…Yes. The City has framed the far-ranging, citywide zoning text revisions in City of Yes for Housing Opportunity as an effort to address the crisis in housing affordability. The proposal,…
Read MorePhoto: Nirian/iStockphoto Many of the questions we keep encountering about the ambitious city-wide upzoning proposal called City of Yes for Housing Opportunity stem from a basic misunderstanding. Most people take “City…
Read MorePhoto: Nirian/iStockphoto This is the fourth installment in our Q & A series on what should be called City of Yes for Developer Opportunities, a massive rezoning that ostensibly addresses the…
Read MoreJoin us for a panel discussion with Elizabeth Mueller, Anthony Damiano, and Laura Wolf-Powers on the City’s “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal. The Adams Administration is trying to…
Read MoreThe City of Yes zoning text amendment proposal continues its reckless march through the public review process, improbably announcing “next stop: housing affordability,” but really inspiring zero confidence about where…
Read MoreCity of Yes for Housing Opportunity Read our “Getting Past Yes” blog series Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” made its way through the public review and approval…
Read More…Hayes. In addition to her efforts to preserve Washington Square Park, Hayes was also WNYC’s first woman staff announcer. Originally from Chicago, Hayes came to New York City in 1932…
Read MoreNot 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…
Read More…have mastered the art of making this world-renowned pastry, thereby having joined a tradition that traces its roots back to…well, that’s an interesting question. And that’s where we should start. …
Read More…74.5. Straus expanded his array of milk pasteurization and dispensing facilities not only throughout New York but in cities across the United States. He also began to sell home pasteurization machines…
Read MoreNational Pastry Day is celebrated on December 9th to salute one of the world’s favorite baked goods. Pastries can be traced as far back as the ancient Mediterranean, with treats…
Read More…from New Yorkers to city officials in opposition to “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity.” Read Village Preservation’s specific objections to the City of Yes plan here. You can read…
Read MorePhoto: Nirian/iStockphoto The Adams Administration’s proposed City of Yes of Housing Opportunity is the latest attempt by the City to tackle the affordable housing crisis by relaxing zoning controls. The hope…
Read More…down on this strategy with its ambitious, citywide zoning text amendment City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. Over the past months, we have documented why this proposal is not only…
Read More…the 20th century. Kenneth Hayes Miller, Women in the Store, 1937, oil on canvas. Courtesy of the Art Students League of New York. At the beginning of the 20th century, American…
Read MoreA poster advertisement for the 1971 film adaptation of Fortune and Men’s Eyes. Image Courtesy of IMDb. Telling the stories of incarcerated young men in the 1960s, Fortune and Men’s…
Read More…Adams’ City of Yes would seek to apply citywide — overwhelmingly saw a rise in the White share of their population, and drops in the Black and Hispanic shares. Click…
Read MoreWe thank Councilmember Marte for voting against the “City of Yes” plan. Yesterday the City Council voted 31-20 to approve Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” citywide rezoning plan. Local City…
Read More…but once you acclimate, it’s a fun and illuminating ride. The liberal mixing of past and present brings the story to life, leaving the reader eager for the next chapter….
Read MoreOne of several Berenice Abbott photos of Zito’s Bakery, 259 Bleecker Street. February 3, 1937. Source: MCNY. Yesterday the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) approved an application for a new storefront…
Read More…made in 2024 and 2025, we also remembered our past with a tribute to longtime trustee and past president Judith Stonehill, whose passing this year underscored the enduring influence of…
Read More…well as throughout the year. You can revisit many of these programs on Village Preservation’s YouTube channel. Today we’ll take a look at some of the notable upcoming and past…
Read More…information as required. 4. For the 500-word comment section, copy and paste the following: Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan is premised in large part on the notion that New…
Read MoreLate yesterday by a narrow 4-3 vote, the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee approved a slightly revised version of Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” rezoning plan, the centerpiece of which is…
Read More…of past years. I was on Broadway last night, and I confess it did not look like this drawing from 1912, courtesy of the wonderful NYPL Digital Collection: “Broadway on…
Read MorePurchase Rebel Cinderella! Award-winning author Adam Hochschild has uncovered the riveting story of Rose Pastor Stokes—the immigrant firebrand who became one of the most celebrated figures of the tumultuous early 20th century….
Read More…spaces of migration, memory and heritage; Joyce Mendelsohn, author of The Lower East Side Remembered and Revisited; and Kate Pastor, a freelance journalist and great grandniece of Rose Pastor Stokes….
Read More…to run programs out of three cities — New York, Washington DC, and Kyiv. Much of this growth happened just this past year. But it is a testament to the…
Read MoreSee part one of our “Past Village Awardees” series here One of Village Preservation’s most beloved traditions is our Annual Meeting and Village Awards, in which we celebrate our achievements…
Read MoreWe at GVSHP were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Romana Raffetto of Raffetto’s Fresh Pasta, located at 144 West Houston Street. She was a great friend to…
Read MoreOn First Avenue near East 11th Street. Like many fans, we at Off the Grid were heartbroken when it really happened, after months and years of rumors: De Robertis Pastry…
Read More…17 at 7pm to learn more details on the Mayor’s “City of Yes” proposals — CLICK HERE Find out more about Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan — CLICK HERE…
Read MoreMayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Economic Opportunity” is a massive, citywide rezoning plan that would change scores of rules and regulations to allow businesses to grow in New York…
Read MoreOn Friday, Mayor Adams released the final details of his sweeping proposed set of zoning changes called “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” — the nearly 800-page annotated document can…
Read MoreMayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” is making its way through the public review and approval process, with final votes expected by the end of the year. The…
Read MorePhoto: wirestock The Village Sun recently published an editorial entitled “Just Say No to COYHO [City of Yes for Housing Opportunity]” that perfectly sums up the many dangers of the…
Read MorePhoto: wirestock The City Council has announced they will hold what may be their only hearing allowing testimony from the public on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” citywide rezoning plan…
Read MoreThe City Council is holding what appears to be their only hearing allowing public testimony on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” citywide rezoning plan on Tuesday, October 22, beginning at…
Read MoreWe have learned that the City Council’s vote on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan, which would apply broad upzonings across the city and lay the groundwork for more in…
Read MoreA Panel Discussion of Experts Wednesday, September 21st 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Free Zoom Panel Discussion Registration is required A seemingly intractable housing affordability crisis has allowed YIMBYism (“Yes…
Read MoreOne of Village Preservation’s most beloved traditions is our Annual Meeting and Village Awards, in which we celebrate our achievements of the past year, and honor invaluable local leaders, institutions,…
Read MoreMy Great Great Aunt Rose of the Lower East Side: A Family Story by Kate Pastor “Cinderella of the Sweatshops.” “Rose of the Ghetto.” “The Socialist Socialite.” Before Rose Pastor…
Read MoreDo you want to ensure New York’s future includes its past? Do you love the rich history and architecture of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo? Want to make…
Read More…of authenticity that is hanging by just a thread. The book features glorious new reproductions of images from their past books as well as never-before published photos. Filled with diversity and…
Read MoreGetting It Right: From Historic Properties to Urban Landscapes Renovating Townhouse Interiors: The Guts of the House $20 Village Preservation members; $35 all others Visit www.gvshp.org/gettingitright for series information and…
Read MoreGetting It Right: From Historic Properties to Urban Landscapes The Design and Renovation of Apartment Building Interiors $20 Village Preservation members; $35 all others Visit www.gvshp.org/gettingitright or call for series…
Read More…Board of Estimate, elected officials, the still formidable powerbroker himself, Robert Moses, and New York University (yes, even then, folks!), against a handful of mothers who took their young children…
Read More…Yesterday. The book, a mash-up of Abbott’s photos and somewhat peculiar text by Henry Lanier, provides a unique and fascinating glimpse into New York at a period of upheaval. The…
Read MorePhoto: wirestock Village Preservation has been poring over Mayor Adams’ latest citywide rezoning proposal, called “City of Yes/Housing Opportunities.” The sprawling, innocuously titled package proposes a vast array of changes…
Read MorePhoto: wirestock Next Wednesday, the City Planning Commission will hold its public hearing on Mayor Adams “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” plan, a sprawling 1,400-page proposal largely premised on…
Read MorePhoto: wirestock This Wednesday is a big day for our city and our neighborhood, with the City Planning Commission’s sole public hearing on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes for Housing…
Read More…far-reaching 1,400-page “City of Yes” plan would dramatically transform the way in which residential development can take place in our city — too much of it for the worse. Almost…
Read MoreThe final vote on Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan will be Thursday in the City Council. That plan will: Substantially increase the allowable size and height of new market-rate…
Read MoreNoHo East Historic District map. Source: Landmarks Preservation Commission. Today, the Landmarks Preservation Commission will be holding a public hearing on the proposed South Village Historic District. Yesterday, the NoHo…
Read More…When Shirley Hayes, Verna Small, Jane Jacobs, Ruth Wittenberg, and other Village activists succeeded in getting the Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD) designated in 1969, they did what no one…
Read MoreThe Queer Past of Greenwich Village: A Lecture with Daniel Hurewitz Join history professor Daniel Hurewitz, author of Stepping Out: Nine Walks Through New York City’s Gay & Lesbian Past,…
Read More…on line for a pastrami on rye at Katz’s or grabbed a bagel with lox and a schmear at Russ & Daughters, you know what I’m talking about. You may…
Read MoreVeniero’s Pasticceria at 125: Stories and Snacks with owner Robert Zerilli Co-sponsored by Veniero’s, and Urban Archive. Veniero’s has been located between 1st and 2nd Avenues at 342 East 11th…
Read More…in conversation by Carl Raymond, host of The Gilded Gentleman history podcast. Andrew will discuss his career in historic preservation over the past 22 years. He will share several case…
Read MoreThe Past and Future City with Stephanie Meeks, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation At its most basic, historic preservation is about keeping old places in use and…
Read More…coalition, YIMBYism (“Yes in my Backyard”) adheres to this framing, and supports all new residential construction as a primary tool for mitigating housing costs. In so doing, they cast all…
Read More31 Bond Street: Fact, Fiction, and Digging into the Past: A Lecture with Ellen Horan In the winter of 1857, New York was shaken by the murder of society dentist…
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…tapped for duty at Our Lady of Pompei in 1897 when Pompei’s pastor, Francesco Zaboglio, suffered serious burns in a gas explosion in the church the congregation was then renting….
Posted June 2, 2020
Read More…funeral was given by Johann Most, and Emma Goldman was in attendance. Right after the service 2,000 people followed Schwab’s coffin in a procession that went past his saloon and…
Read More50 Years of the Sidewalk Ballet- The Past, Present, and Future Impacts of Jane Jacobs’ Death & Life of Great American Cities A Panel Discussion 2011 marks the fiftieth anniversary…
Read MoreJoin Sheryl Woodruff, Community Development Director of the Washington Square Park Conservancy, as she explores the design of Washington Square Park from past to present. Learn about changes to this landscape from…
Read More…Ghost signs are interesting in many ways. They invoke a connection to the past, typically promoting products or businesses now gone, or at least no longer associated with the site…
Read More…of the incredible awardees over the past years. Here are a few of my favorites that beautifully represent the wonderful contributions our award winners make to Greenwich Village, the East…
Read MoreCommunity Conference: The Village Past, Present, and Future with Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman The Jefferson Market Library has served as a center for creativity, intellectualism, and civic engagement…
Read MoreKleindeutschland: the Lower East Side’s Forgotten Past A Lecture by Peter Conolly Smith Few New York neighborhoods have been home to as many immigrant groups as the Lower East Side….
Read More…past is preserved, even as we build a better future for all. Preserved: 70 Fifth Avenue, the former headquarters of the NAACP and other historic organizations; the Stonewall Inn; and…
Read More151 Avenue C On Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets sits a small, unassuming two-story garage. Chances are you’ve walked past it and never even noticed it. The large…
Read MoreSharing the Dirt on City Gardening The third installment of Village Preservation’s Getting It Right: From Historic Properties To Urban Landscapes Series An enlightening discussion series on Wednesday evenings sharing…
Read MoreSharing the Dirt on City Gardening The third installment of Village Preservation’s Getting It Right: From Historic Properties To Urban Landscapes Series An enlightening discussion series on Wednesday evenings sharing…
Read MoreSharing the Dirt on City Gardening The third installment of Village Preservation’s Getting It Right: From Historic Properties To Urban Landscapes Series An enlightening discussion series on Wednesday evenings sharing…
Read MoreVillage Preservation is honored to share our oral history with Alex Harsley, released this past December. In the early 1970s Alex Harsley founded, and today continues to operate, both the…
Read More…body would never agree to a woman joining their ranks, allowed them to vote on her admission. As a joke, they voted “yes,” and she gained admittance, despite the reluctance…
Read MoreShirley Hayes (1912-2002) was a community activist who led the successful fight in the 1950s against Robert Moses’ plan to extend a highway through Washington Square Park. Full Transcript…
Read MoreLast week the Department of City Planning presented a more detailed preliminary outline of Mayor Adams’ “City of Yes” plan — aimed at increasing development, and addressing issues like environmental…
Read More…eyes. Their cameras captured the city’s expressive cultures as well as its quotidian practices with a heightened sense of vulnerability and solidarity. This illustrated talk contrasts the Italian Feast of…
Read More…heels of the hall’s new corporate identity, it appears the interior is getting a major renovation. This Thursday, August 10th, will be the last day the hall is opened in…
Read More…University was a bit pickier with its choice of architects in those early days. Feast your eyes on their spectacular Gothic Revival main building, which was constructed in 1833-36 by…
Read More…show up: the Stuyvesants yes, also the Astors, Eliza Fish and Judith Winthrop – perhaps the first women listed on a New York map – and many others. St. Mark’s…
Read MoreThe Museum of the City of New York presents: Greenwich Village: Past, Present, and Future Wednesday, June 8, 6:30 pm Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue…
Read More…for an award. Village Preservation has honored hundreds of awardees over the past 32 years. This year’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards presentation will take place on Tuesday, June 14….
Read MoreThe city might at times feel like its on fire during the summer, but there have been times in the past when it has actually been. In the 1970s the…
Read More…Avenue, a landmarked brownstone that shows little change since it was built in 1854. This very special panel event will illuminate Salmagundi’s past, present, and future, and presents a rare…
Read MoreThe Past, Present, and Future of the Mezritch Synagogue The Congregation Mezritch Synagogue is the East Village’s last operating “tenement synagogue,” in a neighborhood that once contained hundreds of these…
Read MoreThe Bowery – Past, Present & Future on NYC’s Oldest Street: An Illustrated Presentation in Word & Song Native American footpath, Dutch farm road and site of NYC’s first free…
Read More…of NYU Land Battles” on its site this past Tuesday, before the City Council Land Use Committee voted nearly unanimously to approve a slightly modified version of NYU’s massive proposed…
Read More…Haley, James Baldwin, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, to tours of African American historic sites in our neighborhoods, to past programs about the Underground Railroad, Black Bohemia, the first black theater in…
Read More…Tavern all have music nightly. If you still want to take a nostalgia trip, you can always read these past Off the Grid posts on CBGB’s and the Fillmore East….
Read MoreFutureCity: The Past, Present and Future of New York with Jason Haber For the first time in history, more people live in cities than don’t. By 2050, 2 billion more…
Read More…So on this Christmas Eve, I thought I would review some of the past holiday posts we have offered here on Off the Grid. The Washington Square Park tree. Greenwich…
Read MoreThe Past, Present & Future of East 4th Street: Downtown Theater Row Straddling Vaudeville venues on Bowery and Yiddish Theatre on 2nd Avenue, E. 4th has been a home for…
Read MoreOur Little Italies: Past, Present, and Future A lecture with Dr. Jerome Krase In this illustrated talk, Prof. Jerry Krase of Brooklyn College discusses the transformation of “Little Italies” throughout…
Read MoreKatharine Fields, an intern at the Neighborhood Preservation Center (where Village Preservation is located), peers into the past. The “Gilded Age” in New York City – roughly 1870 through 1900…
Read MoreFirst Houses: A Monument of the Past, A Model for the Future A lecture and discussion with Warren Shaw Dedicated in 1935 as the first publicly sponsored housing complex for…
Read More…them. However, nearly all of the city’s equine culture has been forgotten, supplanted by a cacophony of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. Nevertheless, the horse in New York City’s past…
Read More…testament to the ever-evolving tapestry of human history and tells a poignant story within its built environment of a city that constantly reinvents itself while cherishing its past. Here at…
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