Off the Grid has previously taken a look at African American history in the South Village, which was home to almost a quarter of the city’s African-American population during the mid-19th century and known as “Little Africa.” The newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic…
The Vesuvio playground, one of the few green spaces in the newly designated Sullivan-Thompson Historic District, is a true haven for South Village children. In the 1920s, the New York City Parks Department started buying land for playgrounds in the…
The newly calendared Sullivan-Thompson Historic District contains some of the oldest and most historically significant buildings in the South Village, including St. Anthony of Padua, the oldest extant Italian-American Church in the country, 57 Sullivan Street, built in 1817 and the…
The following was originally posted by Drew Durniak. It showcases one of the South Village’s most significant and historic presences both architecturally and culturally, St. Anthony of Padua. It is located at the corner of West Houston and Sullivan Streets…
Your input is needed! Today we feature our second “Business of the Month” — the first one selected by YOUR votes! Now tell us which independent store you love in Greenwich Village, the East Village or NoHo: just click here to…
Thinking of white glazed brick buildings can conjure images of boxy post-war high rises on the Upper East Side, but almost fifty years before they came into vogue, white brick homes were sprouting in the South Village. In addition to…
This Thursday evening, September 25, we will present the third program in our series “OMG!: Churches and Synagogues of Greenwich Village.” Father Joseph Lorenzo, O.F.M., pastor at the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua, will present a slideshow and…
In the old Italian South Village, St. Anthony of Padua church stands on the corner of Sullivan Street and Houston Street, an anchor for the vibrant community of Italian immigrants who settled in this neighborhood over 100 years ago. Nestled…
On October 1, 1998, Charlie Zito passed away after years of baking bread on Bleecker Street, in the heart of the South Village. There is nothing like the aroma of fresh-baked bread, and when Zito’s Bakery was making bread, I…
Thirty years ago this month, in September 1981, the infectious and other-worldly sound of Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love” was unleashed upon the world. The song became a club hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and in the…
The Oldest Building in the Village?: Call it whatever you'd like: antique, vintage, or historic. If one thing is for certain ...
Gem Spa: An 80 Year Old Institution Fighting for its Survival: New Yorkers love their small businesses, so it was no surprise that the plight of ... Gem Spa: An 80 Year Old Institution Fighting for its Survival: New Yorkers love their small businesses, so it was no surprise that the plight of ...
Summer in the City: On August 13, 1966, the classic ode to the trials and joys of summer days ...