Greenwich Village

Few places on Earth have attracted more or a broader array of activists and agitators for social change than Greenwich Village. And much of that activity took place right in the heart of the neighborhood in the Greenwich Village Historic District, where that rich history has been preserved through landmark designation for the past half-century. Here are just a few of the many who lived within its bounds and toiled to make the world a better or more just place.
See the full list

History

March 21, 2019

13 places in Greenwich Village where the course of history was changed

It’s not that often you can pinpoint a time and place and say the course of history was forever changed as a result of it. It’s even less common for such a thing to happen over and over again in one small neighborhood. But from its earliest days, Greenwich Village is where history has been made, much of it within the Greenwich Village Historic District, which lies at its heart. Here are a baker’s dozen of such events located within those one hundred blocks, from the first free black settlement in North America and the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement to the first museum dedicated to contemporary American art and the publication of "The Autobiography of Malcolm X."
All the history right this way

History

March 7, 2019

20 transformative women of Greenwich Village

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District on April 29, 1969. One of the city’s oldest and still largest historic districts, it’s a unique treasure trove of rich history, pioneering culture, and charming architecture. GVSHP will be spending 2019 marking this anniversary with events, lectures, and new interactive online resources, including a celebration and district-wide weekend-long “Open House” starting on Saturday, April 13th in Washington Square. This is part of a series of posts about the unique qualities of the Greenwich Village Historic District marking its golden anniversary. Few places on earth have attracted as many creative, mold-shattering, transformative women as Greenwich Village, especially the Greenwich Village Historic District which lies in its heart. From its earliest settlers in the 17th century through its bohemian heyday in the late 19th and 20th centuries right up to today, pioneering women have made the Greenwich Village Historic District their home, from congresswoman Bella Abzug and gay rights advocate Edie Windsor to playwright Lorraine Hansberry and photographer Berenice Abbott.
See the entire list

History

February 21, 2019

10 (more) of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District on April 29, 1969. One of the city’s oldest and still largest historic districts, it’s a unique treasure trove of rich history, pioneering culture, and charming architecture. GVSHP will be spending 2019 marking this anniversary with events, lectures, and new interactive online resources, including a celebration and district-wide weekend-long “Open House” starting on Saturday, April 13th in Washington Square. This is part of a series of posts about the unique qualities of the Greenwich Village Historic District marking its golden anniversary. Trying to limit oneself to just 10 of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District is truly a fool’s errand. And not one without controversy -- since the last column, more than a few disgruntled New Yorkers whose favorites didn’t make the list have reached out (in almost all cases these were places which actually originally made the list, but something had to be cut). So by popular demand (of sorts), here are 10 more of the most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District, from the smallest piece of privately owned property in New York to a series of "squares" that are anything but.
See them all!

History

February 7, 2019

The 10 most charming spots in the Greenwich Village Historic District

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District on April 29, 1969. One of the city’s oldest and still largest historic districts, it’s a unique treasure trove of rich history, pioneering culture, and charming architecture. GVSHP will be spending 2019 marking this anniversary with events, lectures, and new interactive online resources, including a celebration and district-wide weekend-long “Open House” starting on Saturday, April 13th in Washington Square. This is the first in a series of posts about the unique qualities of the Greenwich Village Historic District marking its golden anniversary. The Greenwich Village Historic District literally oozes with charm; so much so, it’s virtually impossible to come up with a top-10 list. But with no insult to sites not included, here is one run at the 10 most charming sites you’ll find in this extraordinarily quaint historic quarter--from good-old classics like the famous stretch of brick rowhouses on Washington Square North to more quirky findings like the "Goodnight Moon" house.
Check out the list!

History

January 16, 2019

Architectural styles combine in this historic Greenwich Village townhouse, now asking $13.5M

By Alexandra Alexa

This five bedroom townhouse at 37 West 11th Street is an impeccable property nestled within Greenwich Village’s “Gold Coast," the seven-block stretch of Fifth Avenue between 14th Street and Washington Square Park where you’ll find some of the most refined homes in the city. Originally built in 1848 in the Greek Revival style, it was given Italianate flourishes in the 1920s and now exemplifies both genres of New York City townhouse architecture. The home has only had five owners in its 170-year history, and it’s easy to see why nobody would want to let this gem go. Now on the market for $13.5 million, a chance to own this rare piece of New York architectural history in a prime location has opened up.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

January 9, 2019

$2M Greenwich Village co-op is a life-sized dollhouse

By Dana Schulz

From the pale pink and seafoam green walls to the lacy fabrics to the flowery decor, this lovely Greenwich Village co-op looks like a life-sized dollhouse. And if you're looking to play house, the one-and-a-half bedroom at 64 West 11th Street has just hit the market for $1,995,000. Even if you take out the current furniture and accessories, historic details such as original moldings, transoms, shutters, wide-cut wood floors, and glass-paned doors will ensure this apartment retains its vintage charm.
Go inside

Distinctive Homes

December 20, 2018

Elegant Greenwich Village rental with a secret terrace asks $8,950/month

By Dana Schulz

Nearly four years ago, 6sqft featured this enchanting parlor-floor rental at 34 West 9th Street. At the time, it was asking $9,850/month, but with a new batch of picture-perfect views, the price has dropped slightly to $8,950/month. The floor-through unit is located in a traditional townhouse and retains gorgeous historic details such as fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals, dentil moldings, intricate ceiling medallions, and two decorative hand-carved marble fireplaces. But best of all, this little slice of elegance comes with a private terrace overlooking the building's garden below.
Get a look around

Distinctive Homes

From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South

Photo of 801 Broadway by Jim Henderson via Wikimedia Commons

December 7, 2018

From Mark Twain and the Lovin’ Spoonful to Tech Hub: The overlooked history of Union Square South

Straddling Greenwich Village and the East Village, the neighborhood south of Union Square between Fifth and Third Avenues was once a center of groundbreaking commercial innovations, radical leftist politics, and the artistic avant-garde. With the city’s recent decision to allow an upzoning for a "Tech Hub" on the neighborhood’s doorstep on 14th Street, there are concerns that the resilient and architecturally intact neighborhood may face irreversible change. While they’re still here, take a tour of some of the many sites of remarkable cultural history, nestled in this compact neighborhood just south of one of our city’s busiest hubs.
See the full list

History

Rental Offers: Money to Burn? Greenwich Village apartments on Houston Street from $14,995/mo

Images (L to R): 136 West Houston Street, 223 Fourth Avenue, 10 Rutgers Street, and Halo LIC

November 17, 2018

Rental Offers: Money to Burn? Greenwich Village apartments on Houston Street from $14,995/mo

High-End Greenwich Village Rentals Available at Newly Constructed 136 West Houston Street=[LINK] 223 Fourth Avenue Offers Luxury Park Slope Rentals from $2,452/Month [LINK] Newly-Renovated Lower East Side Rentals at 10 Rutgers Street; No Fee + 1 Month Free[LINK] Halo LIC: Industrial-Inspired No-Fee Rentals with 1 Month Free in the Heart of Long Island City [LINK] […]

Uncategorized

November 16, 2018

Incredible Greenwich Village co-op can be your own personal library for $5M

By Dana Schulz

Library or apartment? The lines are blurred at this amazing duplex co-op at 40 Fifth Avenue that just hit the market for $4,995,000. The entire maisonette spread is full of pre-war details mixed with modern amenities, but it's the dramatic double-height living room that steals the show. The first level has creative built-ins that extend to the furniture, and the second floor is a wrap-around atrium balcony lined completely with bookshelves and window seats overlooking Fifth Avenue and 11th Street.
It doesn't stop there for bibliophiles

Distinctive Homes

October 25, 2018

Actress Patricia Clarkson lists Greenwich Village loft for $2.5M

Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Clarkson has just put her Greenwich Village loft on the market for $2.5 million. The "Six Feet Under" and "Sharp Objects" star bought the lovely two-bedroom spread at 30 West 13th Street for $1,555,000 in 2007. In a 2015 interview, Clarkson said, "Most of my friends are writers and I greatly value the written word," so it comes as no surprise that she outfitted the space with incredible, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
Take a look around

October 22, 2018

Rent Kate Moss and Johnny Depp’s former Village love nest for $21.5K/month

This romantic carriage house in Greenwich Village has a celebrity-studded past–and a handsome future if you take a hint from the attractively staged listing photos of the home at 112 Waverly Place, currently for rent for $21,500 a month. As 6sqft previously reported, the townhouse was once a love nest for '90s power couple Johnny Depp and Kate Moss. And in 1960 it was purchased by Lorraine Hansberry, who wrote "Raisin in the Sun" and was the first black woman to have a play produced on Broadway.
Look inside the historic home

October 17, 2018

Asking $1.35M, this chic Village floor-through with a private garden is two studios waiting to merge

This prime Greenwich Village floor-through home at 19 West 9th Street just off lower Fifth Ave offers a fortunate opportunity: Located on the original garden floor in a row of three adjoining 1870s Italianate townhouses comprising a 16-unit boutique co-op, the space, asking $1.35 million, is currently divided into two studio units. The two apartments had previously been one open floor plan, and rejoining them, according to the listing, is as easy as re-opening a hallway closet to connect front and back.
Take a peek

Distinctive Homes

October 15, 2018

The Village’s beloved pink townhouse lists as an $11M fixer-upper

Often noted for its unusual studio window and bright coral hue, the five-story townhouse at 114 Waverly Place was built in 1826 as part of a row of nine houses constructed for Thomas R. Mercein, who was at the time city comptroller and president of New York Equitable Fire Insurance Company. A dramatic overhaul in 1920 designed by William Sanger for portrait painter Murray P. Bewley is responsible for the building's quirkier design elements, which are credited to a German Expressionist style known as Jugendstil, a mix of English Art Nouveau and Japanese applied arts. This unusual Village house is now on the market for $11 million–with a few caveats.
Check it out

How a Greenwich Village brownstone became known as the ‘House of Death’

Photo of 14 West 10th Street via Wikimedia; Photo of Mark Twain via Wikimedia

October 12, 2018

How a Greenwich Village brownstone became known as the ‘House of Death’

By Devin Gannon

Despite its picturesque exterior, the building at 14 West 10th Street in Greenwich Village has a not-so-cute history. Since being constructed in the 1850s near the start of the Civil War, 22 people have died in the home, referred to as the House of Death. And as the New York Post reported, some of their spirits allegedly have never left. Residents have reported sightings of the spirit of Samuel Clemens aka Mark Twain, who lived at the building between 1900 and 1901, and other bone-chilling ghosts who have haunted the Greenwich Village block for over a century.
More on the haunted home here

October 11, 2018

Open House New York in Greenwich Village: The history of three unique sites

Among the many delights included in this weekend’s Open House New York will be three iconic Greenwich Village buildings--a Gothic Revival church with many architectural firsts, a library that was originally a courthouse which heard the "Trial of the Century," and a groundbreaking artists' housing complex that was formerly home to Bell Telephone Labs and the site where color television was invented. These extraordinary landmarks span three centuries of American history, reflecting the evolution of our city’s spiritual, artistic, industrial, scientific, and civic life.
Learn more about their unique histories

Celebrity chef Michael Symon’s Greenwich Village penthouse asks $2.6M

Photo of Symon via Edsel Little on Flickr

October 10, 2018

Celebrity chef Michael Symon’s Greenwich Village penthouse asks $2.6M

Celebrity chef and former host of the recently canceled daytime show "The Chew," Michael Symon is selling his Greenwich Village penthouse for $2.55 million. The one-bedroom apartment is located in a pre-war co-op building at 40 East 10th Street, smack dab in the middle of Washington Square Park and Union Square. Last year, the Food Network star sold his West Village townhouse for just under $5.5 million. The available penthouse, which Symon picked up last fall for $2.4 million, comes with an expansive south facing private terrace, equipped with a retractable awning and an irrigation system, and a second smaller terrace located off the dining room.
See inside

All of the spooktacular events coming to the Merchant’s House Museum this Halloween

Photo via MHM

October 8, 2018

All of the spooktacular events coming to the Merchant’s House Museum this Halloween

By Devin Gannon

What better way to celebrate Halloween this year than a history lesson in 19th-century death and mourning? The Merchant's House Museum released its list of "events to die for" happening in October, all of which promise to be a ghostly good time. Spooky events include a walking tour following Edgar Allan Poe's life in Greenwich Village, a reenactment of an 1865 funeral, candlelight ghost tours of the most haunted house in Manhattan, and much more.
More on the eerie events

Events & Things To Do

Bradley Cooper drops $13.5M on a Greenwich Village townhouse with a garden oasis

Photo of Bradley Cooper via Wikimedia

October 5, 2018

Bradley Cooper drops $13.5M on a Greenwich Village townhouse with a garden oasis

Bradley Cooper purchased a $13.5 million Greenwich Village townhouse in May, the Wall Street Journal just reported. The actor, who currently stars in the new movie "A Star is Born," registered the property under the "Cool Trust" to keep the sale hush-hush, city documents reveal. The home at 224 West 10th Street contains six bedrooms, a 1,100-square-foot garden oasis, and plenty of romantic, rustic details. And Bradley seems to be enjoying all the Village has to offer; a source tells us he dined last Friday at Fifty, a new American-South American restaurant on Commerce Street.
See Cooper's coop

September 17, 2018

$3M Greenwich Village co-op does urban farmhouse right

The visual impact of the interiors at this 1838 Greenwich Village townhouse co-op at 7 East 9th Street is one of sophistication, considered design and a high-end rustic aesthetic. In addition to an exquisite renovation, this top-floor penthouse, asking $2.895 million, comes with private roof ownership. From your private landing (we assume this means stair landing, since no elevator is mentioned), enter the two-bedroom home through a casement-windowed atrium, keeping in mind that the included architectural plans can help you envision the possibilities of an upper level with a third bedroom, third bathroom and rooftop terrace.
Take a look, imagine the possibilities

Distinctive Homes

September 13, 2018

The oldest house in the Village? It’s not what you think

The Village is known as one of the oldest parts of New York City, where historic architecture can be found everywhere, and charming houses from a bygone era still stand. Here at the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, a perennial question we’re asked is “which is the oldest house in the Village?” It’s a great question, with a complicated answer. Is it one of the two charming wooden houses? The "brick" house with connections to Paul Revere? The Merchant's House Museum, Manhattan's first individual landmark? The handsome Stuyvesant Street house built by Peter Stuyvesant's great-grandson?
The answer might surprise you

History

September 11, 2018

It’s high glamour at this $2.3M Greenwich Village duplex

This two-floor "penthouse" co-op at 53 West 11th Street on one of the most charming landmarked blocks in Greenwich Village is the result of a combination of two upper-floor townhouse units; as with many apartment combos, you get a bit more space than you'd normally have, though layouts can be odd. After a full gut renovation, this sweet one-bedroom, asking $2.295 million, is chic and well-designed enough to make up for narrow rooms and a few flights to climb. And those super-high, 18-foot ceilings and massive skylight don't hurt, either.
Take a peek

Distinctive Homes

September 10, 2018

Win two VIP tickets to Washington Square Park’s fall foodie festival (worth $270)

By 6sqft

The 16th annual Taste of the Village is back next month with the chance to sample food and drink from 30+ local establishments, all in a magical setting under the Washington Square Arch. 6sqft has teamed up with the Washington Square Park Conservancy to offer two lucky readers a set of VIP tickets to the event--which is worth $270 and provides one-hour early access to the event on October 4th plus a special taste. This year's roster includes longtime favorites like Murray's Cheese, Otto, and Rafetto's Pasta along with hip newcomers including Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Tacombi, and Mekki.
Find out how to enter!

Events & Things To Do

August 24, 2018

A romantic roof deck atop this $1M Village garret brings you sunshine, moonlight and views