South Village Named To “Seven to Save” List!

We are thrilled to share with you the news that GVSHP successfully nominated the South Village to the Preservation League of New York State’s “Seven to Save” list — their bi-annual list of the seven most significant, endangered historic sites in New York State.  The announcement was made yesterday morning by the League’s president, Jay DiLorenzo with GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman before a crowd of community advocates as well as GVSHP staff and board members on Bleecker Street in the South Village. You can read more about our efforts on our South Village page.

Being selected to this list is an important step in spreading awareness of the threatened architectural and cultural history of the South Village. Historically an Italian immigrant community, the neighborhood’s countless houses, stables, tenements and storefronts have faced an increasing number of demolitions and unsympathetic alterations. We’ve documented the loss of some of these local treasures, including the Tunnel Garage, Provincetown Playhouse, Circle in the Square Theatre and the Sullivan Street Playhouse. You can read more about the vibrant history of this area by checking out our South Village Historic District proposal and report. Written by noted New York architectural historian Andrew S. Dolkart, the report was funded by Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Back in 2010, we celebrated the Landmark Preservation Commission’s designation of the first third of our proposed South Village Historic District, the report of which can be read on our Resources page. But we’re hoping that the “Seven to Save” listing will help emphasize the need for the Commission to continue with designating the remaining two-thirds of this neighborhood.

To see more photos from yesterday’s announcement, please see our photos on Flickr. There is also a Youtube video of the event. Help us advocate for the protection of this culturally rich area by writing a letter in support of designation to the Landmarks Preservation Commission.