Rally to Save 112-120 East 11th Street — One Year Ago Today
It seems well over a year ago when we rallied outside 112-120 East 11th Street to protest the demolition of these five tenement buildings with a history of rent stabilized … Continued
It seems well over a year ago when we rallied outside 112-120 East 11th Street to protest the demolition of these five tenement buildings with a history of rent stabilized … Continued
Few buildings capture the whimsy, flamboyance, and bohemian spirit of early 20th century Greenwich Village as does the building known as “Twin Peaks” at 102 Bedford Street. Described as a “wonderfully … Continued
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, … Continued
On August 2nd, 1967, MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens was designated a New York City historic district. These 22 homes surround a beautiful private garden oasis, and this was one of the first … Continued
On July 25, 1916, New York City adopted the very first zoning rules anywhere in the country. This system for regulating the size, height, use, and other related characteristics of … Continued
On this day in 2007, two historic federal style row houses at 486 and 488 Greenwich Street (between Spring and Canal Streets) built in 1823 by the Rohr family were … Continued
When word got out that a Starbucks was slated to open for the nearly 10,000 sq. ft. space at 125 St. Mark’s Place at Avenue A, it was seen as … Continued
In this series, ‘More is More,’ we look at historic district extensions in our area. The Greenwich Village Historic District Extension II was designated June 22, 2010 after a multi-year campaign led … Continued
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, … Continued
The infamous raid on the Stonewall Inn occurred at 3am on June 28th, 1969, and was followed by five nights of ongoing protests. These events came to be known as the … Continued
On Wednesday, June 21st, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation attended a plaque unveiling at the Church of the Village to honor former gay clergymen. Reverends Clarence Edward Egan … Continued
“This is my home, and I love it here” Frances Goldin said about the Lower East Side, her home for over 70 years. GVSHP loves Fran (as she likes to … Continued
The St. Mark’s Historic District Extension was designated 15 years after the St. Mark’s Historic District and only consists of two buildings, 102 and 104 East 10th Street. But they … Continued
Last week the Mayor signed a raft of bills passed by the City Council that will lead to a series of reforms to the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting our 2017 Village Awards winners in our upcoming June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. Read about other awardees here. … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting our 2017 Village Awards winners in our upcoming June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. Read about other awardees here … Continued
This is an updated version of a previous post by Andito Lloyd. On May 30, 2012, GVSHP officially launched its historic plaque program in partnership with the Two Boots Foundation … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2017 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. … Continued
Note this is an update of a post previously posted by Matthew Morowitz. A Roman Catholic Church formerly located at 440 E. 12th St., Mary Help of Christians was demolished … Continued
GVSHP’s Annual Village Awards Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 6th at the New School Auditorium, 66 West 12 Street from 6:30 PM until 8 PM. The Regina Kellerman … Continued
The arts are the soul and life of our civilization. They are the link which we use to identify individual and shared expressions. It is widely recognized that The … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2017 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to RSVP. … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2017 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the June 6th Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony. Click here for more information about the event and to … Continued
By Matt
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, … Continued
Join us on Tuesday, June 6th at 6:30 pm for the 37th GVSHP Annual Meeting and 27th Village Awards — RSVP required; click here. Co-hosted by The New School The … Continued
On May 2, 2006, two new historic districts were designated in the Far West Village, the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension and the Weehawken Street Historic District, as part of … Continued
Note: This is an updated version of a post originally written by Drew Durniak Map of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click to enlarge. On April 29th, 1969, Mayor John … Continued
Ever wonder “Can they build that?” when you see one of those grotesque out-of-scale and out-of-context flashy renderings a developer, or even the Mayor, publicize to the world? Zoning regulations … Continued
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, … Continued
This was originally posted by Amanda Davis, GVSHP’s former Director of Preservation & Research. It has been updated with new information. New law tenement at 151 Bleecker Street in the … Continued
In this series, ‘More is More,’ we look at historic districts extensions in our area. In the previous posts, we covered the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District Extension and … Continued
The historic 2017 federal court decision that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people are protected from employment discrimination under the civil rights act has deep roots in a house in the … Continued
Today is the deadline for submitting a nomination for the 2017 Village Awards. We have already received many nominations, but we know that you know the perfect unsung hero deserving … Continued
The celebration of Women’s History Month cannot go without being reminded of the venerable Jane Jacobs. Much has been written about her here on Off the Grid, but let’s pause a … Continued
Five years ago today, the South Village was named one of the Preservation League of New York’s ‘Seven to Save’ — the seven most important, endangered historic sites in New York … Continued
Off the Grid is highlighting the 2016 Village Awards winners in the lead up to the March 27th deadline for submitting nominations for the 2017 Annual Village Awards, which will take … Continued
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, … Continued
Op-ed by GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman in Read it here. To great fanfare, Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced plans for a slick new “tech hub” to be built … Continued
On March 6, 2007, three historic structures GVSHP fought to have preserved were designated as New York City landmarks: 159 Charles Street, 354 West 11th Street and 150 Barrow Street, … Continued
Historic Preservation in this country is, in many ways, undergoing a bit of a face lift. If at one time the field was seen as a pursuit of the moneyed … Continued
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, … Continued
Show your love for community centers and spaces for a powerful and quick event next Tuesday. Join GVSHP, elected officials, community groups, and neighbors for a rally and press conference … Continued
In this series, ‘More is More,’ we look at extensions of historic districts in our area. In the previous post, we covered the designation of the St. Mark’s Historic District Extension. … Continued
The Cornelia Street Cafe which opened its doors in July 1977 needs your help. In 1998, the Cafe was one of the restaurants recognized by GVSHP with one of our annual Village … Continued
Edward I. Koch served as Mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989, following terms as Greenwich Village’s Congressman, City Councilmember, and Democratic District leader. Koch, a self-described “liberal … Continued
Have you heard that chant, or others like it, echoing off Greenwich Village buildings recently? I know I have, because the recent political goings-on have turned our city and country … Continued
Ten years ago today, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held hearings on three Federal-era (1790-1835) houses GVSHP had proposed for landmark designation — 94, 94 1/2, and 96 Greenwich Street, … Continued
In this series, ‘More is More,’ we will look at extensions of historic districts in our area. Extensions to historic districts are just what they sound like — additions to … Continued
“Alternative facts” seems to be the buzzword this week, and may become the phrase of the next four years. For better or worse, for those of us involved in the … Continued
By Matt
It was 100 years ago on January 23rd that a group of Village bohemians – artists, poets, writers, actors – had had enough. They had moved to Greenwich Village to … Continued
The Villages and Noho have long been recognized a breeding ground of activity around civil rights and social justice — a fact GVSHP has recently sought to highlight with our … Continued
As 2016 fades into memory, we wanted to look back on all that GVSHP accomplished during the year, and what we have to look forward to in 2017. In 2016, … Continued
GVSHP’s recently published Greenwich Village Historic District New Buildings Report for the first time catalogues every new building approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in the Greenwich Village Historic District, our … Continued
It seems that President-elect Donald Trump is having a difficult time filling the roster for his inauguration ceremony. In previous years, the inauguration festivities have included extensive and star-studded ceremonies … Continued
Here at GVSHP we are excited about our recently launched Village Civil Rights & Social Justice Map. With our upcoming LGBT history bar crawl at the end of the month … Continued
All week we have looked at the rich contents of newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic District designation report that was posted last week by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). Today we hone … Continued
The Vesuvio playground, one of the few green spaces in the newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic District, is a true haven for South Village children. In the 1920s, the New York … Continued
In 2015, the City Council passed legislation requiring the City to produce its first-ever comprehensive cultural plan: CreateNYC. CreateNYC is supposed to become a roadmap to guide the future of … Continued
JUST SIX DAYS LEFT IN 2016! 2016 was a year of incredible accomplishments for GVSHP. Help us keep the progress going, and protect what we hold dear about our neighborhoods.
The recently landmarked Sullivan-Thompson Historic District is one of the first historic districts in New York City so designated almost exclusively based upon its immigrant history and working-class architecture. As … Continued
Christmas is coming early this year! We have been told by the Landmarks Preservation Commission that the designation report for the newly landmarked Sullivan-Thompson historic district, aka phase III of … Continued
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, … Continued
Last Thursday was the official unveiling and dedication of the restored Mosaic Trail poles as part of the Astor Place and Cooper Square renovation, which greatly expanded the pedestrian space … Continued
Neighbors, elected officials and fellow preservation groups turned out in droves yesterday at LPC with GVSHP to speak in favor of the designation of the Sullivan-Thompson historic district, the third … Continued
This is part of Off the Grid’s “My Favorite Things” series. As the old saying goes, you win some, you lose some. That’s particularly true in preservation, where sometimes in spite of … Continued
The final pieces of the renovation of Astor Place will be unveiled and dedicated tomorrow. Thanks to the creative verve of Jim Power, aka the Mosaic Man, and the support … Continued
On Monday morning, I was walking up the subway stairs at Union Square thinking, “what am I going to write about for Off the Grid this week?” As I came around … Continued
14th Street is an eclectic ecotone; it’s not only the upper boundary of the Village but also the lower Boundary of Chelsea and Gramercy. It’s not surprising then that this … Continued
By Matt
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, … Continued
On November 11th, 2003, GVSHP launched our campaign to protect the South Village. GVSHP partnered with the Preservation League of New York State, elected officials, other community groups, neighborhood residents, and … Continued
We here at GVSHP work hard to honor, celebrate, and perhaps most importantly learn from our history. There were uplifting triumphs and disappointing setbacks, incredible progress and devastating losses, tremendous … Continued
The newly calendared Sullivan-Thompson Historic District contains some of the oldest and most historically significant buildings in the South Village, including St. Anthony of Padua, the oldest extant Italian-American Church in … Continued
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, … Continued
Two and a half years after the designation of the South Village Historic District, the official brown terra cotta signs are now appearing identifying the streets included in the … Continued
It is autumn time, but a new old garden springs alive again. After many years of community efforts, Carmen’s Community Garden on Avenue C between 7th and 8th Streets will … Continued
In the ten years leading up to 2004, the Far West Village along West Street experienced huge changes. Large, out-of-scale luxury developments were built where only low-rise buildings had been … Continued
This series shines a light on the important things we’re achieving together in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. Each month, we’ll be exploring a new site or topic … Continued
Yesterday we were honored to unveil the latest in our historic Plaque Program at 526 LaGuardia Place, where sculptor Chaim Gross lived and worked. You may have passed by it … Continued
11th Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues is a pretty short block. But there is a lot of history and activity going on. The block is home to Webster Hall, … Continued
Ever walk by those many empty storefronts, or past the multitude of metastizing chainstores, and wonder what can be done to preserve and protect our small businesses? Today there is … Continued
On September 21, 1965, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held its very first public hearing. Twenty-eight buildings were on the agenda, including five in Brooklyn, fifteen in Manhattan, one in the … Continued
School has started and we are eagerly anticipating our fascinating program this Thursday evening organized with The Loisaida Center Inc. at their 710 East 9th Street location near Avenue C. The program … Continued
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, … Continued
With a raft of demolition permits in the air, it reminds us that a year ago today one of the most anti-preservation pieces of legislation was first heard at the NYC Council … Continued
Waverly Place and Mercer Street is just east of Washington Square Park. This unique part of town is still world renowned for history, culture, arts, creativity and university intellect. Just the place we … Continued
Happy Birthday to Romana Raffetto, owner of Raffetto’s Pasta located at 144 West Houston Street. Romana was born in a small town in Italy in 1932 called Asolo, known as … Continued
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, … Continued
Twenty-three years ago, New York Magazine was worried about the Village. And they weren’t the only ones. On August 16, 1993, The Village Under Siege ran on the cover with … Continued
On August 16th, 1966, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Charlton-King-Vandam Historic District. This small but distinct neighborhood is part of the South Village. It sits on a street grid … Continued
Greenwich Village is not the only part of the City which defies the New York City grid. NoHo also challenges the regularity of the 200+ year old grid with what … Continued
A year ago today, Bert Waggott passed away, surrounded by loved ones. Bert was a long-time Greenwich Village resident, graphic designer and professor of graphic design at Pratt Institute. Bert … Continued
Last Tuesday the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) handed preservationists what may seem like a small victory, but was nevertheless an important one. The LPC denied an application to remove a 1930 … Continued
John Lequizamo, arguably one of the Village’s funniest residents, was not always a preservationist. As he remarked in a recent interview in the New York Times, his therapist recommended that … Continued
This iconic image of activism and advocacy was taken just outside the NAACP’s headquarters on 5th Avenue and 14th Street. The year was 1936, and it was speaking to the … Continued
Last night, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, alongside the Neighborhood Preservation Center and Village Alliance, celebrated Jane Jacobs by hosting a trivia night about her life, work, and accomplishments.
The Donald has been getting a lot of attention lately, what with his running for President and all. So too has his family, which is being touted as an integral … Continued
Want to build higher than you are allowed under existing rezoning? Or operate a gas station where only residences are allowed? Or deviate at all from what the zoning of the … Continued
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, … Continued
Have you heard about the exciting progress on the restoration of the beautiful mosaic-covered lamp poles as part of the Astor Place Reconstruction? Maybe you’ve even seen one of the poles installed, … Continued