On June 11th, 2019, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designated seven buildings in the area south of Union Square as individual landmarks. While these seven buildings are just a fraction of a fraction of the buildings we …
840 Broadway: Renaissance Revival Landmark with Inspiration from the Acropolis Read More »
Cole Porter was a paradox; a musical genius who truly defined a time in musical history, he was at once a privileged sybarite and a bohemian provocateur all at the same time. Porter also lived a contradictory lifestyle. He was …
Cole Porter: A Prolific Musical Career Launched in Greenwich Village Read More »
This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Check out our year-long activities and celebrations at gvshp.org/GVHD50. Put on your walking and dancing shoes! As we’ve noted once or twice on Off …
GVHD50 Tour: Homes of Music Greats Read More »
As many can agree, there’s nothing like a good seedy scandal for some shock and entertainment. And with all the characters that have passed through the Village, it’s no surprise that plenty such events occurred right here. One such story …
A Murder on Broadway: Josie Mansfield and the Grand Central Hotel Read More »
On December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine published The American Crisis, a series of pamphlets that helped fan the flames of American patriotism to inspire the American troops and public during the long, arduous years of the Revolutionary War. In a …
A Tale of Two Crises: Thomas Paine and Marie Du Mont Read More »
On October 17, 2017 the Landmarks Preservation Commissions (LPC) held a hearing to consider landmarking 827-831 Broadway, the threatened 1866 lofts once home to Willem de Kooning. Just two weeks later, the LPC voted to landmark them, culminating a year …
Historic Broadway Gems Saved from Demolition Read More »
Even though the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) just calendared, or began the formal process of consideration for, landmark designations of seven buildings in the area affected by the recent Tech Hub upzoning — 817, 826, 830, 832, 836, 840, …
Important Rally this Saturday: 95% of Neighborhood Around Tech Hub Still Unprotected Read More »
GVSHP has been conducting and sharing oral histories since the mid-1990s. As we look back on two powerhouse oral histories, we’re considering the importance of such documents as “the first kind of history,” as “part of the struggle of memory …
Born Thomas Lanier Williams, III, on March 26th, 1911, playwright Tennessee Williams was as much a New Yorker as anyone, really. While his place of birth was really Columbus, Mississippi, he was an itinerant traveler of the world, but spent …
Tennessee Williams: A Restless Fugitive Read More »
I’ll take Manhattan! If you had to draw a picture of a New York playwright, you would probably draw someone like John Guare. Guare was born on February 5, 1938. A New Yorker’s New Yorker, he has lived in Greenwich …
Hats Off to John Guare Read More »
The Oldest Building in the Village?: Call it whatever you'd like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain ...
Tenement House Act of 1901:
April 12, 1901 marks the date when the New York State Legislature passed the Tenement ...
Live from the Village, It’s Saturday Night!: This day marks the 44th anniversary of the hit late-night variety show, Saturday Night Live ...
Summer in the City: On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days ...