East Village Building Blocks Tour: African American History
People of African descent have lived in the area now known as the East Village since the mid-17th century, when semi-freed African slaves of the Dutch West India Company in … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Churches
Churches often represent some of the most historic and stunning architecture in a community, and that’s as true if not more so of the East Village as it is of … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Little Ukraine
Our neighborhoods are gloriously filled with immigration history. The East Village alone could tell a vast part of America’s immigration history. One such group that immigrated to our shores and … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: the LGBTQ East Village
While the neighboring West Village may have the more well-known sites, the East Village contains a rich assortment of places connected to LGBTQ history, including the homes of noted artists, … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Theaters!
The East Village has been fertile ground for theatrical innovation since the beginning of the 20th century. Off-Off Broadway productions began in the East Village as an anti-commercial and experimental … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Synagogues
If you’re walking around the East Village, you’re likely standing on (or near) holy ground. To illustrate this, we’ve created a tour of current and former synagogues in the neighborhood. … Continued
East Village Building Blocks Tour: Dry Dock District
Alphabet City owes much of its initial development to shipbuilding, the industry that used to dominate the area. Known as the Dry Dock District, this area used to bustle with … Continued
A Walk Through Astor Land with East Village Building Blocks
One of New York most prolific and high-profile building families, the Astors left their indelible mark on countless areas of the city. Though their name is typically connected to grand … Continued
Uncovering Mysteries in East Village Building Blocks
In a recent post, we discussed the many resources that we used to research the over 2,200 properties that are featured in our online tool, East Village Building Blocks. In … Continued
Research Resources for East Village Building Blocks
GVSHP’s recently-released East Village Building Blocks online web tool provides invaluable information about over 2,200 properties in the East Village, including each building’s date of construction, original architect, original use, and … Continued
Tour the Meccas of East Village Punk via Our Building Blocks Website
The East Village is generally credited with being the birthplace of punk music, which emanated from CBGB in the mid-1970s and the bands who played there, including the Ramones, Television, … Continued
A Building Blocks Tour of East Village Landmarks
We have just added a new tour to our wildly popular East Village Building Blocks, our online tool which provides invaluable information about over 2,200 properties in the East Village. … Continued
Exploring East Village Music Meccas with Building Blocks
This is part of a series of curated tours to help the public explore the buildings and history shared on our recently-launched East Village Building Blocks site — see it here. From 19th-century concert … Continued
A Building Blocks Tour of the Squats of the East Village
This is part of a series of curated tours to help the public explore the buildings and history shared on our recently-launched East Village Building Blocks site — see it here. During … Continued
East Village Community Garden Dreaming with Building Blocks
On these chilly late-January days, a little virtual trip through some lush, breezy gardens might just help to lift the spirits. With our recent launch of East Village Building Blocks, … Continued
Celebrating the Landmarks of Immigration in the Greenwich Village Historic District
April is both the time of year when immigrant heritage week is celebrated in New York (commemorating the day in 1907 when more immigrants passed through Ellis Island than any … Continued
Creating a Historic District in Greenwich Village
This is one of a series of blog posts which highlights the information found in our Village Independent Democrats collection in our Preservation History Archive. “Of the Historic Districts in New York City which have … Continued
Preserving the Past for the Future: A Journey Through the Greenwich Village Historic District
The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD) is a haven of history, culture, and artistic expression many have called the beating heart of New York City. The GVHD stands as a … Continued
Tips from Our Preservation Team on Researching Your NYC Building
On Village Preservation’s Resources for Neighborhood Research page, we’ve assembled links to online directories, photo archives, maps, and more from city, state, library, educational, and other organizations — including our … Continued
Business of the Month: Village Works, 12 St. Mark’s Place
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, … Continued
The Diversity and Beauty of Loft Buildings South of Union Square
The area South of Union Square, where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, is a dynamic blend of history, commerce, and culture. It’s where great leaps forward in social movements, … Continued
Naming a Neighborhood: The East Village
The area now known as the East Village was historically part of the Lower East Side, which was one of the most densely populated and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the … Continued
Exploring Virtual Village Voices, Part 2: Basquiat, Blackwell, and Brown
In 2021 and 2022, Village Preservation developed an innovative outdoor public art exhibition that was displayed throughout Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. VILLAGE VOICES featured photographs, artifacts, and … Continued
Snow Days in Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive
Some winters in New York City see almost no appreciable snowfall (prior to late January 2024, for example, there had been over 700 days without), and other years we have … Continued
Jenny and The Cat Club: A Fictional World Based in the Real Greenwich Village
The year is 1944, and in a brick row house by a lush Greenwich Village garden lives a “shy little black cat” named Jenny Linsky with her caretaker, the old … Continued
Jimmy Carter, Habitat for Humanity, and the East Village
Former president Jimmy Carter and his late wife Rosalynn Carter were long at the forefront of Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit that helps communities build new homes and improve existing … Continued
The Folk Music Revival Scene: A South Village Tour
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! The South Village in the 50s and 60s was a hotbed of creativity and activism. Where … Continued
Touring the Gardens of the East Village
The 1970s was a dangerous and difficult time for New York City. Arson and neglect left many poor and working-class neighborhoods with abandoned lots, filled with hazardous debris. Residents of … Continued
A Glimpse into the Gilded Age East Village of the Tiffanys
Many would be surprised to learn that Charles Tiffany, the founder of Tiffany & Co., known for the manufacture of goods which came to be synonymous with the wealthiest New … Continued
Celebrating the Origins of the South Village
December is South Village Month – join us in celebrating this vibrant neighborhood all month long! In December 2016, following a multi-year advocacy campaign spearheaded by Village Preservation, the Sullivan … Continued
Cappuccino: Introduced to America in Greenwich Village, Still Going Strong
Cappuccinos are made from equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. While this recipe is not debatable, the origin story is. Various Italian, French, Turkish, Viennese/Austro-Hungarians lay claim to all … Continued
Hispanic Heritage in the East Village: A Walk through Loisaida
The East Village has for decades been one of New York City’s most vital Hispanic enclaves, and a thriving hub of latin culture. One need only look at Avenue C’s … Continued
Jewish, Hispanic, and Historic Preservationist: the Maritime Pioneers of Greenwich Village
New York is an immigrant city. It has concentrated populations of various immigrant groups making it the largest city in the world for many groups, or sometimes the largest outside … Continued
The Linda Yowell Image Collection: Capturing the West Village’s Charm and Evolution Over the Decades
Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive is a treasure trove of photographs that display the visual history of our changing neighborhoods and notable New York City landmarks and sites. We are … Continued
Touring the Churches of the East Village
The East Village is a neighborhood known for its rich history, diversity, and creative culture. That diversity includes the wealth of religious institutions found across the neighborhood, as highlighted by … Continued
Business of the Month: Ipswich Watch, Clock & Jewelry Repair, 109 East 12th Street
Your input is needed! Today we feature our latest Business of the Month — help us to select the next. Tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village, … Continued
Carol Janeway: Ceramicist and Fierce Village Advocate
It is a well-known and celebrated fact that countless visual artists have lived and worked in Greenwich Village over the years. These talented individuals have made the neighborhood their home, … Continued
Local Landmark: Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy House, 406-412 East 14th Street
One of the East Village’s earliest designated but perhaps least well known landmarks, is the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy House, located at 406–412 East 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A, and … Continued
La MaMa ETC to Receive Village Preservation’s Coveted Regina Kellerman Award
Each year at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards ceremony, Village Preservation presents one unique award: the Regina Kellerman Award, named in honor of Village Preservation’s first Executive Director. Regina … Continued
The East Village, (Em)Powered: Part Two
This special two-part post explores the legacy of the energy pioneers who constructed solar collectors and a windmill at 519 East Eleventh Street. In the first installment we explored the … Continued
Three Landmarks in the East Village
Walking through the East Village means walking through history. The neighborhood features 30 individual landmarks, one of the highest concentrations in the city, that offer a unique view of our … Continued
The Best Birdwatching in Greenwich Village and the East Village
There comes a time each spring when one can’t help but marvel at the sights and sounds of our neighborhoods. The blooming magnolias and budding leaves are made even more … Continued
Village Preservation Resources for African American History Month
Welcome to February, and African American History Month! Village Preservation has long documented the stories behind the streets, buildings and people of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo. Those … Continued
The Rise of Architectural Styles on East 10th Street
The East 10th Street Historic District — officially designated on this day in 2012 — covers the northern side of the street between Avenues A and B, 26 buildings in … Continued
Saluting Three Decades of ‘Stomp’ing in the East Village
We happily put up with the recurring smells and filth of New York City streets for the odd encounter with the surreal and the sublime. We find so thrilling the … Continued
Literary Rebels: Five Banned Book Authors Connected to the Village
Everyone knows our neighborhoods have been home to some of the world’s most celebrated literary icons. However, for some of these icons, their revolutionary writing has been a magnet for … Continued
Revisiting Kleindeutschland, the East Village’s Little Germany
On October 6, 1683, thirteen families arrived in Philadelphia and founded the first German settlement in North America. Since then, generations of Germans have immigrated to the United States, with … Continued
Want to See Viennese Secessionist Art Deco Architecture? Go No Farther Than the Far East Village
The East Village, while it is rich in unique cultural and architectural history, lacks significant landmark protections east of Second Avenue. Village Preservation has long been working toward greater protection … Continued
Fulfillingness’ First Finale: A Stevie Wonder Classic Born of Pain, Recovery, and Greenwich Village
On July 22, 1974, Stevie Wonder’s seventh studio album, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, was released by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. The classic album, considered the fourth of five from … Continued
Ice Cream Dreaming Through the Village
A wise man once said that only one food goes just as well with pie, coffee, or tears: ice cream. But you can’t always take wise men at their word; … Continued
2022 Village Awardee: Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and Middle Collegiate Church, 112-114 Second Avenue
Village Preservation is very proud to honor Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and Middle Collegiate Church as a Village Awardee in 2022. Join us in recognizing Rev. Dr. Lewis and Middle Church and these other worthy awardees at Village Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Village Awards on Tuesday, June 14th. Registration is free and open to all!
The Evolution of Tenement Typologies in the East Village
The East Village is one of New York City’s most historically dynamic neighborhoods, as evidenced by its rich and diverse built environment. The neighborhood displays excellent examples of so many … Continued
Great NYC Museums Go #BeyondTheVillageAndBack
New York City is blessed with a broad range of historic and internationally recognized cultural institutions across the five boroughs. But few know how many of them have origins here … Continued
Aiding and Supporting Ukraine Via East Village Businesses and Institutions
New York City is home to the largest Ukrainian population in the country, and the East Village has long been the heart of that community. After the recent attacks against … Continued
“Beyond the Village and Back” Takes Us #SouthOfUnionSquare
Village Preservation recently unveiled our interactive Beyond the Village and Back Maps, the latest in our series of maps that tell the story of our neighborhood. With so many entries, … Continued
Suffragists of the East Village
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Following decades … Continued
Oral History: Calvin Trillin’s ‘West Village’
“My name is Calvin Trillin and I’ve lived in the Village off and on for more than 50 years, I guess. What I do for a living is I’m a writer, mostly The New Yorker and some The Nation, and books and a variety of things.” Thus starts Village Preservation’s latest entry in our collection of oral history, which explores the journey this humble award-winning journalist, humorist, food writer, poet, memoirist and novelist took from his Midwest origins to his being a regular presence in the West Village for decades.
Exploring Black History in the East Village and NoHo
On January 3, 2017, we launched our Civil Rights and Social Justice Map, a unique online resource that marks more than 200 sites in our neighborhoods significant to the history … Continued
Greer Lankton: An Artist’s Life in the Village of the Dolls
Greer Lankton (she/her, April 21, 1958 – November 18, 1996) was an East Village-based multidisciplinary artist who worked in illustration, photography, and sculpture. She’s mostly known for creating lifelike paper-mache … Continued
#SouthofUnionSquare: Pre-Civil War Buildings
Our research on the area south of Union Square has revealed treasure troves of rich architecture and history connected to the film, the labor movement, and the arts, among many … Continued
Three Up, Three Down: Explore Our Greek Revival Heritage in Six Buildings
Two centuries ago, a war began in Europe that would shape boundaries and alliances on the continent for years to come. Greece, which for centuries had been under Ottoman rule, … Continued
Gustav Hartman’s Lower East Side Philanthropy, Remembered in a Park
Have you walked by the narrow triangle park where East 2nd Street, East Houston Street, and Avenue C all meet? This small, fenced-in sliver of green may seem unremarkable, but … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The Whitney Museum of American Art
When Marcel Breuer’s Whitney Museum of American Art opened in September 1966, New York Times architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable noted that the inverted ziggurat-like Brutalist structure had quickly become “the most disliked building in New York.”
Silent Teacher: East Village Poet Hannah Weiner
As the poetry scholar Rona Cran once wrote, the downtown poetry scene in the twentieth century was “less of a site of primarily male subjectivity and naturally-occurring genius (as tends … Continued
Let Freedom Ring: The East Village’s (Older) Liberty Bell
Early in the morning of Saturday, December 5, 2020, a fire broke out in a vacant building on the corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street. The blaze quickly spread … Continued
LGBTQ Pride+History Month with Village Preservation
LGBTQ+ Pride and History Month may be in June, but at Village Preservation, we’re working to document, celebrate, and protect the incredibly rich LGBTQ+ history of our neighborhoods, which played … Continued
Asian-American History in Greenwich Village and the East Village
The Asian-American and Pacific Islander community has a more than 150-year-long history in the United States, dating back to the first wave of Chinese and Japanese immigrants settling on the … Continued
Jackie Curtis: East Village Superstar, “Pioneer without a Frontier”
“I am not a boy, not a girl, I am not gay, not straight, I am not a drag queen, not a transsexual – I am just me, Jackie.” This … Continued
Cemeteries of The East Village, Part IV
Continuing our Cemeteries of the Village series, today we look at the blocks surrounding 2nd Street and Second Avenue. Two landmarked cemeteries still exist here, and four other 19th-century cemeteries … Continued
Angel Hair Press: “A Rush of Poetic Chutzpah” in the East Village
The poets and New York natives Anne Waldman and Lewis Warsh met at the Berkeley Poetry Conference in 1965, while absorbing the Zen-influenced poems of San Francisco-based writer Robert Duncan. … Continued
The New-York Historical Society Finds Its First Home in the East Village
In 1804, New York City had already celebrated 190 years since its founding. Comparatively, the United States was only 28 years young. In order to honor the already rich history … Continued
Revolutionaries on East Second Street: The STAR House
The East Village is home to a dynamic group of historic LGBT+ sites — overshadowed as they may be by the many such landmarks of the West Village, including Stonewall. … Continued
An East Village Story — From German Church, to Synagogue, to Landmark
On October 28, 2014, the structure at 334 E. 14th Street that architectural historian Francis Morrone calls “one of the most important buildings in the East Village” was designated a New … Continued
The De Vinne Press Building: “A Tour-de-force of Bricklaying” at 393-399 Lafayette Street
Not everyone knows its name or its history, but few have passed the incredibly impressive red brick building at the northeast corner of Lafayette Street and East 4th Street and … Continued
From our Director: Village Preservation and VillagePreservation.org
Dear friend, Over the last year and a half, we’ve gone through a transformation. Our new name is Village Preservation, and in June we launched our new website: VillagePreservation.org. Both … Continued
Horror Takes The Village! The Movies and Monsters That Roam The Streets of Our Neighborhoods
Some of the most iconic films in history have used New York City as its backdrop. Sweeping dramas, gut-busting comedies, and action/adventure movies have swung through the streets dozens of … Continued
Veniero’s: An East Village Cornerstone Since 1894
On September 23, 1894, one of the East Village’s longest-running businesses, Veniero’s Pasticceria, opened its doors. This venerable local institution has been serving confections, cakes, and pastries to New Yorkers … Continued
Preserving, Adapting, Reusing: Good for Buildings, Good for Clothing, Good for Small Business
We here at Village Preservation are in the business (so to speak) of trying to help ensure historic buildings are preserved and, when necessary, adapted and reused rather than destroyed. … Continued
The First Global Economic Crisis, and An Easily-Overlooked Greenwich Village House
Today, global economic crises are all too familiar and common. A bad day on Wall Street, or a troubling decision by China or the European Union, can send markets tumbling … Continued
The Hospital for Special Surgery, Born in the East Village
You might be surprised to know that the Hospital for Special Surgery, the oldest existing orthopedic hospital in the United State, and a powerhouse in the world of medicine and … Continued
The Scopes Monkey Trial and its origins in Greenwich Village, south of Union Square
On July 10, 1925, what would come to be known as the “Scopes Monkey Trial” began in Dayton, Tennessee.
Jackson Square Library: An Exquisite Building, and once a church of ‘Exquisite Panic’
Jackson Square Library, one of New York City’s first free circulating libraries, was a gift of George Washington Vanderbilt, III.
LGBT Historic Sites in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
June is Pride Month, which makes it an especially exciting time to be in the Village. LGBT history is closely tied with our neighborhood and their culture, and throughout the … Continued
268-272 East 2nd Street: Over 150 Years of Service to the Public
Whenever a building is demolished, something is lost, even if the planned replacement is a worthy one. In the case of 268-272 East 2nd Street, currently a nondescript four-story building, … Continued
Why Isn’t This Landmarked? Devonshire House, 28 East 10th 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 … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The Chrysler Building
In 2007 the Chrysler Building was ranked ninth on the list of America’s Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects. Built in 1928-30 and designed by William Van Allen, it is a beacon in our rapidly changing New York City skyline, and in many ways the embodiment of the Art Deco style and the Roaring 20s’ exuberant building boom before the Depression.
Slugger Ann and Jackie Curtis — Part of the East Village Family
Some bars come and some bars go, and some are never forgotten. Slugger Ann bar and cocktail lounge was located at 301 East 12th Street/192 Second Avenue at the corner … Continued
Village Preservation’s Oral History: Jonas Mekas
Immigrant Heritage Week is a citywide celebration that honors the experiences and contributions of our city’s immigrants. Since 2004 it has been held every year starting April 17, the date … Continued
Our Epic Greenwich Village and East Village Watch-List
It’s time to dive into our beloved neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo as they’re seen through the movie camera lens. Presented in no apparent order, this … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: Harlem’s St. James Presbyterian Church
The St. James Presbyterian Church at 409 West 141st Street, on the corner of St. Nicholas Avenue, stands on the incline of a hill looking eastward over Harlem. The commanding, 1904 neo-Gothic structure boasts an ornate bell tower, visible from the nearby St. Nicholas Park and the City College of New York.
Young Philip Roth in the East Village
In 1958, a twenty-five-year-old Philip Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) moved into a basement apartment at 128 East 10th Street in the East Village. The Anglo-Italianate building, … Continued
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. … Continued
The Birth of The Committee to Save the West Village, Led By Jane Jacobs
The battle between Village preservation icon Jane Jacobs and Robert “put a highway through every park” Moses is quite storied and well-documented. But for us, understanding it and preserving its … Continued
What’s Old Is New Again For a Special Building on East 12th Street
Our area boasts some of the most historic and attractive architecture in the city, if we do say so ourselves. All too often, however, these buildings lose beautiful historic details, … Continued
How the New York Public Library got its start in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and NoHo
With 53 million items and 92 locations across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the New York Public Library (MYPL) is the largest municipal library in the world. It’s also … Continued
East Village Building Named for President Felled by Anarchist; Also Home to ‘Hope,’ and Art By Koons
No. 111-115 East 7th Street is one of the more striking tenements in the East Village. First of all, it’s seven-stories. It’s also covered in beautiful Renaissance Revival detail. There’s … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society was established as New York’s first museum in 1804, a mere 15 years after George Washington’s inauguration. Its present home on Central Park West was built between 1902 and 1908 and designed by the architectural firm of York and Sawyer
Why Isn’t This Landmarked?: 30 East 14th Street Artists’ Loft
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. … Continued
Beyond the Village and Back: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the great landmarks, and great institutions, of New York City, the nation, and the world. With more than 2 million objects in its collection, it is by far the largest museum in both New York and the country.
Beyond the Village and Back: The Children’s Aid Society’s Fourteenth Ward Industrial School on Mott Street
Walking through the neighborhood now often referred to as NoLIta (north of Little Italy), one can’t help but be struck by a four-story building on Mott Street which seems much more impressive than its modest height would imply. The stepped roof and carved foliate detail above and below the windows give the impression of a grand private residence, or at least the headquarters of some noble institution.
