The John T. Krawchuk Collection: The West Village Waterfront in the Early 1990s

These images were donated by John T. Krawchuk, who photodocumented the Meatpacking District, Far West Village, and Hudson River waterfront in the early 1990s as part of his Columbia University graduate thesis in Historic Preservation completed in 1995. The full thesis, entitled “On Edge: The West Village Waterfront”, can be viewed here.

This project took place at a pivotal time in the neighborhood’s history. The contemporary removal of disused sections of the High Line south of Gansevoort Street and the conversion of the abandoned Hudson River piers and waterfront to parkland coincided with and helped spur dramatic gentrification and development in the area, which had been a gritty backwater for decades. That process accelerated greatly in the years that followed those captured in these pictures, which show buildings and scenes which have since disappeared or been utterly transformed.

John’s thesis, along with the earlier work of Regina Kellerman, helped document and highlight the architecture and history of the waterfront blocks initially left out of the 1969 Greenwich Village Historic District. Their work helped contribute to renewed interest in these historic yet undervalued and undesignated blocks, resulting in the establishment of the Gansevoort Market Historic District in 2003.

John is a registered landscape architect and practicing historic preservationist in NYC for over 30 years and has been a resident of the West Village since 2005. He served as the Director of Historic Preservation for NYC Parks from 2002 to 2016 and as the Executive Director of the Historic House Trust of NYC until 2022.

Originally born and raised in San Dimas, California, he traveled east to pursue a Master’s Degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and remained in NYC following graduation in 1995. His thesis topic developed from a childhood fascination with the local historic citrus packing house in San Dimas, formerly known as the “Lemon Capital of the World” and that shipped produce to the fruit pier once located on the West Village Waterfront.

Date
Early 1990s
Looking southwest on 14th Street from west of Washington Street, with (l. to r.) 442, 444, 446-448, and 450 West 14th St., and the High Line
Looking southeast to Greenwich Village waterfront from Jane Street pier, with (l. to r.) 380 W. 12th St., Superior Inks Factory with chimney (demolished) and Westbeth
Looking north towards 14th Street up Washington Street from Little West 12th Street
Jane Street Hotel at northeast corner of Jane and West Streets
Gansevoort Destructor Plant (demolished) on Gansevoort Peninsula, west of West Street
St. Veronica’s Church, 149-155 Christopher Street
Looking west on north side of Charles Street from Washington Street, with (r. to l.) 159, 161, and 163 Charles Street, and the Pathfinder Warehouse with mural (latter two demolished)
Gachot Building at 440 West 14th Street, with 437 W. 12th St. (l.) and 442, 444, 446-448, and 450 West 14th Street (l. to r.) and the High Line
FDNY facility at end of Gansevoort Peninsula
Looking east to the north side of Gansevoort Street from Washington Street
396-397 West Street 305 West 10th Street, former Holland Hotel
West Street side of Gansevoort Market Meat Center btw. Little West 12th and Gansevoort Streets
Looking east across West Street at Little West 12th Street, with the High Line and Gansevoort Market Meat Center
Looking north of Weehawken Street from Christopher Street
Looking north up Washington Street from Gansevoort Street
Looking southeast along West Street and Greenwich Village waterfront from just north of West 12th Street, south to the downtown skyline
Looking north up the Hudson River waterfront from Christopher St. pier with smokestacks of the Gansevoort Destructor (l.) and Westbeth (r.)
Looking north along West St. and waterfront from approx. West 12th St. to the Gansevoort Destructor Plant
Looking east from the Hudson River waterfront across West Street with Leroy St. at right
West Street side of Gansevoort Market Meat Center from south of Little West 12th Street (l.)
Details on west side of the High Line as it crosses 14th Street, east of 10th Ave.
401 West 14th Street, east end
Belgian Block paving stones (cobblestones) and manhole covers at intersection of Gansevoort and Greenwich Streets and Ninth Avenue, looking southeast
Cobblestone sidewalk in front of 380 W. 12th St. btw. Washington + West Streets; all other buildings pictured have been demolished
Looking west on Gansevoort Street from 9th Avenue
Looking north along the Hudson River waterfront from approx. Christopher St. to the Gansevoort Destructor Plant
Greenwich Village and Hudson Square waterfront as seen from end of Christopher Street pier, with Pier 40 (r.)
Looking north up Washington St., east side, at Gansevoort Street with High Line (l.) and 817-821 Washington St. 71-73 Gansevoort St.
Looking east on Little West 12th Street from Washington St. with Collier Building, 17-37 Little W. 12th St. 416-424 W. 13th St.)
Little West 12th Street looking west towards Washington St. and High Line, with 835 Washington St. (m.) and Collier Building (r.)
Blue slate sidewalks and cobblestone streets at West 12th and West Streets
East side of 10th Avenue btw. 13th and Little West 12th Streets
West Street between 10th (r.) and Charles Streets, with newly-built ‘Memphis’ (l.) rising behind
Looking east across West Street at West 11th Street (2)
Looking east across West Street betw. Christopher (l.) and Barrow Streets, with Bailey House (l.) and Keller Hotel
Looking northeast under the High Line, from 10th Avenue and 14th Street
Looking northeast across West Street from south of Morton Street
Upper floors of former Manhattan Refrigerator Co. Complex, east side of West Street betw. Gansevoort and Horatio Streets (West Coast Apts., 95 Horatio St.)
Former Manhattan Refrigeration Co. warehouses, now West Coast Apartments at 95 Horatio Street, Horatio and Washington Street facades as viewed from south
East side of West Street north of West 12th Street (demolished)
Looking west down 14th Street from west of Washington Street with High Line and Pier 57 behind
835 Washington St. and Collier Building at 17-37 Little W. 12th Street (l. to r.)
440 and 442 West 14th Street (l. to r.) and Washington St.
Looking east across West St. near Bethune St. with Superior Inks Factory (demolished) and Westbeth (r.)
Looking east across West Street along Horatio Street, with 95 Horatio (l.) and 110 Horatio
Looking east across West Street and 10th Avenue at West 13th Street with High Line; foreground buildings on both sides of 13th St. have been demolished
Looking east across 11th Avenue towards Liberty Inn, btw. 13th (r.) and 14th Streets from West Street
East side of 10th Avenue btw. 13th and Little West 12th Streets, with sign for “The Vault”
Upper floors of Westbeth along West Street near Bethune St. (l.)
High Line emerging from 450 West 14th Street, just east of 10th Avenue
Lower floors of Westbeth, east side of West Street north of Bank Street (r.)
Under the High Line looking north at 14th Street just east of 10th Ave.
Looking east across Charles Street at West Street with Pathfinder Warehouse murals (l.)
Pathfinder Warehouse (demolished) on West Street betw. Charles Lane (l.) and Charles Street
Looking east across West Street between Perry Street (l.) and Charles Lane, with Pathfinder Warehouse (r.; demolished) (2)
413-435 West 14th Street (east end)
755-759 Washington St. (r.) and 763 Washington St.
Lower floors of former Manhattan Refrigerator Co. Complex, east side of West Street betw. Gansevoort and Horatio Streets (West Coast Apts., 95 Horatio St.)
Lower floors of Westbeth, east side of West Street btw. Bethune (l.) and Bank Streets
Looking north along West St. and waterfront from approx. Perry St.; with Gansevoort Destructor Plant (l.) and Westbeth (r.)
Looking east and south across 10th Street from West Street
Looking east across West Street from just north of Clarkson St.
Looking east and north across 10th Street from West Street
Looking east across West Street between Leroy St. (l.) and Clarkson St.
Looking east across West Street between Bank and West 11th Streets, with 166 Bank (l.) and 377 W. 11th St.
Looking east across West Street at Morton Street with West Village Houses (l.)
Upper floors of Westbeth along West Street
131 Charles Street
Village Community School at 272 West 10th Street, former P.S. 107 and St. Veronica’s Parochial School
Looking east across West Street to southeast corner of West and Bank Streets with 166 Bank (l.) and 377 W. 11th St.
West Street between Christopher (r.) and 10th Streets
Looking east across Christopher Street from West Street
Westbeth facades on West and Bethune Streets as viewed from the north along Washington Street, with former High Line rail bed running through
North side of Christopher Street btw. Washington (l.) and Greenwich Streets, incl. (l. to r.) 159-163, 157, 149-155 (St. Veronica’s Church), 147, and 143-145 Christopher St.
110 Horatio St. (l.) and Jane Street Hotel, east side of West St. btw. Horatio and Jane Sts.
East side of West Street south of Jane Street (demolished)
Buildings on east side of 10th Ave. north of 13th St. (l.) — Demolished
449 West 14th Street
401 West 14th Street, west end
Looking down West Street from riverfront side at Charles St., with downtown skyline
Looking east across 14th Street from West Street with High Line
East side of Washington St. looking south from West 10th Street, with 661-651 Washington St. (l.), 159 Christopher St., and Archive Bldg.
Looking northeast and up towards the High Line, from 10th Avenue and 14th Street
Looking west down West 10th St. from Washington St. to sunset over the Hudson River with 303 W. 10th St. 150 Charles St. (r.; demolished)
Looking west on Horatio Street from Washington St. towards the Hudson River with 110 Horatio St. (l.) and 95 Horatio St. (r.)
Tower Warehouse, 277 West 10th St.
Weehawken Street east side (Nos. 1-13, l. to r.) looking south from West 10th St.
Looking east and up across Gansevoort Street at 10th Avenue from West Street
Charles Lane cobblestones looking west to New Jersey from Washington Street
Looking east across West Street between Bank and West 11th Streets, with 166 Bank (l.) and 377 W. 11th St.
Looking south along the Hudson River waterfront from Christopher St. pier with Pier 40, downtown skyline, World Trade Center, Woolworth Building
West Village Houses along west side of Washington Street looking north from Charles Street with Westbeth in background
439-445 West 14th Street
459 West 14th Street
Corner of 428-432 West 14th Street, looking NE along 14th Street from w. side of Washington St.
Corner of 859-877 Washington St. (aka 427-29 W. 13th St.) at 13th Street
135 Charles Street aka Gendarme Apartments, former Sixth Pct. Police House
392 West Street
Looking east across Gansevoort Street at West Street
West Village Houses along Washington Street looking south from 11th Street
110 Horatio St. (l.) and Jane Street Hotel, east side of West Street btw. Horatio and Jane Streets
405, 407, 409-411 West 14th Street (r. to l.)
413-435 West 14th Street (central section)
413-435 West 14th Street (west end)
463 West Street entrance of Westbeth near Bethune St.
Gansevoort Market Meat Center building along West Street at Gansevoort Street; demolished for Whitney Museum
Gansevoort Market Meat Center buildings along West Street btw. Gansevoort (r.) and Little W. 12th Street; buildings on right demolished for Whitney Museum
Greenwich Village waterfront incl. Westbeth (l.) and Empire State Building from the end of the Christopher Street pier
Greenwich Village waterfront incl. the newly-built “Memphis” (l.) and Archive Building (r.) from end of Christopher Street pier
Greenwich Village waterfront looking south from end of Christopher St. Pier, incl. Archives Bldg. (l.)
Looking east across West St. at 12th St. with Superior Inks Factory and smokestacks (demolished)
130 and 132 Charles Street
416 West 13th Street entrance to Collier Building (2)
416 West 13th Street entrance to Collier Building
835 Washington St. (m.), 837-843 Washington St. (l.), and Collier Building at 17-37 Little W. 12th Street (r.)
859-877 Washington Street 427-429 West 13th Street 428-432 West 14th Street (l.) and 440 West 14th Street
Northern section of St. John’s Terminal Building at Clarkson (l.) and West Streets (demolished)
Looking down West Street from riverfront side at Charles St., with downtown skyline
67 Gansevoort Street
West Village Houses from across West Street btw. Barrow (l.) and Morton Streets
West Street facade of 110 Horatio Street
Looking east across West Street at Perry Street (2)
Westbeth as viewed from Washington and Bank Streets, with former High Line rail bed running through
Jane Street Hotel, Jane and West Streets
401 West 14th Street, central