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Category: South Village

Earth Day in the Village: The Greenest Building is the One That’s Already Built

As Earth Day blooms across New York City, there’s a special kind of quiet beauty on every tree-lined street of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo — neighborhoods where history is embedded in the dust of every brick. While global sustainability efforts often spotlight solar panels and LEED certifications, this Earth Day, let’s celebrate […]

A Look at the History of Female Nightlife Activists in the Village

Our neighborhoods have long thrived on an electric, eclectic energy that fuels creativity, rebellion, and cultural ferment. Amid the many powerful forces shaping the area’s nightlife history, women are among the pivotal yet often overlooked figures — transforming not only the local scene but the wider social and political landscape. These women were not just […]

A Map to Maggie’s Farm and More

The release of the biopic A Complete Unknown a few weeks ago has sparked renewed interest in the life, local history, and work of music icon Bob Dylan. And while filmmakers substituted the currently more sedate streets of Jersey City and Hoboken for Dylan’s actual neighborhood in the 1960s, you can instead walk the actual […]

The Force is Strong with This One: Science Fiction in the Village

Will technology destroy the world or save it? This recurring conundrum has provided fertile ground for speculation; and it was precisely this sort of speculation that once gave rise to a new artistic genre: science fiction. Its roots are diffuse, and its impact pervasive. But we know this much — the story of the development […]

Celebrating the South Village Historic District

Village Preservation has declared December to be South Village Month! Why, you ask? Well, we kicked off our campaign to seek landmark designation for the entire South Village and its remarkable multilayered architectural and cultural histories in December 2006, achieved landmark designation for the South Village Historic District (which was the second of what ended […]

The First Performance at the Provincetown Playhouse : A Milestone in American Theater

In 1918, a small but revolutionary event took place in the heart of Greenwich Village, forever changing the landscape of American theater. The Provincetown Playhouse, a humble venue at 133 MacDougal Street, hosted its first performance, marking the beginning of an artistic movement that would shape the future of modern theatre in the United States. […]

The Meat Markets of the South Village

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 […]

The Beats: A South Village Tour

December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! Postwar America in the 1950s through the early 1960s experienced the birth of a movement and style that opposed both government and authority. America’s culture of conformity during that post-war period bred a cultural renaissance that importantly included the Beat poets and […]

Celebrating the Origins of the South Village

December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! In December 2016, following a multi-year advocacy campaign spearheaded by Village Preservation, the Sullivan Thompson Historic District was landmarked by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. This dozen-block, 175-building district designation was the culmination of a campaign formally begun by […]

The Italian Cafés of the South Village

October is Italian American History and Heritage month, and it is impossible to deny the influence that Italian culture and immigration has had on our neighborhoods. This is especially true in the South Village, an area which in the early 1900s was a predominantly Italian neighborhood, and one near and dear to Village Preservation’s heart, […]

Tour the Musical Sites of Producer John Hammond’s World

John Hammond Sr. (December 15, 1910 – July 10, 1987) was a talent scout, producer, musicologist, broadcaster, journalist, and mentor. His influence profoundly shaped popular music in the 20th century, and he remains one of the most transformative figures in American music. He discovered artists from Billie Holiday to Bob Dylan, and scores more in between. A New Yorker […]

October Programs: Building Community in our Neighborhoods

At Village Preserevation our tours, lectures, book talks, exhibitions, and other public programs explore and celebrate preservation, history and culture. Beyond sharing vital information from the past and present about Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo, our programs bring together community members from various walks of life to connect and learn from one another. Whether it is participants sharing their favorite memories of concerts at Filmore East on our East Village Rock Tour or gathering at a local school to learn about historical figures who helped shape our community, like Sarah Curry who founded the Little Missionary Day School, our programs provide the vital service of connecting you with your community and its history.

James Baldwin Leaves an Enduring Legacy in Greenwich Village

“For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.”                    -James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues” James Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December […]

Intersectionality and the Past, Present, and Future of Activism in Our Neighborhoods

After the Supreme Court Decision DOBBS v.JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION overturning Roe v. Wade was released on Friday, June 24, people took to the streets. It was no surprise that people hoping to make their voices heard looked to our neighborhoods as a gathering place. Two of the many protests and rallies that took place in New York City were held in Washington Square Park and Union Square. These protests were organized by intersectional advocacy groups across Labor, Defund the Police, Housing, Immigration, and LGBTQIA+ movements.

Exploring ‘Queer Money Project’ and Local LGBTQ+-owned Businesses

To celebrate Pride this year, we’re guiding you on an exploration of today’s LGBTQ+-owned businesses led by the Queer Money Project — to celebrate both the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in our neighborhoods, and to support small businesses (both of which we do 24/7, 365-days-a-year, but what better time than now?). And we’re doing it in an exciting new way that allows you to participate in Village Preservation programming on your own time. Grab a friend and visit these sites that we’ll reveal on Instagram throughout NYC Pride Weekend.

Remembering Christopher Moore and Honoring New York City’s Whole History

Christopher Moore (b. January 20, 1952, d. March 13, 2022, of complications from COVID and pneumonia) was a curator, archivist, author, storyteller, researcher, and the longest-serving member of New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, from 1995 to 2015. Moore became a notable fixture in the New York City preservation movement through his work to preserve […]

Celebrating Our Neighborhoods’ Immigrant Heritage

New York is a city of immigrants and, moreover, we are a nation largely of immigrants (Native Americans and the descendants of those brought here as slaves being the main and notable exceptions). This is especially true of our neighborhoods, which have attracted immigrants of all stripes for centuries. Immigration and the diversity of our […]

Greenwich Village Rooftop Cottages in the Roaring ’20s

The announcement of rooftop additions in our beloved historic districts frequently – and rightfully so in most cases – causes a surge of anxiety for preservationists. We do everything we can to make sure that the addition does not disrupt the historic streetscape from the public right of way, is aesthetically appropriate to the design […]

David Amram: Inspiring Musicians in the Village, and Throughout the World

While our blogs typically focus on the history of our neighborhoods and the incredible trailblazers who came before us, it is particularly satisfying to write about great artists who are still among us.  David Amram is one of those extraordinary people. Village Preservation conducted an oral history with Mr. Amram on January 28, 2014, and […]

2021 Village Preservation Public Programs Round-Up

As we close the chapter on yet another wild and successful of year of public programs at Village Preservation, we wanted to take the time to reflect and highlight some of 2021’s best moments. Despite the twists and turns of this year’s ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, we’ve hosted 80 different educational lectures, book talks, and walking […]

SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Rezoning Reminder: Final Vote as Soon as Wednesday, Call and E-Mail TODAY

The full City Council appears poised to vote on the revised SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning+Displacement Plan as soon as this Wednesday (full Council is currently scheduled to meet at 1:30 pm). It’s CRITICAL that City Councilmembers hear from you NOW that the revised plan — which would still promote grossly oversized development, the demolition of rent-regulated affordable […]

City Council Committee Approves SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning + Displacement Plan With Modifications

Yesterday the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee and Land Use Committee each voted to approve a revised SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning + Displacement Plan, with changes negotiated by Councilmembers Margaret Chin and Carlina Rivera, who urged their colleagues on the committee to support the plan. All but one did. In short, the revised plan is a bit less […]

Council Appears Poised to Vote on SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Plan TODAY, as New Financial Analysis Shows Fatal Flaws in Affordable Housing Claims

After several delays, the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee and Land Use Committee appear poised to vote on the massive SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning + Displacement plan today starting at approximately 11:30 am. There has been no public word on what if any changes the Council may make to the plan, though we have good reason to believe […]

SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Rezoning Vote Likely After Thanksgiving; Video and Final Push for ‘No’ Vote

The first (and in many ways most important) of three required votes in the City Council on the Mayor’s disastrous SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning + Displacement plan may take place as early as next Thursday, December 2, when the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee meets again. The subcommittee must vote on the plan, followed by the Land Use […]

Oral History Highlight: Colette Smith Douglas

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. Colette Smith Douglas, born […]

City Council Virtual Hearing on Disastrous SoHo/NoHo/Chinatown Upzoning Plan TODAY — PLEASE TESTIFY AND/OR SUBMIT COMMENTS!

The City Council’s sole public hearing on the massive and disastrous proposed upzoning of SoHo, NoHo, and parts of Chinatown will be Tuesday, November 9, in the Zoning Subcommittee of the City Council. The virtual meeting begins at 10 am, but this is the fourth and final agenda item, so this item’s hearing is not […]

Celebrating World Pasta Day

Not to be confused with National Pasta Day on October 17th, World Pasta Day was established on October 25th, 1995 by forty pasta producers from around the world gathered at the first World Pasta Congress. Two areas in our neighborhoods were hubs of Italian immigration and settlement in the late 19th century. The South Village, […]

John Sloan: Village Visionary

Many artists have been inspired by the scenes of life in New York City, particularly Lower Manhattan. But perhaps no artist captures the feeling of New York during the hot, heavy days of August like the painter John Sloan. Sloan was one of the leading figures of the “Ashcan School,” a loose collection of artists who […]

LGBTQ+ Pride Programs Roundup

The roots of LGBTQ+ life in our neighborhoods are deeper than we even know. In the documentary PS. Burn This Letter Please, which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and was presented at one of Village Preservation’s Pride programs, gay historian George Chauncey spoke about using police records and newspaper articles because personal papers […]

Edward LaGrassa’s Photos of Cast Iron Architecture of SoHo, Tribeca, and Beyond from 1960s Added to Historic Image Archive

Edward LaGrassa was an architecture student in 1969 when he took these photos of cast iron buildings and structures, largely in SoHo and Tribeca, as well as in Harlem and Upper Manhattan. He took the pictures for a school project. At the time LaGrassa took these photos, appreciation of cast iron architecture and the neighborhood […]

City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan Would Make Neighborhoods Less Affordable, Wealthier, and Less Diverse

The newly-released study by Village Preservation shows that the City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan, which includes part of Chinatown, will make the area richer, whiter, and more expensive to live in than now, increase demolition pressures on existing rent regulated units, and potentially destroy more affordable housing than it creates. The city also does not accurately represent […]

City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan Includes Part of Chinatown, and Hundreds of Rent Regulated Units Could Be Lost

The newly-released study by Village Preservation shows that the City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan, which includes part of Chinatown, will make the area richer, whiter, and more expensive to live in than now, increase demolition pressures on existing rent regulated units, and potentially destroy more affordable housing than it creates. Town Hall and Teach In Tonight Village […]

Fighting the City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan – By The Numbers

A newly-released study by Village Preservation shows that the City’s SoHo/NoHo Rezoning Plan will make both of these neighborhoods richer, whiter, and more expensive to live in than they are now, and likely create significantly less affordable housing than projected, potentially destroying more affordable housing than it creates. In the fall of 2020, the de Blasio […]