Lewis Morris Rutherfurd: The Stargazer on Second Avenue
Lewis Morris Rutherfurd (November 25, 1816 – May 30, 1892) was born in Morrisania, New York to a family who was already a familiar presence in American political history. His … Continued
← View All
Tag: Second Avenue
St. Mark’s Playhouse and the Negro Ensemble Company
The 1960s saw immense change as calls for civil rights and racial justice transformed our cultural landscape. In tandem with these movements, many of which have their roots in our … Continued
The (Potential) Familiar Future of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary
On the corner of Second Avenue and 13th Street, the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary (NYEEI) has stood for over 200 years. One of the oldest specialized hospitals in … Continued
A Move To Allow New York City To Save Its Landmarks
On April 6, 1965, the New York City Council approved the bill granting the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission the power to designate and preserve New York City’s landmarks. … Continued
Many Layers of History Throughout 2018
As the calendar year comes to a close, GVSHP is looking back at some of our 2018 blog posts. Our neighborhoods are so rich in history on every street and … Continued
A Landmark Library Lives On
It might be temporarily closed for renovations, but when the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library opened in 1884 it was New York City’s first free public library, … Continued
Putting Historic Images On The Map
Our ever-expanding historic image archive has a number of fascinating collections which offer glimpses into our neighborhood and beyond throughout past decades. Carol Teller’s Changing New York (Parts I, II … Continued
A Landmark From the Heyday of Yiddish Theater That Still Stands Today
Many New Yorkers were left reeling from the closure and demolition of the Landmark Sunshine Theater on East Houston Street in 2018. Just outside of Village Preservation’s catchment area, the … Continued
Peeling Back Two Hundred Years of History on Second Avenue
I recently wrote about the rich and interesting cultural history behind the Ukrainian National Home, located at 140-142 Second Avenue just south of 9th Street in the East Village, for … Continued
An extraordinary East Villager
On Monday evening, GVSHP presented a program at the Sixth Street Community Center with our own Karen Loew, Director of East Village and Special Projects, and Liza Zapol, an artist … Continued
Business of the Month: B&H Dairy
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — and we need your help selecting the next. Tell us which independent store you love in … Continued
Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Some Architectural Cherubs
In celebration of Valentine’s Day today, we thought we would tip our hats to some of our neighborhood’s architectural cherubs. There’s a wonderfully rich supply of them in the East … Continued
Building Profile: 32 Second Avenue (aka 43-45 East 2nd Street)
A recent report about a possible five-story expansion atop a century-old building has inspired us to share a bit about this capacious three-story brick structure, which stands at the southeast … Continued
Finally, East Village/Lower East Side Historic District Scheduled for Vote
We recently learned that the proposed East Village/Lower East Side Historic District has been scheduled for a vote by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on October 9. Since the district was … Continued
Spot the Shot: 229-231 East 12th Street
The building from this “Spot the Shot” post is at 229-231 East 12th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. “The Claremount” was constructed in 1901 by developer Max Weinberg, who … Continued
Another Chase? Don’t Bank On It
We were – to put it calmly – a tad bothered when we read recently on EV Grieve that 160 Second Avenue (corner of East 10th Street), the former home … Continued
East Village Movie House Launched Big Careers
What does a beloved TV sitcom mom, Ike and Tina Turner, and one bad motha have in common? All were portrayed by actors who honed their craft at a theater … Continued
Big Changes in Store for East Village’s Second Avenue Funeral Home
We had a hunch this day was coming. The owners of the former Sigmund Schwartz Gramercy Park Chapel, at 152 Second Avenue, have applied to make substantial changes to their … Continued
Second Avenue Mansions of Yesteryear
Woah! Can you believe the corner of St. Marks Place and Second Avenue once looked like this? Our survey of the history of every single building in the East Village … Continued
Mars Bar — Before & After
A few days ago, the venerable Mars bar on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 1st Street painted “Thanks for the memories, miss you all” over its entrance, in expectation of … Continued
Cafe Royal
Researching the history of a building – as we’re doing for thousands in the East Village – can often be an arduous task. So it’s a great gift when sites … Continued