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Category: Hudson Square

Exploring the Holland Plaza Building and Hudson Square

The Holland Plaza Building is a unique, large manufacturing building that occupies an entire, irregularly shaped block, bound by Canal, Watts, and Varick Streets. The building, also called One Hudson Square, helps tell the story of its neighborhood fittingly called Hudson Square. Hudson Square is situated between Tribeca, the West Village and SoHo. For much […]

That Time (One of Many) When Trump Was Caught

On December 6, 2006, the Trump SoHo ‘Condo-Hotel’ was caught advertising its planned units to prospective buyers as a “Primary Residence” or “Secondary Residence.” GVSHP found the advertisements and immediately fired off a letter demanding yet again that construction of the building not be allowed, as the zoning for the area prohibited residential uses. Unfortunately, […]

From George Washington to Hudson Square: The history of the Charlton-King-VanDam neighborhood

It’s an often-overlooked enclave with the largest concentration of Federal and Greek Revival style houses in New York City. Its origins can be traced back to historical figures as esteemed as George Washington, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jacob Astor, but it’s just as deeply connected to Italian immigrants and radical 20th-century innovators. The […]

(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 […]

South Village Roundup

Last week, news broke that the City will be moving ahead with the final phase of GVSHP’s proposed South Village Historic District, a roughly ten-block, one hundred sixty building area south of Houston Street between Sixth Avenue and West Broadway.  This amazing news is the culmination of a more than ten year campaign to seek […]

Jared Kushner’s (Preservation) Record

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 part of his campaign apparatus, and his most intimate advisors. When the irrepressible Mr. Trump started his campaign last year, we decided to stroll down memory […]

The Air Up There

You can buy bottled water.  You can buy plots of land. And in New York (and some other places), you can buy air rights. But what are “air rights?” An increasingly common component of development across NYC, “air rights” are a type of development right in real estate.  The owner of a building sometimes has the right to use and develop […]

Celebrating 51 Years of Landmarking

Fifty-one years ago today, on April 19, 1965, the New York City landmarks law went into effect.  A year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the landmarks law has been spearheaded by Landmarks50, an incredible coalition of which Village Preservation is a member, led by Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, the chair of the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center. […]

2015 House Tour Promises To Be Great!

The weather forecast for this Sunday is beautiful — 70’s and sunny — the perfect day for a leisurely stroll through some of the most beautiful homes in Greenwich Village, followed by a delightful reception with cocktails and hours d’oeuvres in a stunning space.  All while supporting historic preservation, cultural documentation and education, and GVSHP. […]

Shop Local: Help For Your Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Gift

Valentine’s Day is almost here with almost no time left to waste! Due to the predicted below-freezing temperatures for this weekend, we’ve posted a last-minute sample list of local Village businesses that may be able to cover your flower and candy needs, featuring a sneak preview of photos from happy customers posted on Instagram: Sunny’s Florist  Location: […]

The Origins of Historic Preservation in Academia

Having recently completed my undergraduate degree in architectural and urban history, I have been exploring options for further education in the discipline. During my research in the academic backgrounds of notable persons in the profession, I was particularly struck by Jane Jacobs’s lack of qualified training in city planning. This revelation sparked a curiosity in […]

GVSHP African American History Month Series: Revisiting Spring Street Presbyterian Church

In celebration of Black History Month, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation will host several public programs this month with specific focus on the history of the African-American community in Greenwich Village. On Monday, February 9, archivist David Pultz will give an illustrated lecture at the First Presbyterian Church on the unique history of the former […]

The Art of Frederick Brosen

As part of GVSHP’s ongoing programming, native New Yorker and world renowned artist Frederick Brosen will give a free talk and slideshow at Theater 80 on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30pm. Brosen’s presentation will feature his selected watercolor works of locations in New York City, including paintings featured in GVSHP’s book Greenwich Village Stories. For his […]

Check for Violations Before Buying a Landmark

In continuation of our Landmarking 101 series, today we’re focusing on active violations on a landmarked property and just who is responsible for them. Whether you’re a broker or a prospective buyer, this is particularly important information to know! If you buy a property with unresolved violations, you become financially responsible for correcting them. That’s […]

2014 Village Award winner: Village Community Boathouse

Lately Pier 40 has been in the news due to the controversial possibility of air rights being sold from this and other piers within the Hudson River Park. To me, though, Pier 40 always was and will be the place I used to stretch before and after running along the river in the park. It’s […]

Tell Us Your Greenwich Village Story

This is the latest installment of the Off the Grid series in which we highlight the people, places and events featured in our new book Greenwich Village Stories, available for purchase now. Visit our Facebook page for the latest on book contributors, release events and readings, and contest information. In the opening lines of his contribution to […]

Ten Years of Progress on Landmark and Zoning Protections — And the Road Ahead

GVSHP is proud to share it’s new report “Ten Years – A Thousand Buildings – One Hundred Blocks:  A Decade of Progress on Landmark and Zoning Protections in the Village, East Village, and NoHo.” As we come to the end of the Bloomberg era, this meticulously detailed and richly photographed report examines what GVSHP has […]

Happy Anniversary, Gansevoort Market Historic District!

On September 9, 2003, the Gansevoort Market Historic District was officially designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.  The designation not only culminated a three-year effort to protect the increasingly endangered Meatpacking District from the very real prospect of mass demolitions and oversized new development (such as the Hotel Gansevoort, which preceded the […]

Behind the Seams of the Butterick Building

Do you have childhood memories of your mom sewing your clothes? Or have you ever come across your grandmother’s old sewing machine and huge stash of patterns and fabrics? If you know someone who sews, ask them if they know the name “Butterick” and they will very likely say yes. That’s because 150 years ago […]

Smorgasbord of Landmark Applications Tomorrow Run The Gamut

It may be the dog days of summer, but tomorrow the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) will hear nine applications for changes to landmarked properties in our neighborhoods, ranging from the Meatpacking District to the South Village and NoHo, and from minor changes to dramatic proposed makeovers. You can find information about the extent of these […]

City’s Own Data Contradicts Their Claims on Trump SoHo’s Legality — Pt. II

Last November, we showed how — to our amazement — the City’s own “Community Profile” of Community Board #2 categorized the Trump SoHo “Condo-Hotel” as a residential property.  This would make it illegal under the zoning, because when built, the zoning in Hudson Square did not allow any sort of residential development. We (and many […]

Quinn and City Must Not Omit Three Key Sites From South Village Landmarking

Op-Ed from The Villager newspaper, April 25, 2012 http://thevillager.com/2013/04/25/quinn-and-city-cant-omit-3-key-south-village-sites/ Quinn and City Must Not Omit Three Key Sites From South Village Landmarking (if you want to help, write the City and Speaker Quinn today — click HERE) BY ANDREW BERMAN | On April 15, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public meeting to present its […]

Two Great Maps for One Great City

Do you recognize the three-dimensional map in this photo? Hint: half a century ago, the model-making team of Raymond Lester Associates was meticulously recreating the city’s five boroughs in preparation for a “universal and international” exposition that, next year, will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. If you guessed that this is the Panorama of the […]

Quinn holds the cards on rezoning and landmarking

From The Villager Newspaper, February 14, 2013 Op-Ed:  Quinn Holds the Cards on Hudson Square Rezoning and South Village Landmarking http://www.thevillager.com/?p=10221 By Andrew Berman, Katy Bordonaro, Zack Winestine, Micki McGee, Richard Blodgett, Carl Rosenstein and Silvia Beam The Hudson Square rezoning currently before the City Council presents a rare case where a win-win is possible. Done […]

LPC Releases Permit Application Guide

Are you an owner of a landmarked building or someone that files applications through the Landmarks Preservation Commission? If so, we want to point you to a helpful resource that the LPC has just released: the LPC Permit Application Guide. The guide can be found on our Resources page along with other useful information for […]

When Broken Zoning Rules Lead to Exhumed Bones

Working in historic preservation you sometimes find yourself dealing with things you never expect. On this date in 2006, GVSHP wrote to Mayor Bloomberg regarding a 19th century abolitionist church graveyard that had been dug up and disturbed in the process of preparing for the construction of the Trump SoHo Condo Hotel.  Sadly, the disturbance […]

LPC Posts Their Hearing Schedule for 2013

Today marks the last day in 2012 of public hearings for the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the City agency in charge of regulating designated landmarks and historic districts across the five boroughs. At each public hearing, the LPC hears a number of applications from property owners who wish to make changes to their landmarked buildings. […]

Hudson Square Rezoning and the South Village

As GVSHP recently announced, the Hudson Square rezoning application is now on the desk of the Manhattan Borough President,  after Community Board #2 pointedly recommended it be turned down UNLESS the neighboring South Village is protected from its impacts through landmarking, allowable building heights in Hudson Square are reduced, and other changes made.  Like GVSHP, […]

Get Involved: Landmarks Review at Community Boards

Following up on our earlier post discussing public hearings at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, we thought we’d focus our attention on another important part of the landmarks public review process: community board hearings. Alterations to landmarked buildings that require an LPC public hearing must also be presented to the local community board. GVSHP attends all […]

Reminder: Critical Public Hearing Tonight

We hope you can join us for an incredibly important community board public hearing tonight that will affect the future of both the South Village and Hudson Square. It’s at 6:30 tonight at the Saatchi Building at 375 Hudson Street, Ground Floor, ‘S’ space (facing King Street). The City is moving ahead with a plan […]

Few Republicans, And One Big Political Paradox, in the Village

As most everyone knows, we’re kind of map and statistics geeks here at Off The Grid.  Thus it’s no surprise that a handy little tool put together by WNYC in the wake of the Republican National Convention, mapping the levels of Republican voter registration throughout New York City, caught our attention. The interactive map (below) […]

Inside the LPC: Public Hearings vs. Public Meetings

So, why do we start this blog post with a photo of the Municipal Building located downtown across from City Hall? We thought we would dedicate some time here at Off the Grid to understanding the workings of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), the city agency charged with the task of safeguarding historic buildings across […]

What NYU Doesn’t Want You to Know About Faculty Housing at Washington Square Village

NYU’s massive, out-of-scale plan to construct 2 million square feet of new buildings within the Washington Square Village and Silver Towers superblocks is touted by the University as being desperately needed to accommodate its growth.  NYU President John Sexton in particular called out the need for more faculty housing. We have to call this in […]