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Tag: waterfront

Blue Jeans on the New York Waterfront: Levi Strauss, the Gold Rush, and an American Icon

For most of their history, Greenwich Village, the East Village, and the Lower East Side have had an intimately interconnected life and history. These parts of New York have been crossroads and hotbeds of cultural and intellectual innovation. The East River and Hudson River waterfronts have linked these neighborhoods to global networks of trade and […]

Shorelines of History: Preserving Greenwich Village’s Waterfront

From New Amsterdam to New York City, the shores of Manhattan and the surrounding harbor — one of the best natural harbors in the world — connected a fledgling colonial port to a global economy. As our great cosmopolitan metropolis grew through the nineteenth century, it remained a maritime city, becoming the world’s busiest port […]

The Fascinating Maritime Architecture of Mr. Boring

William Alciphron Boring was a prominent architect whose work played a significant role in shaping the architectural landscape of New York City, especially in areas tied to the immigrant experience and maritime life. Born on September 9, 1859, he was known for his design of key structures like the Ellis Island Immigration Station and what […]

From New York to Tragedy: Pier 54 and RMS Lusitania

As the dawn of May 1, 1915, bathed the skyline of New York City in a golden hue, the bustling harbor was witness to an event that would soon echo through the annals of history—the departure from Pier 54 of the RMS Lusitania for her final voyage. For the passengers aboard, it was a journey […]

    The American Seamen’s Friend Society Sailors’ Home and Institute

    By the early nineteenth century New York City had developed as the largest port in the United States and one of the largest in the world. This growth of New York City also coincidentally overlapped with the era of the “Second Great Awakening,” when evangelical organizations throughout the United States and abroad were working to […]

      “Our Village is Star in an Uptown Exhibit” — September 26, 1990

      Village Preservation has been, and continues to be, the guardian of many different archives. Still, our repository continues growing, and our newest online resource, the Preservation History Archive, is somewhat distinct from all the rest. Instead of relaying the broad history of our neighborhood, the Preservation History Archive holds original documents on the history of […]

      Throwback Thursday: 392 West Street

      With the summer breeze , a stop along the Greenwich Village waterfront to reminisce about its past seems in order. The building at 392 West Street (A.K.A. 6 Weehawken Street) is a charming physical reminder of the wooden buildings that once lined this stretch of our neighborhood. For its modest appearance, its history is quite […]

        The Land of Meatpackers, Then Models, Then Moschino

        Seven years ago, a picturesque swath of lower Manhattan by the Hudson River was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. This official designation by government agencies marked another layer of recognition and protection of this unique area, traditionally known for cobblestones, hanging sides of meat, blood in the gutters, brick warehouses, […]

        A Block of West Street, Then & Now

        In the Far West Village, along the Greenwich Village waterfront, sits a block of West Street between 10th and Charles Streets. Of the buildings on this block,  only 396 and 398 West Street sit within the Weehawken Street Historic District, which the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated in 2006. The Greenwich Village waterfront is one of […]

          The Keller Hotel: Then and Now

          We’re coming up on the sixth anniversary of the landmarking of the Keller Hotel at West Street and Barrow Street in the Far West Village. The Keller Hotel (built 1897-98) is one of only three remaining intact former sailors’ hotels on the Greenwich Village waterfront, and as you can see from the before and after […]

          Water, Water, Everywhere

          With Hurricane Irene on the way, the city is bracing for some possible high winds and flooding associated with the storm. WNYC made a handy interactive map that highlights parts of our neighborhoods that may be vulnerable to flooding during an intense storm. In addition to the important flooding information, the map also indirectly reveals […]

          From Pier to Park

          As the summertime blanket of heat and humidity descends over the city, our thoughts inevitably move toward the cool breezes found at the city’s waterfront. A little bit south of the Far West Village waterfront that GVSHP fought to get landmarked (see here and here) is the massive concrete structure known as Pier 40. Though […]