fight against the proposed Lower Manhattan Expressway (LOMEX) is arguably one of New York’s most famous and significant preservation battles. As originally proposed, it was a multi-lane, above ground expressway that […]
The 1923 literary masterpiece Cane has been firmly established as a landmark of the Harlem Renaissance. Often likened to the works of William Faulkner, this powerful blend of poetry and prose provides an intimate portrayal of the African American experience in the Deep South. The creation of Cane can be attributed, in part, to the […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
The 14th Street/Union Square Station is one of the busiest in the New York City Subway system. It is also one of the oldest, with the station first opening as one of the original 28 Subway stations on October 27th, 1904. Over the years, the station had many additional lines and transfers added, and underwent […]
During the Gilded Age, Western artists and designers were looking outside of their own aesthetic traditions for inspiration. A resurgence of intricate, organic forms had taken the design world by storm, many of which drew from South Asian artisan motifs. This was in part thanks to Lockwood de Forest, a local artist who brought forth […]
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 York that revolved around Washington Square, and whose citizens could trace their ancestors directly back to the old Dutch settlers or English merchants, and who […]
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition, VILLAGE VOICES. Exhibits throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo featured photographs, artifacts, and soundscape recordings to celebrate and honor the artistic, social, political, and cultural movements of our neighborhoods and the people who gave them voice. We have now made […]
Some winters in New York City see almost no appreciable snowfall (prior to late January 2024, for example, there had been over 700 days without), and other years we have more than we can handle. In a snow-filled year, it may feel like the entire city has transformed into something of a real-life snow globe. […]
Known for her powerful, raspy voice and electric stage presence, Janis Joplin was one of the most outstanding musicians of her generation. Her combination of 1960s folk rock and southern blues led her to write unforgettable hit songs ‘Me and Bobby McGee,’ ‘Mercedes Benz,’ and ‘Piece of My Heart.’ Though her life was tragically cut short […]
On July 31, 1923, The New York Times published an article sounding the alarm about an existential threat to the bohemian life of Greenwich Village—Prohibition. The Federal Prohibition Director had initiated an injunction against seven restaurants and bars in the South Village that were repeatedly violating Prohibition laws by serving alcohol. Prohibition agents had quietly […]
Even we here at Village Preservation learn new things about neighborhood history every day. In response to an inquiry we received from someone researching family history, we were asked to provide information about a library that was located near East Houston Street in the 1920s and 1930s. While we were not sure if such a […]
The year is 1944, and in a brick row house by a lush Greenwich Village garden lives a “shy little black cat” named Jenny Linsky with her caretaker, the old sailor Captain Tinker. While the particular adventures and fanciful musings of this feline may have come from the creative imagination of author and illustrator Esther […]
Today we welcome a new small business to our neighborhoods — help us welcome the next. Tell us which new independent store in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo you’re excited about by emailing us at info@villagepreservation.org. As advocates for local small business, we find great satisfaction in hearing of new independent establishments opening […]
Although she is best known for her Abstract Expressionist paintings, Lee Krasner never ceased to transform her artistic style throughout her career. Born in 1908 to Russian Jewish parents, Krasner began receiving recognition for her artwork when she was just a teenager. She studied at Cooper Union and later at the National Academy of Design. To […]
In the summer of 1935, the Federal Writers Project and Federal Art Project were founded as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Like other New Deal Programs, these programs were established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and aimed to alleviate the unemployment and economic uncertainty faced by the United States during the Great Depression. […]
Known as the Gilded Age, the period following the Civil War in late nineteenth century New York City was filled with glamour and bold, imaginative aesthetics. However, one person, and his eponymous product, may be more strongly associated with Gilded Age New York than any other — Louis Comfort Tiffany (February 18, 1848 – January […]
April is National Poetry Month! Launched by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, the month of April marks a marvelous opportunity to celebrate the expressiveness, delight, and pure charm of poetry. National Poetry Month reminds us of the integral role of poets and poetry in our culture. It is only fitting to recognize several […]
Going to the movies: One of America’s favorite pastimes. Before the advent of at-home technologies such as VHS, DVDs, and certainly streaming services, often the only way to see a beloved old film, or to discover one you may have missed when it was first released, was at a revival movie house. The earliest of […]
Hip Hop at 50This is the fifth in a series of posts that celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Birth of Hip Hop. Our exploration takes us to the seminal places of Hip Hop’s early days in our neighborhoods and introduces some of the instrumental figures in the downtown world of Hip Hop. Negril Nightclub: 181 2nd Avenue […]
Provincetown, Massachusetts has long had a deep and interesting connection to Greenwich Village. As one of the largest artist colonies on the East Coast, many of the artists, thinkers, and bohemians of Greenwich Village made Provincetown their summer residence. What attracted these individuals to the region was the mix of fine artists and craftspeople. The […]
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! The South Village in the 50s and 60s was a hotbed of creativity and activism. Where the West Village might be known as the heart of the neighborhood, the area south could be called its soul. Sullivan Street, Thompson Street, MacDougal […]
Our blog series “Hidden in Plain Sight” highlights the many architectural curiosities and unique features found on buildings throughout our neighborhoods — details you might not notice on first pass, but if you’re paying attention, they tell easily overlooked and often forgotten stories. At the corner of West 13th Street and 8th Avenue, on a […]
The 1970s was a dangerous and difficult time for New York City. Arson and neglect left many poor and working-class neighborhoods with abandoned lots, filled with hazardous debris. Residents of the Lower East Side and East Village felt abandoned by the city, so they decided to take matters into their own hands. They had already […]
December is South Village Month, when we celebrate the incredible neighborhood south of Washington Square and West 4th Street. Village Preservation kicked off the effort to preserve this endangered historic neighborhood in December 2006, and completed the process in December 2016 with the designation of the third and final phase of our proposed South Village Historic District. It […]
