Greenwich Village

Last October, the appellate court overturned a previous decision by the New York Supreme Court that prohibited NYU’s $6 billion, 1.9 million-square-foot Greenwich Village expansion plan. But in Feburary, opponents of the plan (including community groups like GVSHP, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, local residents, NYU Faculty against the Sexton Plan, and even actor Mark Ruffalo) announced that the New York State Court of Appeals would hear their case one final time. According to DNAinfo, though, today the state's highest court ruled in favor of NYU, giving the expansion plan the final go ahead.
Find out more about the ruling

June 25, 2015

VIDEO: Here’s What It Was Like to Live in 1960s Greenwich Village, a ‘Countrified Cosmopolitan’

By Diane Pham

Yes, the 1960s were a rocky period; a turning point for a nation at war and an era that birthed a counterculture movement that would transform the world as everyone knew it. But amongst all the chaos, life went on in NYC. And in Greenwich Village things were especially great. We recently uncovered this fun little film that takes viewers through the trends and lifestyles that permeated throughout the beloved neighborhood. Although the times were far different—apartments were filled with struggling creatives like Dylan Thomas, Norman Mailer and Bob Dylan versus wealthy celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sarah Jessica Parker—the life that's depicted isn't all that different from what the neighborhood's uber-rich residents enjoy today. Daily habits, or "chores" as the video calls them, ranged from "minding the laundry, browsing through antique shops for possible bargains, or discovering a rare volume in a quaint bookstore." Folks would then of course follow up all that work up with a "relaxing moment" at one of the many sidewalk cafes where they'd find an artist ready to draw them.
Watch the video here

History

June 23, 2015

Lofty Co-Op With Flexible Space Asks $1.5 Million in Greenwich Village

By Emily Nonko

This one-bedroom at University Mews, a co-op building at 39 East 12th Street in Greenwich Village, is more than meets the eye. It's not a huge apartment, but smart design has allowed for some surprising extra space. That's no big shock, since the unit's previous owners were architects. So how much for a one bedroom that's located between the Village and Union Square, right in the heart of NYU? It has hit the market asking $1.595 million.
See inside

Distinctive Homes

June 11, 2015

Photographer Bob Estremera Shows Us That Greenwich Village Is Still Full of Character

When we talk about the allure of Greenwich Village, we're often referring to it in past tense, reminiscing about the good old days of folk music, ridiculously cheap apartments for artists, and the free-spirited bohemians that transformed the enclave into a cultural hub. And when we do talk about the Village in present tense, it's often because we're examining gentrification, whining about those pesky NYU students, or looking at the ever-rising rents. But if we stop feeling bitter about the fact that we can't get a $600/month studio there anymore, the Village still has plenty of charming and quirky storefronts, buildings, and characters. Photographer Bob Estremera captured this essence of the neighborhood in an impromptu rainy-day photo shoot that reminds us to take the time to look around and appreciate the small things.
See all the amazing black-and-white photos here

Places

June 1, 2015

$18 Million Townhouse in Greenwich Village Will Speak to Your Inner Historian and Artist

By Emily Nonko

This Greenwich Village townhouse located at 52 West 9th Street is unique indeed. (And we're not just talking about that $18 million price tag). The home was constructed in 1848 for the physician Austin Sherman. And while it retains many of its period details, it was renovated to accommodate the influx of artists that moved to the Village in the early 20th century. The distinctive studio on the top floor of the townhouse was added around 1920. According to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, "the studio is not only unusually high (seemingly a nearly double-height space), but is recessed enough to supply a balcony with a balustrade for the lucky resident." So the building has a touch of both the historic and the artistic side of Greenwich Village, with a price that fits the market of 2015.
See the interior here

Distinctive Homes

May 18, 2015

$4M Loft in Greenwich Village Will Make You Think You’re in Paris

The charm of Greenwich Village is undeniable. You have tree-lined streets, shops and celebrities. Well this $3.995 million full-floor pad at 54 East 11th Street is not to be outdone. We'll put it this way, If this loft were the setting of an episode of "Sex and the City" it would be called "An American Girl in Paris Without Actually Leaving New York."
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

May 5, 2015

Greenwich Village Townhouse from Infamous 1970 Explosion Gets a Price Cut and New Look

Justin Korsant's unique Greenwich Village townhouse that so famously suffered from an accidental explosion in 1970 has lowered its price from $13.5 million to $12.95 million. All eyes have been on the unique split level home with a slanted facade since word got out that Korsant had plans to overhaul the local landmark, which was redesigned by Hugh Hardy post-explosion. Instead, Korsant tabbed Hardy's own modern-day firm, H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, to come up with Landmarks-approved plans, which include six floors, a penthouse, and an elevator. Now all you have to do is grab your contractor and make it happen.
More pics inside

April 27, 2015

WSP Eco Map Tracks the Hidden Minetta Creek and Trees of Washington Square Park

It's easy to get distracted in Washington Square Park by all the NYU students and street performers, but there's a lot more than meets the eye in this historic public space. For instance, did you know the Minetta Creek runs under the park and through the surrounding neighborhood? Or what about all those beautiful trees, wouldn't it be fun to know a little more about them? With a new mobile map called the WSP Eco Map, you can identify the species of many trees in the park, locate other environmental park components like nesting boxes, and see exactly where the Minetta Brook/Creek is hiding.
Find out more here

Architecture And Design

April 24, 2015

Lofty Greenwich Village Condo Offers Plenty of Space to Show Off Your Art

By Emily Nonko

This is not your artsy Greenwich Village apartment of the beatnik era. The condo at 29 East 10th Street, which takes up the entire second floor, is more along the lines of "luxury loft living." It has been renovated with custom lighting and exposed brickwork to accommodate the seller's impressive, sometimes kooky, art collection. And it seems like unique design is a trend of the building, which is a former 19th century feather factory. Last year an impressive condo hit the market here asking $14.995 million. This new apartment is asking significantly less, priced at $3.95 million.
See more of the interior photos here

April 14, 2015

Lovely $11M Greenwich Village Pad Has Two Terraces and Two Master Suites

You know you've found "the one" when you find yourself searching online for artwork to hang on its gallery-sized walls. Our guess is this Greenwich Village co-op at 7 East 9th Street was combined from two units: unit 2R (a large $4.1 million duplex), and 2F (a smaller $900,000 unit). The end result is a massive, $11 million, two- or three-bedroom duplex with sky high 13-foot ceilings, exquisite finishes, and northern and southern light.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

April 3, 2015

Mad for Modern: NYC Homes That Are Cooler Than Don Draper’s Park Avenue Pad

By Michelle Cohen

We admit it: We’re a bit obsessed with mid-20th century modern design–its architecturally and socially advanced concepts so often result in a perfect mix of aesthetic appeal and livability. Sometimes met with suspicion and derision in its earlier days, modernist architecture has endured the test of time and is having an enormous resurgence in popularity and appreciation. How else could you explain fans' obsession with the award-winning and pitch-perfect mid-mod sets on Matthew Weiner’s “Mad Men.” It’s often said that the best ideas in home design are the ones that make the home a great place to live; the origins of modernist design had that idea at their heart. We've rounded up a few of the city’s mid-century architectural treasures and a handful of homes that embody modernist style.
More on the 'Mad Men'sets and NYC's Mid-Century Modern gems this way

The High and Low: Two ‘Mad’ Pads Offer Modernist Details, Timeless Appeal

Butterfield House at 37 West 12th Street (l); 225 East 74th Street (r).

April 1, 2015

The High and Low: Two ‘Mad’ Pads Offer Modernist Details, Timeless Appeal

By Michelle Cohen

In honor of the final season of "Mad Men," we've found a pair of current listings with the modern appeal of the Draper apartment at (fictional) 783 Park Avenue. Accents that might come straight from the pages of a mid-century magazine—like a sunken living room, wood paneling and a Nelson hanging light–or 21st century perks like open kitchens, floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies and city views add up to just as much modern cool as they did in the "Mad Men" era. $2.8 million gets you a serious mid-century pedigree, an enclosed balcony and a prime Greenwich Village location, but for $925,000, a top-floor Upper East Side pre-war pad with a recent renovation, city views and a compellingly modernist vibe looks like a serious deal.
Check out these two 'Mad Men'-worthy pads here

Distinctive Homes

March 31, 2015

Spend the Summer in a Furnished Bohemian Loft in the West Village for $7K/Month

We're pretty sure the definition of the best of both worlds is a rustic luxury loft in Manhattan. This spacious West Village studio at 289 Bleecker Street boasts original details and high ceilings, and this summer it can all be yours, fully furnished mind you, for $7000 a month. The loft has all the classic enviable details like whitewashed brick and refinished original wide plank hardwood floors. The double-height ceilings allow for two levels of giant windows with skylights to give the space an airy feel, while details like exposed wood beams add even more character to the space.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

March 19, 2015

Sarah Jessica Parker Finally Sells Greenwich Village Townhouse for $20M

After quite a few price cuts and almost three years on the market, Sarah Jessica Parker has found a buyer for her Greenwich Village townhouse at 20 East 10th Street. Originally listed for $25 million in 2012, and most recently re-listed in September for $22 million, the 6,800-square-foot, five-bedroom home finally entered into contract for $20 million, according to the Daily News. Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick bought the townhouse in 2011 for $19 million. They completed a full renovation, but reportedly the family never actually lived there, using the home as a massive closet and residing in another Village townhouse.
Take a look around the house here

March 13, 2015

Jendretzki-Designed Greenwich Village Rental Offers Spa-Like Sanctuary for $25K/Month

A few short years ago this charming home at 530 LaGuardia Place was the epitome of an old school artist’s loft and on the market for $2.7 million. The wide-open space with soaring ceilings and hardwood floors was punctuated by original columns, an abundance of natural light, and the requisite exposed brick. Scattered among the apartment’s classic details and integral to the home’s design theme were trappings of the prior inhabitants, two artists who had lived and worked in the home for 40 years. In-progress paintings, canvases, work tables, and paint supplies all contributed to the home’s bohemian aesthetic. Fast-forward to 2015. While the traditional loft architectural elements all remain, this three-bedroom 3,300-square-foot Greenwich Village loft is nearly unrecognizable from its more understated predecessor, the result of an impeccable redesign by Pablo Jendretzki.
Check out more of this spa-like home

Distinctive Homes

March 10, 2015

‘Taxi’ Star Judd Hirsch Buys $400K Greenwich Village Studio from His Former Assistant

Assistants have been known to fetch coffee or pick up dry cleaning for their bosses, but usually not sell them their apartments. Marlene Mancini, production assistant and acting teacher, however, has just sold her Greenwich Village studio to her former boss, actor Judd Hirsch, best known for his role as Alex Rieger on "Taxi," for $400,000 according to city records released today. Hirsch also owns a larger one-bedroom at 345 East 93rd Street, which he bought in 2013 for $500,000, so we're guessing his latest purchase is more of a downtown pied-à-terre. We're also guessing he'll have to bring a big bucket of spackle with him on move-in day, as Mancini has the walls completely covered in quirky frames.
Tour the studio

March 9, 2015

Luxurious, Fully Furnished Greenwich Village Rental Comes with an Incredibly Cool Bathtub

Moving into your dream apartment just got a little easier. Not only does this $7,500/month Greenwich Village rental come fully furnished, but its beautiful kitchen is stocked with all your cooking and dining essentials, and the bedroom and bathrooms include fresh linens. All you need to do is pack up your picture frames and clothes and move in. Featuring impossibly tall windows, hardwood herringbone floors, two intricately carved wood-burning marble fireplaces and 13-foot ceilings with absolutely stunning arched molding, this 1,500-square-foot parlor floor-through unit at 62 West 11th Street off of Fifth Avenue is a wonderful mix of both pre-war and contemporary details.
See more of why you can move right in

Distinctive Homes

March 5, 2015

James Burrows, Go-To ’90s Sitcom Director, Buys Handsome Greenwich Village Apartment for $4.2M

"Cheers," "Frasier," "Will & Grace," "Friends"... these are just some of the '90s sitcoms that director James E. Burrows has on his resume. The television maven and his wife, noted sitcom hairstylist Debbie Easton, have definitely met their fair share of celebrities, but it seems that now they're looking to trade in their Wilshire Boulevard address for a more low-key lifestyle in Greenwich Village...though they are moving to prestigious 1 Fifth Avenue. The couple picked up a one-bedroom apartment at the storied building for $4.2 million, according to city records released today. It's definitely not up to par with Will and Grace's elegant home or Monica and Rachel's kitschy apartment, but it's charming in its own right.
READ MORE

March 5, 2015

$2.8M Greenwich Village Gem in Sought-After Butterfield House Features Non-Traditional ‘Walls’

Greenwich Village has long been known for its charming nineteenth and early twentieth century architecture, part of what makes it one of the city’s most sought after locations. But sprinkled in amongst the classic townhouses are a number of tastefully designed post-war structures that have earned their own reputation as highly desirable residential abodes. With a series of handsome and deep bay windows dotting its façade and a lovely glass arcade connecting its two buildings, Butterfield House is one example of modern architecture that fits seamlessly into the fabric of the Village–and where you’ll find this gut-renovated (2012) and absolutely gorgeous two-bedroom apartment.
See inside this Butterfield gem

Distinctive Homes

March 2, 2015

Leonardo DiCaprio Renting Out His Super Eco-Friendly Greenwich Village Apartment for $25K

A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio isn't going to lose out on NYC rent while he's out schmoozing models and moguls across the globe. The Post reports that the actor has been renting out his Delos pad for a cool $25,000 a month to Jonathan Orszag, an economic policy advisor for President Clinton during the 1990s and a senior managing director of economic consulting firm Compass Lexecon.
See more here

Celebrities

February 26, 2015

$9,850/Month Enchanting Greenwich Village Rental Comes with a ‘Juliet’-Inspired Balcony

Although the original architectural details in this floor-through townhouse pad postdate Shakespeare’s classic tome about star-crossed lovers by about 300 years, they offer the perfect setting for a different kind of romance, because this one-bedroom rental at 4 West 9th Street in the Village is easy to fall in love with.
See more of why you'll fall in love

February 25, 2015

POLL: Will the NYU Expansion Plan Move Ahead?

After years of contention, we learned yesterday that opponents of the controversial NYU expansion plan would receive their final day in court to try to block the massive redevelopment. While Villagers have long been known as preservation pioneers (Jane Jacobs’ successful fight against Robert Moses’ destructive plans for the area is probably the best-known example), […]

Policy

NYU Expansion Plan Opponents Will Get Final Day in Court

A rendering of the expansion plan

February 24, 2015

NYU Expansion Plan Opponents Will Get Final Day in Court

In October, the appellate court overturned a previous decision by the New York Supreme Court that prohibited NYU's $6 billion, 1.9 million-square-foot Greenwich Village expansion plan, but community groups vowed to appeal the decision. And they most certainly kept their word. In a press release sent today by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), we've learned that the New York State Court of Appeals agreed to hear an appeal by GVSHP, Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, NYU Faculty Against the Sexton Plan, Community Board 2, actor Mark Ruffalo, and other local concerned parties.
More info here

February 4, 2015

A $10 Million Tree Grows in Sean Lennon’s West 13th Street Front Yard

Well, at least that's what one disgruntled Greenwich Village neighbor is hoping. Gary and Addie Tomei, parents of actress Marisa Tomei, have filed a lawsuit against next-door neighbor Sean Lennon, son of John and Yoko, alleging that a tree on his property (153 West 13th Street) has spread its roots onto their property (155 West 13th Street), cracking the stoop, breaking the railings, and coming through the basement floor of their townhouse. Sure, they want Lennon to chop the tree down, but they also want $10 million, according to the Post.
More details on the neighborly beef

January 12, 2015

NYC Design Firm Axis Mundi Creates a Work of Art to House Their Client’s Works of Art

What do you get when you mix the classic bones of a landmarked Greek Revival townhouse built in the 1840s with the bold, award-winning, and decidedly 21st century esthetic of New York-based design firm Axis Mundi? A Greenwich Village residence that is an absolutely stunning work of art. When tasked with not only the gut renovation of a timeless building but also ensuring a suitable context for their client’s spectacular and thoroughly modern art collection, Axis Mundi made certain to respect the charms and scale of the original style while creating a fitting showcase for the likes of Warhol, Haring, and Basquiat.
See why every inch of this home is a work of art

December 23, 2014

Get Your Chef On in Restaurateur Keith McNally’s Greenwich Village Townhouse for $25K/Month