Greenwich Village

The former New York City home of author and organizer Jane Jacobs was honored this week with a historic plaque. The Village Preservation on Thursday unveiled the plaque at 555 Hudson Street in Greenwich Village during a virtual event. The 1842-constructed row house is where Jacobs, who died in 2006, wrote "Death and Life of Great American Cities," a critique of urban planning of the 1950s and a call for more safe, walkable city streets and mixed-use development.
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October 8, 2020

6 NYC apartments with outdoor space you can rent for less than $5,000/month

With the impending cool weather likely to limit the hours spent at city parks (which proved to be so necessary this summer) and the current health crisis still raging, New Yorkers will have to find creative ways to get some fresh air safely this fall and winter. For those looking for some outdoor space without having to leave home, we're rounding up the best New York City apartments with outside amenities currently available to rent for $5,000/month and under, whether it's in the form of a private garden, balconies, or a shared roof deck.
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Distinctive Homes

ODA Architects bring their signature boxy aesthetic to new 14th Street condo

Renderings via ODA Architecture

September 17, 2020

ODA Architects bring their signature boxy aesthetic to new 14th Street condo

ODA Architecture has made its mark all over the city, and it's easy to tell when a project bears their name thanks to the firm's signature boxy aesthetic, often filled with cantilevers and stacked volumes. Their latest project--a boutique condo at 101 West 14th Street--is no exception. The mixed-use development on the corner of Sixth Avenue features 44 residential units, half of which will be duplexes, as well as retail space at street level.
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Photo by Steven Pisano via Flickr cc

September 10, 2020

Village Halloween Parade cancelled for only the second time in 47 years

Though the Village Halloween Parade was just a small neighborhood gathering in 1973, it has taken place and grown every year since then except after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. This year, however, the beloved event is being cancelled for the second time ever due to COVID-19. Jeanne Fleming, who has been the director of the parade since 1985, broke the news yesterday to the Post, but promised New Yorkers a special "trick" in its place, though she's remaining mum on those details for now.
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Events & Things To Do

You can rent a rare carriage house on MacDougal Alley for $10K/month

Photos by Andrew Kiracofe for Sotheby’s International Realty

August 17, 2020

You can rent a rare carriage house on MacDougal Alley for $10K/month

New York City has several hidden mews sprinkled across its mostly gridded landscape, including MacDougal Alley in Greenwich Village. Located just north of Washington Square Park, the gated half-block cul-de-sac was constructed as a stretch of carriage houses to serve the townhouses that lined ritzy Washington Square North. Today, these charming carriage houses remain, and many of them have been transformed into private residences, like this one at number 6 Macdougal Alley. For the first time in 25 years, the nearly 1,800-square-foot red brick home is up for rent, asking $10,000 a month.
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New interactive map tells the story of women’s suffrage in Greenwich Village

Screenshot of the 19th Amendment Centennial StoryMap, courtesy of Village Preservation

August 12, 2020

New interactive map tells the story of women’s suffrage in Greenwich Village

Next week, on August 18th, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. Though the fight to give women the right to vote was a national effort, much of the movement had roots in New York City. And like most 20th-century advocacy efforts, a lot of that action was centered downtown. To mark this momentous occasion, Village Preservation has created an interactive 19th Amendment Centennial StoryMap that showcases the remarkable number of people and places in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho that played a key role in the women’s suffrage movement.
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History

A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

All photos by Evan Joseph

July 29, 2020

A zen garden with a sunken hot tub awaits at this $2.5M Greenwich Village co-op

This Greenwich Village co-op at 2 East 12th Street is the perfect year-round oasis. For those cold winter months, the interiors are super cozy, with two working fireplaces. But in the summer, the backyard is a true retreat. It's two levels, along with a side patio and, most notably, a sunken Japanese-style cedar hot tub. You'll also find a large Ipe wood deck with a built-in banquette, plenty of planters, and a cedar potting shed for all those gardening needs.
You've got to see this place

Distinctive Homes

The secret history of Julius’, the oldest gay bar in NYC

Owner Helen Buford with longtime bartender Daniel Onzo

July 21, 2020

The secret history of Julius’, the oldest gay bar in NYC

By James and Karla Murray

On the corner of West 10th and Waverly Place sits Julius’ Bar, New York City’s oldest gay bar. Constructed in the middle of the 19th-century, the landmarked Greenwich Village building first opened as a grocery store and later became a bar. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously operating bars in the city, Julius’ is also known for its historic “Sip-In" on April 26, 1966, when members of the Mattachine Society--one of the country’s earliest LGBT rights organizations--protested the state law that prohibited bars from serving "suspected gay men or lesbians." Not only did the demonstration lead to the courts ruling in 1967 that gay people had the legal right to assemble and be served alcohol, but it also became one of the most significant instances of gay rights activism before the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Like many businesses forced to close because of the coronavirus pandemic, especially now that indoor dining is on hold indefinitely, Julius' owner Helen Buford is struggling to pay the bills and launched a fundraising campaign this month to help save the bar. Ahead, go behind the scenes of Julius' while it remains closed, learn about its unique history from longtime bartenders Daniel Onzo and Tracy O’ Neill, and hear more from Helen about the struggle to survive as a small business during COVID-19.
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Where I Work

July 17, 2020

Sarah Jessica Parker asks Citi Bike to help save 100-year-old Greenwich Village restaurant

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, longtime Greenwich Village resident Sarah Jessica Parker posted a heartfelt note to Citi Bike, hoping they can help save one of her favorite local restaurants. Gene's Restaurant has been located on West 11th Street near 6th Avenue for 101 years. But because of a Citi Bike rack right outside their front doors, the Italian restaurant has been unable to set up outdoor dining and is struggling from the pandemic fallout. "I'm happy to help move the @citibike rack just a bit east to make room for some outdoor seating. Whatever it takes," wrote SJP, who is a Citi Bike rider herself.
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July 8, 2020

NYC’s oldest gay bar launches crowdfunding campaign to stay afloat

On the corner of West 10th Street and Waverly Place, Julius' Bar stands as the oldest gay bar in New York City. It's also known for the "Sip-In" that took place here in 1966, which ultimately led to legal LGBT bars and was one of the most significant instances of LGBT activism prior to Stonewall. Julius' was forced to close its doors in mid-March amidst the COVID crisis, and they've since been unable to reopen. Therefore, they've launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $50,000 that will keep them and their employees afloat until indoor dining is permitted.
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Photo by Rhododendrites on Wikimedia

July 1, 2020

Stonewall Inn gets $250K lifeline to avoid COVID-19 closure

New York City's iconic Stonewall Inn got a much-needed lifeline this week after receiving a $250,000 donation from the Gill Foundation. The Greenwich Village bar, considered the birthplace of the LGBTQ rights movement, has been closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic and has struggled to keep up with bills, including its $40,000/month rent. But thanks to the donation, and more than $300,000 raised as part of an online fundraiser, the national historic landmark will able to survive a little longer.
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Food & Dining

$3M Washington Square Park condo has a secret closet and an Insta-friendly vintage kitchen

Listing photos by The Blumstein Team for The Corcoran Group

April 24, 2020

$3M Washington Square Park condo has a secret closet and an Insta-friendly vintage kitchen

If you've been perusing Pinterest for design inspiration to spruce up your apartment during quarantine, look no further than this totally adorable Greenwich Village apartment. The seafoam kitchen has vintage attitude with SMEG's retro appliances, and there are cool boho accents all over. There are architectural details, too, like exposed brick and a 19th-century fireplace, and there's even a secret closet hidden behind part of the built-in bookshelf (You need to pull the copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes to access!). What's even better is that when you step outside of the building at 106 Waverly Place, you're just around the corner from Washington Square Park.
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Uncategorized

This Greenwich Village rental with Parisian panache is asking $7,500/month

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 13, 2020

This Greenwich Village rental with Parisian panache is asking $7,500/month

Custom wooden shutters, a wood-burning fireplace, and original casement windows bring a European flair to this Greenwich Village rental. A two-bedroom corner unit in the Windsor Arms co-op building at 61 West 9th Street is asking $7,500/month and it comes fully-furnished with "designer-grade pieces," according to the listing.
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Distinctive Homes

Pubs, parades, and politicians: The Irish legacy of the East Village and Greenwich Village

Photo of White Horse Tavern (bottom left) courtesy of Wikimedia; Photo of the Merchant’s House Museum (bottom right) courtesy of Village Preservation on Flickr

March 10, 2020

Pubs, parades, and politicians: The Irish legacy of the East Village and Greenwich Village

For many, celebrating Irish American heritage in March brings one to Fifth Avenue for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, or perhaps a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But for those willing to venture beyond Midtown, there’s a rich Irish American history to be found in Greenwich Village and the East Village. While both neighborhoods became better known for different kinds of communities in later years – Italians, Ukrainians, gay men and lesbians, artists, punks – Irish immigration in the mid-19th century profoundly shaped both neighborhoods. Irish Americans and Irish immigrants played a critical role in building immigrant and artistic traditions in Greenwich Village and the East Village. Here are some sites connected to that great heritage, from the city's oldest intact Catholic Church to Irish institutions like McSorely's Old Ale House.
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February 18, 2020

For $4.5M, a giant Greenwich Village loft with a sunken living room and 1,000-square-foot master

The sunken living room at this Greenwich Village co-op is giving off "Mad Men" vibes, while the exposed brick and cast-iron columns are quintessentially downtown loft. Taking up the entire fourth floor at 43 West 13th Street, the three-bedroom apartment is a whopping 5,000 square feet, 1,000 of which is dedicated to the master suite. Other features include 14-foot ceilings, a kitchen with two of everything, and 10 oversized south-facing windows.
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Distinctive Homes

Live across the street from The Strand in this $695K loft duplex

Listing images by Evan Joseph; courtesy of Compass

February 14, 2020

Live across the street from The Strand in this $695K loft duplex

By Alexandra Alexa

Just around the corner from the bustle of Broadway at 49 East 12th Street, this one-bedroom duplex features dramatic 16-foot ceilings and a full-height lofted bedroom. Though it technically falls within Greenwich Village, it's just two blocks south of Union Square and practically across the street from beloved bookstore The Strand. Best of all, its $695,000 price tag falls nicely within the "under $1 million" category, though maintenance fees will add $1,175 to your monthly expenses.
The full tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

February 14, 2020

Civil Rights, the NAACP, and W.E.B. DuBois: The African American history tied to 70 Fifth Avenue

When we think of great African American historic sites in New York, we typically think of Harlem’s Apollo Theater, Lower Manhattan’s African Burial Ground, or Brooklyn’s Weeksville Houses. But one building that should perhaps join the list is 70 Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village, which housed the headquarters of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization; The Crisis, the first magazine published for an African American audience; and the first magazine dedicated to African American children, meant to combat the commonplace demeaning stereotypes of the time, headed by none other than civil rights icon W.E.B. DuBois.
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History

January 31, 2020

The history of how the New York Public Library got its start Downtown

This year, the New York Public Library is celebrating its 125th anniversary. With 53 million items and 92 locations across Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, the NYPL is the largest municipal library in the world. It’s also the steward of some of New York’s greatest landmarks, reflecting a century and a quarter of Gotham’s history, and in some cases even more. The roots of this library system can be found in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho. The main antecedents of the NYPL which formed the foundation of today’s system— the Astor Library, the Lenox Library, and the New York Free Circulating Library – all began in these neighborhoods just below 14th Street. As a result, this is where New York’s oldest public library buildings and the oldest building housing an NYPL branch are located -- the latter ironically having been where great works of literature were banned and censored before it became a library.
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History

January 30, 2020

City Bakery founder opening a hot chocolate bar in Greenwich Village

By Alexandra Alexa

City Bakery founder Maury Rubin has spent the past weeks in a "Wonka-ish frenzy," Grub Street tells us, as he prepares to launch his latest venture: the Wonderbon Chocolate Co. Rubin and his partner have taken out a three-month lease on a storefront at 257 Bleeker Street—most recently occupied by Sugar and Plumm—which will feature a menu of twelve hot chocolate flavors in an espresso-bar setting. The opening comes just in time for February, the month Rubin made famous for his hot chocolate festival at City Bakery, a tradition he began in 1992 that attracted more than 50,000 customers each year.
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Food & Dining

For $2.75M, this dreamy Village duplex is the next best thing to a private townhouse

Photo credit: Matt Vacca for Douglas Kampsen, Compass

January 24, 2020

For $2.75M, this dreamy Village duplex is the next best thing to a private townhouse

It's easy to forget that this gorgeous duplex at 136 West 13th Street isn't an entire townhouse. Located on the kind of Village block that inspires envy in even the most jaded passerby, it has all of the best bits within its two gracious floors. With historic charm in full effect and a stylish, sophisticated renovation adding custom design, the two-story, one-bedroom co-op is asking $2.75 million.
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Distinctive Homes

From Civil War generals to Oscar winners: 7 historic figures who called 14-16 Fifth Avenue home

Streetview of 14-16 Fifth Avenue, Map data © 2020 Google; Painting of Henry Breevort via public domain, Photo of General Daniel Edgar Sickles courtesy of the Library of Congress, and photo of Celeste Holm via public domain

January 17, 2020

From Civil War generals to Oscar winners: 7 historic figures who called 14-16 Fifth Avenue home

Madison Realty Capital filed plans last month to demolish 14-16 Fifth Avenue, a five-story apartment building constructed in 1848, and replace it with a 244-foot-tall tower. Because it is located within the Greenwich Village Historic District, it can only be demolished if the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission rules that the building itself is of no historic or architectural merit, and does not contribute to the character of the district (the public hearings where this would be debated and decided have not yet been scheduled). What may seem like a nondescript apartment building actually has an incredibly rich and varied history. Throughout its 170-year history, 14-16 Fifth Avenue was home to Civil War generals, Gold Rush writers, Oscar-winning actors, railroad magnates, pioneering industrialists, inventors, and politicians. What follows is just some of the history behind this easily-overlooked lower Fifth Avenue landmark.
One building, tons of history

Photo credit: Rich Caplan courtesy of Compass.

January 10, 2020

$1.25M Village loft in the Cast Iron Building has private outdoor space and amenities

The classic Greenwich Village residence known as the Cast Iron Building at 67 East 11th Street is every bit the downtown loft its name implies. In addition, it's a doorman building with luxury amenities. Asking $1.25 million, this dramatic pre-war duplex co-op has the 15-foot ceilings loft-lovers crave, plus private outdoor space in the form of a 100-square-foot terrace–a rare perk in a loft.
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Distinctive Homes

Photo credit: Ben Fitchett courtesy of Compass.

January 7, 2020

$7,200/month Village loft with a rooftop ‘cabin’ was once home to John Barrymore

According to the listing for this utterly charming Greenwich Village penthouse loft at 132 West 4th Street, silent film actor John Barrymore lived here a century ago and christened it "The Alchemist's Corner." While the silver screen connection adds stardust to its image, a spot atop an 1839 townhouse, a massive dramatic skylight, and a rooftop garden with a heated porch and den make this $7,200 a month rental opportunity magical all on its own.
Alchemy and views, this way

December 19, 2019

14 historic sites of the abolitionist movement in Greenwich Village

As this year marks 400 years since the first African slaves were brought to America, much attention has been paid to what that means and how to remember this solemn anniversary. The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission issued a story map highlighting landmarks of the abolitionist movement in New York City. Absent from the map were a number of incredibly important sites in Greenwich Village, the East Village, and Noho, which were a hotbed of abolitionist activity through the 19th century, as well as the home of the city’s largest African American community. Ahead, learn about 14 significant sites of the anti-slavery movement.
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History

Asking $50M, the Greenwich Village Milbank House is twice as wide as the average townhouse

Photo credit: Cary Horowitz for Brown Harris Stevens.

December 16, 2019

Asking $50M, the Greenwich Village Milbank House is twice as wide as the average townhouse