← View All

Tag: French flat

Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: the French Flats at 206-208 East 9th Street

Part of our blog series Why Isn’t This Landmarked?, where we look at buildings in our area we’re fighting to protect that are worthy of landmark designation, but somehow aren’t landmarked. The East Village has many architectural gems. Today we look one truly outstanding building, the “French Flats” located 206-208 East Ninth Street, between Second Avenue […]

French Flats Explained — Merci!

Have you ever heard the term ‘French Flat?’ It sounds rather chic, doesn’t it? That’s because it was meant to. In New York City in the mid-to-late late 19th century, respectable, middle- and upper-class people were supposed to live in private homes. The poor and working-class lived in “tenement houses” (derived from “tenant houses”), which […]

Echoes of Bastille Day in Greenwich Village

On July 14, 1789, the Storming of the Bastille was the galvanizing event that kicked off the French Revolution.  The Bastille was a fortress-prison that held both political prisoners and a cache of weapons.  By storming the oppressive structure, the revolutionaries were not only able to obtain armaments to further their cause, but provide a symbol […]

Hawks With a Taste for Quality Construction

It’s easy to see, from the many blogs devoted to the subject, that New Yorkers are fans of our local hawks. These raptors add notes of wildness and grace to our busy days, amidst the city’s manmade grit and tumult. Did you know the hawks themselves are fans of notable architecture, as well? Let’s take […]