Oral Histories of the “Virtual Village” — South of Union Square
Village Preservation is thrilled to share “Virtual Village”: a new online interactive tool.
← View All
Category: Advocacy Efforts
First SoHo-NoHo Upzoning+Rezoning Public Meeting Next Monday, October 26, 6-8pm Sign Up To Speak TODAY!
The first public meeting on the city’s proposal to rezone and upzone SoHo and NoHo will be next Monday from 6-8 pm. This will be the first time further details of the city’s proposal will be made public – the first step before a months-long public hearing and approval process. Here’s what we do know: […]
Advocacy Made Easy On Our New Website
Advocacy through preservation leadership is one of Village Preservation’s most important functions. You can be a part of that by attending hearings in person or virtually, and sending emails through our website to elected officials, the Mayor, and city agencies. Our new website, VillagePreservation.org, has all the information and resources you expect from our old website, and […]
Plan To Upzone and Rezone SoHo and NoHo Announced
Details Are Scarce, But Indications Raise Big Concerns and Conflicts of Interest; Local Elected Officials, Citywide Candidates, and Real Estate Interests Back Move In a surprise move this Wednesday, Mayor de Blasio announced that he intends to propose a rezoning of SoHo and NoHo that would include upzoning certain areas to substantially increase the size of allowable […]
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer Comes Out In Support of SoHo/NoHo Upzoning, Saying They’re “Critical” In Neighborhoods Like SoHo
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer has recently weighed into the debate about upzoning SoHo and NoHo, expressing his unequivocal support for a change which would allow larger development in these neighborhoods, where current rules allow new structures 300 feet tall or greater. Various groups, in some cases backed by developers with vested interests and potential development sites in SoHo and […]
Hearing for St. Marks Office Tower Air Rights Transfer This Thursday
The final public hearing on the application to allow an air rights transfer to increase the allowable size of a planned office tower at 3 St. Mark’s Place (3rd Avenue) by 20% will take place this Thursday, September 24th at 10 am before the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee in Virtual Room 3. Click here for information on testifying […]
Old P.S. 64 on the L.E.S. — Immigrant School Innovator and Latinx Culture Leader
Village Preservation has partnered with Urban Archive to explore the history of the former P.S. 64/Charas-El Bohio Cultural Center in their Story of a Building campaign. The former P.S. 64 is located at 605 East 9th Street and opened in 1905. It was designed by architect C.B.J. Snyder and served as an innovative model in […]
Is NYC Government Still Trump’s Apprentice?
The Trump SoHo was approved for construction by the City on May 8, 2007, over the objections of dozens of elected officials and a broad coalition of community and business groups from across New York led by Village Preservation. Unfortunately, the City decided that the interests of deep-pocketed developers “trump” zoning protections for our neighborhoods, […]
A Tour of Jewish Historic Sites South of Union Square
The area south of Union Square is the center of an amazing and dynamic collection of histories.
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 112 Fourth Avenue
The five story Italianate style cast-iron loft building at 112 Fourth Avenue was constructed in 1872.
Join Us: Support the ‘Save Our Storefronts’ Campaign and Legislation for Small Business Relief
The plight of local small businesses and non-profit institutions right now is devastating. Forced to close or limit access due to the pandemic, many have lost income and shut down permanently. Storefronts are emptying, harming communities, neighbors, and property owners. Village Preservation is working with a coalition of local merchants, non-profits, elected officials, and property owners to […]
The First Global Economic Crisis, and An Easily-Overlooked Greenwich Village House
Today, global economic crises are all too familiar and common. A bad day on Wall Street, or a troubling decision by China or the European Union, can send markets tumbling around the world, with the effects felt swiftly and pervasively. That’s because, in the 21st century, news can reach virtually anywhere almost instantaneously, and our […]
Spotlight on Small Businesses: La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street
La Sirena, 27 East 3rd Street A colorful little shop that anyone who has walked on East 3rd Street will recognize is La Sirena. A former Village Preservation Business of the Month in 2017, owner Dina Leor celebrates two decades of being in business. Some small shops pack so much energy they seem to flow […]
Small Business EVERY-Day: Mercer Street Books & Records, 206 Mercer Street
Certain times a year like “Small Business Saturday” or “National Small Business Week” we’re encouraged to shop local to promote our independent retailers. That’s nice, but one day or week a year is not enough, especially when our local small businesses are facing challenges like never before. We need to shop “Small Business EVERY-Day” to […]
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.
Support Our Mid-Year Appeal
Ten years ago today, we secured landmark designation of 235 buildings on 12 blocks in Greenwich Village, the largest expansion of the Greenwich Village Historic District in its history. It included streets and structures many would consider the heart of our neighborhood, yet lacked protections and were endangered by developers and institutions like NYU. This […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 60 Fifth Avenue
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation but somehow aren’t. 60 Fifth Avenue, the former Macmillan Publishing Company Building/the former Forbes Building This eight-story building on the northwest corner of 12th Street and Fifth Avenue is located […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked? 64-66 5th Avenue
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. 64-66 Fifth Avenue, on the west side of the street between 12th and 13th Streets, is a striking Romanesque Revival structure that was actually built […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked? Devonshire House, 28 East 10th Street
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. “Devonshire House” is a 13-story residential building designed in 1928 by Emery Roth. The Devonshire House design includes an eclectic mix of Beaux Arts […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked: 4 & 6 East 12th Street
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. Nos. 4 and 6 East 12th Street are a pair of largely intact 4-story and basement ca. 1846 Greek Revival houses located just east […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 55 Fifth Avenue
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The impressive 18-story neo-Renaissance style office building at 55 Fifth Avenue was built in 1912 by Maynicke & Franke. According to the New York Times, the […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked? 70 Fifth Avenue
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. This striking 12-story Beaux Arts style office building was constructed in 1912 by architect Charles Alonzo Rich for the noted publisher and philanthropist George A. […]
The Greenwich Village Historic District’s Historic Birthday!
Who doesn’t like an opportunity to celebrate? The Greenwich Village Historic District, which was designated (landmarked) on April 29, 1969, holds some of the loveliest bits of Greenwich Village within its bounds — from Washington Square to Abingdon Square, from the New School to the New York Studio School. Historic houses of worship and historic […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked: Former McCreery’s Dry Goods Store, 801 Broadway/67 East 11th Street
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The area south of Union Square is rich in architectural and social history which needs and deserves historic district (landmark) protections, which we have […]
Why Isn’t It Landmarked?: 813 Broadway
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The area south of Union Square is full of buildings rich in architectural and social history which need and deserve historic district (landmark) protections. We […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 114-118 East 13th Street, the American Felt Company Headquarters
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The area south of Union Square is rich in architectural and social history which needs and deserves historic district (landmark) protections, which we have been […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 815 Broadway
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The area south of Union Square is rich in architectural and social history which needs and deserves historic district (landmark) protections, which we have […]
Meet the Interns- Spring 2020
Village Preservation’s team is a strong one – we’re lucky to have a group of interns who are here to gain experience in historic preservation in a non-profit environment. Internships are paid, and our interns come from all educational and life backgrounds. We work together to tailor internship experiences to fit an intern’s skills and […]
The Birth of The Committee to Save the West Village, Led By Jane Jacobs
The battle between Village preservation icon Jane Jacobs and Robert “put a highway through every park” Moses is quite storied and well-documented. But for us, understanding it and preserving its memory — including how decisions were made, tactics used, plans that were formulated and scrapped — has special meaning, and important lessons that should not […]
The South Village Historic District Makes the National Register of Historic Places
The South Village is an area rich in architectural, cultural, and historic resources, distinct from (though connected to) those of its surrounding historic communities, such as Greenwich Village, Soho, and Noho. Much of this area’s history is defined by tenements and immigrants, particularly Italian-Americans; by speakeasies, jazz clubs, beatnik coffeehouses, and folk music clubs from […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: The Hotel Albert on University Place
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. Most of us remember the famous line from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller, Rear Window, “Meet me in the bar at the Albert Hotel,” delivered hauntingly […]
Why Isn’t It Landmarked?: 204 East 13th Street, Home To Jazz Great and Film History
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. 204 East 13th Street is a 4-story Neo-Grec style tenement built in 1875. The building has exceptionally vivid and intact architectural detailing on its cornice […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked: 95 East 10th Street/48 Third Avenue
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. 95 East 10th Street (also known as 48 Third Avenue) was built in 1886 as a tenement building by architect James M. Farnsworth & […]
Business of the Month: Live Live & Organic, 261 East 10th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. As the preference […]
There’s Been A Lot of Talk About Affordable Housing in SoHo and NoHo. Here’s What They Really Mean
An abridged version of this piece appeared as an op-ed in the January 23, 2020 edition of AM-Metro NY. A recent report issued on behalf of the NYC Department of City Planning, the Manhattan Borough President, and City Councilmember Margaret Chin called for seeking opportunities to create affordable housing in SoHo and NoHo, and to […]
The Fight to Recognize LGBT Civil Rights History in Our Neighborhoods
On January 16th, 2013, Village Preservation sent a letter to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) requesting that it landmark key sites of significance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history we had identified. At this time, no buildings in the city were explicitly recognized or protected by the LPC primarily for […]
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 chain stores citywide over the past year, marking the largest year-over-year drop in national retail locations since they began their annual analysis of the city’s […]
Most Popular Posts of 2019
2019 has been a huge year for Village Preservation. We celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Greenwich Village Historic District, fought increasing pressure on Greenwich Village and the East Village below Union Square to become an extension of “Silicon Alley” and “Midtown South”, served thousands of students and adults with our free public programs, testified […]
Holiday Shopping in the Village
It is that time of the year where the streets are dazzling with lights, Christmas trees line the sidewalks, and you still haven’t bought a single gift for the holidays. Luckily, the Village has you covered this year with many small businesses that can offer you the perfect gift for your friends and family. Many […]
Fight to Save Our Neighborhood South of Union Square: From Bowlmor Demolition to the ‘Zero-Help’ Hotel Special Permit
On Saturday, November 14th, 2015, a crowd of over 150 people gathered across from the Bowlmor Lanes building at 110 University Place, which was in the process of being demolished and replaced with a nearly 300-foot tall tower stocked with luxury condominiums. The group, led by Village Preservation, then-City Councilmember Rosie Mendez, then-Community Board #2 […]
Business of the Month: Videogamesnewyork, 202 East 6th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. The advent of […]
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: The Erskine Press Building, 17 East 13th Street
Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation but somehow aren’t. The Erskine Press Building, 17 East 13th Street This charming and diminutive building bears a remarkable connection to the history of the surrounding area south of Union […]
Big New Step for the Village Preservation/Urban Archive Partnership
Urban Archive is a location-based mobile app that empowers New Yorkers to learn about history where it happened. The site brings together the digital collections of New York City’s museums, archives, and libraries in an easy-to-use resource built for discovery. Since 2017, Village Preservation has partnered with Urban Archive to increase access to our image […]
Business of the Month: Heermance Farm Purveyors, 183 Christopher Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. If you are […]
Beyond the Village and Back: Architecture in Prospect Lefferts Gardens
In our series Beyond the Village and Back, we take a look at some great landmarks throughout New York City outside of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, celebrate their special histories, and reveal their (sometimes hidden) connections to the Village. Is that Flatbush, or is it Greenwich Village? The Prospect Lefferts Gardens Historic District […]
A Video Campaign to “Save the South Village”
On Columbus Day in 2012 ( which was on October 8th), Village Preservation launched its “Save the South Village” video campaign. Columbus Day is traditionally a time to celebrate the contributions made by Italian-Americans to our country. Our “Save the South Village” video campaign began as an effort to highlight the incredible history (Italian-American and […]
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 his adult life living in Paris and New York City. He moved to Greenwich Village, not because of the artistic milieu, but to be near […]
Storefronts in Historic Districts — What You Need to Know
Stores and commercial spaces provide important services, products, jobs, and character to our neighborhoods and communities. Small businesses in landmarked buildings and historic districts have many wonderful assets, while also having NYC Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) rules to follow. The LPC recently released guidelines to help business owners get approval for changes and better understand […]
Rooftop Farms in Our Neighborhoods: It is Officially “A Movement”
We at Village Preservation keep tabs on all different types of preservation, including environmental sustainability. So we’ve been really interested to learn about the expanding opportunities in our neighborhoods for urban agriculture and beekeeping. Urban agriculture is becoming a big thing in New York City. If you are interested, start looking up! Rooftop farms are […]
Business of the Month: Greenwich Letterpress, 15 Christopher Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. In an era […]
M1-5 What? A Lofty History of Zoning in SoHo and NoHo
Scrolling through the NYC Department of City Planning website, it is easy to get lost amidst the zoning texts and maps and terms. But, as we come to realize from time to time – when one of our favorite businesses is replaced with a vacant storefront, or a luxury condominium building goes up across the […]
Meet the Interns
Village Preservation’s team is a strong one – we’re lucky to have a group of interns who are here to gain experience in historic preservation in a non-profit environment. Internships are paid, and our interns come from all educational and life backgrounds. We work together to tailor internship experiences to fit an intern’s skills and […]
Remembering Margot Gayle, In Her Own Words
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. Born May 14, 1908, […]
Business of the Month: Three Lives Books, 154 West 10th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. If you walked […]
Business of the Month: Elite Shoe Repair, 105 West 10th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Walking down West 10th between 6th and […]
When Our City Government Was Trump’s Apprentice
The Trump SoHo was approved for construction by the City on May 8, 2007, over the objections of dozens of elected officials and a broad coalition of community and business groups from across New York led by Village Preservation. Unfortunately, the City decided that the interests of deep-pocketed developers “trump” zoning protections for our neighborhoods, […]
A New Archive for GVHD50: Retaking the 1969 Designation Photos
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 celebrations. In the years leading up to April 29, 1969, when the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated the Greenwich Village Historic District, […]
When the Weathermen Blew Up 18 West 11th Street
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at www.gvshp.org/GVHD50. On March 6, 1970, the unexpected detonation of a bomb being assembled by members of the Weather Underground tore through Greenwich Village and the heart […]
Business of the Month: Feast On Us, 645 Hudson Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. In that sweet spot where Greenwich Village meets […]
Business of the Month: Love Child, 9 Patchin Place
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. From its birth as a pop-up yoga speakeasy […]
Business of the Month: M & D Shapiro Hardware, 7 Great Jones Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Few businesses survive decades. Fewer still survive […]
One Street, Many Great Local Businesses: Bleecker Street
Four years ago today, GVSHP launched our Business of the Month program, in which each month a local independent business is featured on GVSHP’s website and blog Off the Grid, and shared with thousands of followers via our e-bulletins and social media, showcasing one of the great retail treasures of the Village, East Village, or […]
Business of the Month: Village Tannery, 173 Bleecker Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Need a bag of any kind? Or […]
Business of the Month: East Village Vintage Collective, 545 East 12th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. A little shop on East 12th Street […]
Only Seven Landmarks in One of New York’s Most Historically Rich Areas?
Seven late 19th and early 20th century buildings are now under consideration for landmarking by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. They are all located along Broadway south of Union Square, in an area rich in architectural and cultural significance, and also increasingly endangered. So in looking around the area, it begs the question: […]
Business of the Month — Casa Magazines, 22 Eighth Avenue
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. The corner newspaper stand and candy store […]
Beyond the Village and Back: Assyrian Revival on West 30th Street
In 2001, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 130 West 30th Street as a Landmark. Designed by the preeminent architect Cass Gilbert in 1927–28, the building was built to accommodate offices, showrooms and manufacturing space for the fur industry.
When NYC’s Last Surviving Horse Auction Mart, and Frank Stella’s Former Studio, Were Almost Demolished
Did you know that 128 East 13th Street is believed to be the last surviving horse and carriage auction mart building in New York City? It was threatened with demolition until GVSHP got the Landmark Preservation Commission to hold an emergency hearing on landmarking the building on September 7, 2006, which started the long path toward […]
Happy Birthday, SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District
GVSHP’s primary focus is between the Hudson and East Rivers, from Houston Street to 14th Street. Still, in 2016 GVSHP fought to secure the Sullivan-Thompson Historic District which dips 3+ blocks just below Houston and abuts the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District, which was designated on August 14, 1973.
A Synagogue Preserved, Reflecting a Neighborhood’s Transformation
On August 9, 2010, GVSHP and the East Village Community Coalition asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission to consider designating this historic building at 323-327 East 6th Street with various layers of historical significance as a New York City landmark.
Twenty Years Later, A Community Center is Still Empty
This Friday, July 20, marks the 20th anniversary of the controversial auction of the former P.S. 64/CHARAS-El Bohio Community and Cultural Center at 605 East 9th Street by then-Mayor Giuliani over widespread community opposition. Check out the Facebook event page here.
A Decision By the State Was An Important Milestone in Preserving Gansevoort Market
There were many moments to celebrate along the arc of fighting for the protection of the Gansevoort Historic District, also known as the Meatpacking District. One such milestone took place on July 17, 2002, when the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation determined, in response to an application by GVSHP, that […]
Business of the Month: Random Accessories, 77 East 4th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. You might walk right past the narrow […]
Many Layers of History at 7th Street and 2nd Avenue
As we enter July, it’s not hard to notice that some of the dates align with some neighborhood intersections. In honor of today’s date, we are taking a look at some of the buildings and history around the intersection of 7th Street and 2nd Avenue .
United States v. Windsor
On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5 to 4 decision (United States v. Windsor), declared unconstitutional part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which defined marriage solely as a legal union between a man and a woman. This landmark case had its roots here in the Village with the […]
Part 2- REBNY Report Falsely Blames Landmarking for Empty Storefront Syndrome
Recently, I responded to a portion of a recent “report” by the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) that (incredibly, but predictably for REBNY) blamed the retail vacancy crisis impacting our city on landmarking and historic districts. In that case, they misrepresented and inflated the number of days until storefront permit is issued by the […]
A Landmark’s Long Fight for Life
The former Public School 64, which once housed the CHARAS community and cultural center, was designed by master school architect C.B.J. Snyder in the French Renaissance Revival style in 1904-06. And on June 20, 2006 Landmarks Preservation Commission designated it an official New York City landmark, saving it from planned demolition by its developer/owner. .
A Landmark SCOTUS Win: Penn Central v. City of New York
The summer of 1978 in New York City has been well documented. The city was a place of joy, grit, and transition, looking for the next big idea — or building — to move it forward. That summer was also when the Supreme Court handed down its first-ever decision about our landmarks law. The Penn […]
Beyond the Village and Back: “Becoming Visible” and The Legacy of Stonewall at the NYPL
Our Beyond the Village and Back series takes a look at great landmarks in New York City outside of our neighborhoods, finding the sometimes hidden connection to the Village. Today we take a slightly unorthodox approach of looking back at a groundbreaking exhibit which took place on June 18th, 1994 at one of our city’s most […]
REBNY Report Falsely Blames Landmarking for Empty Storefront Syndrome
A recent “report” by the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) was released that (incredibly, but predictably for REBNY) blamed the retail vacancy crisis impacting our city on landmarking and historic districts. Although it was uncritically parroted by some media outlets, some simple digging found multiple misrepresentations and inaccuracies. Here’s just one:
The Baldwin-Kennedy Meeting of 1963
As we reflect upon the life and legacy of Robert F. Kennedy, his central role in the progress of civil rights in America comes immediately to mind. Kennedy was to become one of the heroes of the movement for his tireless and ultimately successful work through the Department of Justice to secure the Civil Rights […]
Taking on REBNY and Winning
Are you one of the many people who has had to take on the seemingly all-powerful Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) in a real estate/preservation fight? Sometimes it may seem like REBNY and the other forces of Big Real Estate control everything in New York City. But we’ve actually tangled with the well-funded […]
(the former) Trump SoHo, and Years of Non-Compliance
The building formerly known as the Trump Soho has made the national and international news. But GVSHP was protesting it over ten years ago when its construction was first announced on “The Apprentice.” We fought the City hard to prevent its construction, which we contended violated zoning laws. But then-Mayor Bloomberg and elected officials like then-Borough […]
Business of the Month: Hudson River Flowers, 541 Hudson Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. Spring is here, and that means flowers! […]
Watching GVSHP, and Village Preservation Efforts, Grow
We recently added copies of GVSHP’s newsletter The Anthemion dating back to the organization’s founding in the early 1980s to our website, which you can view here. There is so much rich history about the work of our organization and ever-changing preservation and development issues over the years contained within them; in fact, as you […]
History Lost to NYU
We all know that New York University has an enormous presence in Greenwich Village and the East Village — one that has grown tremendously in recent decades, and is continuing to grow with the construction of their “NYU 2031” expanded campus on the Washington Square Village and Silver Towers superblocks south of Washington Square. The […]
Honoring Lucy and Lenny Cecere
Lucy Cecere, who passed away on March 19, 2011, at the age of 89, was small in stature, but a true giant in a neighborhood of outsized personalities in which she lived her whole life. She was someone who deeply loved her Greenwich Village neighborhood and was willing to fight to preserve it. She and her husband […]
A New Chapter for Local Bookstores
Some good news for small businesses and the written word in our neighborhoods. Bucking the prevailing trend of disappearing bookstores, we actually have two new ones in our neighborhood, and more may be on the way! This is a welcome development, and one worthy of celebration. First we welcome Codex Books to the neighborhood. Located […]
Angela Davis: Her Greenwich Village Connections
This is an updated reposting of a blog by staffer, Matthew Morowitz, January 26th, 2016. Activist, leftist, and radical feminist — these are just some of the words used to describe Angela Davis, a scholar and civil rights leader and fighter who came to prominence in the countercultural era of the 1960’s. Davis was born on January […]
Business of the Month — Eva’s Kitchen, 11 West 8th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: click here to nominate your favorite. Want to help support small businesses? Share this post with friends. What’s the West 8th Street stop for […]
Beyond The Village and Back: Gould Library and Begrisch Hall, Bronx Community College
For our first post in this series, we would like to highlight a pair of important and often overlooked landmarks. The Gould Memorial Library and Begrisch Hall are both located in a dramatic hilltop setting on the campus of Bronx Community College in the University Heights section of the Bronx.
Landmarks vs. National Monuments: How Safe is the Stonewall Inn?
In late April of last year, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reviewing all National Monuments created under the Antiquities Act since 1996. As the Stonewall National Monument, designated in 2016, would fall within this review, many individuals and advocacy groups have voiced their concerns that the current administration might strip the monument […]
Considering New Buildings in the Greenwich Village Historic District
On January 4, 2017, GVSHP released its report cataloging for the first time in one place all new buildings approved by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in the Greenwich Village Historic District since its designation in 1969 — click HERE to see the report. It’s been updated since its release and to date, we have […]
Our 2018 Resolutions
Happy New Year! We here at GVSHP hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and look forward to 2018! Like many people everywhere, GVSHP has also made some resolutions for the New Year. Some of our biggest goals for this year center on our advocacy efforts, our Historic Image Archive, and our public programming. In 2018 […]
Historic Preservation 101: What is a Landmark?
This is a re-posting of a piece originally written in 2011. Architect Phillip Johnson and others protesting the demolition of Pennsylvania Station 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 came to be, […]
All we want for the holidays is TO SAVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
It’s the case every year – what we want for the holidays, much like every other time of year, is to save our neighborhood. On a very cold December 20, 2004, that was exactly our message when GVSHP hosted a press conference at which we asked the Mayor – at the time Michael Bloomberg – […]
Pier 40/St. John’s Deal — A Win-Win with Lessons to Learn
On December 15, 2016, the City Council approved a zoning change for the St. John’s Terminal site at West and Houston Streets that included a series of neighborhood protections and mitigations that GVSHP demanded. These included an agreement with the City for landmarking the final phase of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District, restrictions on […]
Happy Anniversary to the Sullivan-Thompson Historic District!
On this date in 2016, the Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to designate the final piece of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District, an incredibly important part of our rich history. After a hard-fought, ten-year campaign led by GVSHP, three new historic districts were created including the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II in 2010, the South Village Historic District in 2013, […]
23 Third Avenue: An Interesting History and Uncertain Future
If you look at Astor Place and Cooper Square on a map, it looks as though somebody took a lasso and tied a bunch of streets together. Multiple streets and thoroughfares converge and diverge here, and perhaps because of that, this New York City nexus has a long and varied history. One longtime witness to […]