Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

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Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Formation1980
Headquarters New York, New York, U.S.
Website www.villagepreservation.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Village Preservation (formerly the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, or GVSHP) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for the architectural preservation and cultural preservation and opposes development in several neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan in New York City. Founded in 1980, it has advocated for New York City designated landmark status for a variety of sites like the Stonewall Inn and Webster Hall. The organization and its Executive Director, Andrew Berman, have been described as influential in New York real estate, while some of its activities to prevent the construction of new housing and to support restrictive zoning have attracted criticism.

Contents

History

GVSHP is currently operating from the Neighborhood Preservation Center, an incubator for preservation and advocacy groups. Neighborhood Preservation Center.jpg
GVSHP is currently operating from the Neighborhood Preservation Center, an incubator for preservation and advocacy groups.
GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman speaks at a rally against NYU 2031 at New York City Hall. June 2012 Rally against NYU at City Hall.jpg
GVSHP Executive Director Andrew Berman speaks at a rally against NYU 2031 at New York City Hall.

The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation was founded in 1980 as the Greenwich Village Trust for Historic Preservation (GVT). In 1982, Regina Kellerman, a prominent architectural historian and co-founder of GVT, was named as its first executive director, and GVT moved its operations to the Salmagundi Club at 47 Fifth Avenue. In 1984, GVT changed its name to Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, and began using the brand "Village Preservation" in 2019. [1] Since 1999, GVSHP has operated from the Neighborhood Preservation Center, the former rectory of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, on East 11th Street, and increased its focus on the East Village since moving its office to that neighborhood.

The organization has been characterized as a NIMBY ("not in my back yard") group. [2] [3] [4]

In the early 2000s, the organization sought to prevent owners of 13 old rowhouses from demolishing the houses or altering them. [5] The organization also called for historical landmark status for buildings in the Southeast of Greenwich Village. [6] The organization has also called for "downzoning" neighbourhoods, which means the imposition of more restrictive zoning regulations in neighborhoods. [7] [8]

In late 2000s, the organization opposed a proposed expansion of St. Vincent Catholic Medical Center, a hospital in Greenwich Village, [9] with Andrew Berman arguing that the plan would be "a blow to the distinctive historic character of Greenwich Village." [10] The hospital said that the plan would modernize its facility, enabling it to provide effective medical care and to improve the financial situation of the hospital. The proposed development entailed the demolishment of nine buildings to construct the hospital along with a high-rise apartment tower. [11] The Landmarks Preservation Commissioners of New York City unanimously opposed the hospital expansion plans and the project was not pursued, which prompted a celebration by GVSHP. [11] In 2010, St. Vincent's filed for bankruptcy and closed down, laying off more than 1,000 staff members. [12] [13] The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation said that it had "support[ed] the hospital to the best of our ability" and had provided the hospital with a "community alternative plan" to re-build and modernize. [14]

In the 2010s, the organization sought to block new construction on the Gansevoort Street, where low-rise meatpacking buildings stand. [3] The organization also sought to block housing developments near Hudson River Park. [15] [16] The organization was involved in lawsuits to prevent New York University from expanding its campus in New York City. [17] The organization also fought for historic landmark status for buildings owned by New York University, which would have prevented re-development by the university of the buildings. [18] In 2011, GVSHP was among the neighborhood critics of the owners of a Mexican restaurant in Greenwich Village that painted over the faded signage above the entrance of the venue that once housed the "Fat Black Pussycat Theatre", a club that hosted Bob Dylan, Mama Cass Elliot, Richie Havens and other famous entertainers in the 1950s and 1960s. [19] [20]

In 2020s, the organization advocated against rezoning of SoHo and NoHo to allow construction of thousands of new apartments with a small share at below-market rents. The plan was rejected by the Community Board by a 49-1 vote. [21] In 2020, New York mayor Bill De Blasio proposed a rezoning plan for SoHo that would allow construction of 3,200 new housing units, 25% of which would be designated as affordable housing, while protecting existing rent-controlled properties. [22] [23] " GVSHP said that the construction of new housing would raise prices and make the wealthy neighborhood of SoHo less diverse. [22] Andrew Berman stated, "This upzoning approach of super luxury towers with a small set-aside for affordable units is bad for New York City, bad for our neighborhoods, and bad for affordability,” [23]

In 2021, the New York City Council voted to approve the construction of 3,500 housing units (one quarter of which was devoted to affordable housing) in SoHo and NoHo in a 43-5 vote. Village Preservation lobbied against the construction project. [24]

Work

GVSHP holds a number of events, such as lectures, walking tours, panel discussions, and house tours. The organization's primary annual fundraiser is the Village House Tour, held on the first Sunday each May. Its major members’ event is the Village Awards and Annual Meeting in June. [25]

Landmarks designation efforts

Village House Tour-goers enter a 19th-century townhouse on Commerce Street. Participants in 2014 House Tour enter a house in the West Village.jpg
Village House Tour-goers enter a 19th-century townhouse on Commerce Street.

Although a large portion of the Village was designated in 1969 as part of the Greenwich Village Historic District, many buildings outside the district's boundaries are unprotected. During the decade between 2003 and 2013, GVSHP helped secure landmark designation of over 1,250 buildings, as well as community-scaled "contextual rezonings" of nearly 100 blocks. [26]

Among their notable accomplishments are the listing of the Stonewall Inn on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 and designation as part of the Stonewall National Monument in 2016, the first U.S. national monument or city landmark based upon LGBT history. [27] Their other accomplishments include landmark designation for the Meatpacking District and most of the South Village; the first extensions of the Greenwich Village Historic District since 1969; first-of-their-kind landmark designation of sites such as Webster Hall, I.M. Pei's Silver Towers, and the former Bell Laboratories Building/Westbeth Artist Housing, and saving homes and studios of artists such as Frank Stella and Willem de Kooning from demolition.

Some of its more notable efforts include:

Selected honors and awards

Research and Resources

Historic districts

A map of the boundaries for the proposed South Village Historic District. SouthVillageHistoricDistrict122016.jpg
A map of the boundaries for the proposed South Village Historic District.

The following designated historic districts fall within the society's purview, followed by the year in which they were designated in parentheses:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenwich Village</span> Neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City

Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village also contains several subsections, including the West Village west of Seventh Avenue and the Meatpacking District in the northwest corner of Greenwich Village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SoHo, Manhattan</span> Neighborhood in New York City

SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and has also been known for its variety of shops ranging from trendy upscale boutiques to national and international chain store locations. The area's history is an archetypal example of inner-city regeneration and gentrification, encompassing socioeconomic, cultural, political, and architectural developments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NoHo, Manhattan</span> Neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City

NoHo, short for "North of Houston Street", is a primarily residential neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded by Mercer Street to the west, the Bowery to the east, 9th Street to the north, and Houston Street to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Village, Manhattan</span> Neighborhood in New York City

The East Village is a neighborhood on the East Side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, United States. It is roughly defined as the area east of the Bowery and Third Avenue, between 14th Street on the north and Houston Street on the south. The East Village contains three subsections: Alphabet City, in reference to the single-letter-named avenues that are located to the east of First Avenue; Little Ukraine, near Second Avenue and 6th and 7th Streets; and the Bowery, located around the street of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission</span> New York City agency

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites by granting them landmark or historic district status, and regulating them after designation. It is the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation. As of July 1, 2020, the LPC has designated more than 37,800 landmark properties in all five boroughs. Most of these are concentrated in historic districts, although there are over a thousand individual landmarks, as well as numerous interior and scenic landmarks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall Inn</span> Gay tavern and monument in New York City

The Stonewall Inn is a gay bar and recreational tavern at 53 Christopher Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots, which led to the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBT rights in the United States. When the riots occurred, Stonewall was one of the relatively few gay bars in New York City. The original gay bar occupied two structures at 51–53 Christopher Street, which were built as horse stables in the 1840s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meatpacking District, Manhattan</span> United States historic place

The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan that runs from West 14th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River east to Hudson Street. The Meatpacking Business Improvement District along with signage in the area, extend these borders farther north to West 17th Street, east to Eighth Avenue, and south to Horatio Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Village</span> Neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City

The West Village is a neighborhood in the western section of the larger Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. The West Village is bounded by the Hudson River to the west and 14th Street to the north. The eastern boundary is variously cited as Greenwich Avenue, Seventh Avenue, or Sixth Avenue, while the southern boundary is either Houston Street or Christopher Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webster Hall</span> Nightclub in Manhattan, New York

Webster Hall is a nightclub and concert venue located at 125 East 11th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues, near Astor Place, in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. It is one of New York City's most historically significant theater and event halls, having hosted social events of all types since the club's construction in 1886 as a "hall for hire". Its current incarnation was opened in 1992 by the Ballinger brothers, with a capacity of 1,400, providing its traditional role as well as for corporate events, and for a recording studio. A scholarly account of Webster Hall and its place in the wider history of rock music in Lower Manhattan was published in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julius (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Manhattan, New York

Julius' is a tavern at 159 West 10th Street and Waverly Place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is often called the oldest continuously operating gay bar in New York City. Its management, however, was actively unwilling to operate as such, and harassed gay customers until 1966. The April 1966 "Sip-In" at Julius, located a block northeast of the Stonewall Inn, established the right of gay people to be served in licensed premises in New York. This action helped clear the way for gay premises with state liquor licenses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meserich Synagogue</span> Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Meserich Synagogue, Meserich Shul or Meseritz Shul, also known as Edes Israel Anshei Mesrich, Edath Lei'Isroel Ansche Meseritz or Adas Yisroel Anshe Mezeritz, is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 415 East 6th Street, in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margot Gayle</span> American historic preservationist

Margot McCoy Gayle was an American historic preservationist, activist, and writer. She led the effort to designate the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District, which preserved Victorian era cast-iron architecture in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Village</span> Neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City

The South Village is a largely residential area that is part of the larger Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan, New York City, directly below Washington Square Park. Known for its immigrant heritage and bohemian history, the architecture of the South Village is primarily tenement-style apartment buildings, indicative of the area's history as an enclave for Italian-American immigrants and working-class residents of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Chin</span> American politician (born 1953)

Margaret S. Chin is a Chinese American politician who served as a council member for the 1st district of the New York City Council from 2010 to 2021. A Democrat, she and Queens Council member Peter Koo comprised the Asian American delegation of the city council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Tassell and Kearney Horse Auction Mart</span> Commercial building in Manhattan, New York

The Van Tassell and Kearney Horse Auction Mart is a building in East Village, Manhattan, New York City. The building was constructed in 1903-04 to the designs of Jardine, Kent & Jardine in the Beaux-Arts Style. It originally served as a horse auction mart that catered to New York's elite families, including the Vanderbilts and Delanos. Each Tuesday and Friday, Van Tassell & Kearney held auctions in the building. Though carriages remained an important part of the business, most advertisements and newspaper stories about the mart concerned the sale of horses, particularly high-priced ribbon winners, polo ponies, hunters, and thoroughbreds. Other sales were devoted to breeding stock and coach horses, including a large group of horses co-owned by Alfred W. Vanderbilt and Robert L. Gerry in 1906.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlton–King–Vandam Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

The Charlton–King–Vandam Historic District is a small historic district in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (NYCLPC) in 1966, the district contains "the city's largest concentration of row houses in the Federal style, as well as a significant concentration of Greek Revival houses." It is sometimes included as part of the South Village or Hudson Square, though it is historically distinct from both neighborhoods.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stonewall National Monument</span> U.S. National Monument in Manhattan, New York

Stonewall National Monument is a 7.7-acre U.S. national monument in the West Village neighborhood of Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The designated area includes the Stonewall Inn, the 0.19-acre Christopher Park, and nearby streets including Christopher Street, the site of the Stonewall riots of June 28, 1969, widely regarded as the start of the modern LGBT rights movement in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Street (Manhattan)</span> Street in Manhattan, New York

Charles Street is a street in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It runs east to west from Greenwich Avenue to West Street. The street was named after Charles Christopher Amos, who owned the parcel the street passed through. Amos is also the namesake of Christopher Street, two blocks to the south, and the former Amos Street, which is now West 10th Street. Charles Lane is a one-block alley located between Charles and Perry Streets and Washington and West Streets. From 1866 to 1936, the section of Charles Street between Bleecker Street and West 4th Street was called Van Ness Place after a farm, owned by the Van Ness family, which had occupied the square bounded by Bleecker, West 4th, Charles and Perry Streets until 1865.

References

  1. ↑ "Introducing Village Preservation". EV Grieve. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  2. ↑ Sachmechi, Natalie (2021-03-09). "Experts blast 'misleading' report attacking SoHo rezoning plan". Crain's New York Business. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  3. 1 2 Zimmerman, Alex (2015-10-19). "Gansevoort Street Proposal (Finally) Brings Cries of 'NIMBY' to Meatpacking District". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  4. ↑ Jones, Orion (2021-01-04). "Open NY Brings New Brand of Yimby to New York City". The Real Deal New York. Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  5. ↑ "Villagers fight for landmark status of federal period buildings". Real Estate Weekly. 2003-07-30. Retrieved 2021-07-28– via Free Online Library.
  6. ↑ "Trying to Save Part of Edward Hopper's New York". Intelligencer. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  7. ↑ Li, Ronald (2009-11-23). "City Plans To Rezone Far West Village". Observer. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  8. ↑ Lombino, David (September 19, 2005). "Developer Seeks To Ease Restrictions in Far West Village". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  9. ↑ Del Signore, John (2008-04-01). "St. Vincent's Plans for New Greenwich Village Hospital". Gothamist. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  10. ↑ Collins, Glenn (2008-04-01). "Beloved Hospital's Plans Cause Furor in the Village". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  11. 1 2 Collins, Glenn (2008-05-07). "Building Proposal by Greenwich Village Hospital Is Rejected". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  12. ↑ Hartocollis, Anemona (2010-04-19). "Layoffs Announced at St. Vincent's". City Room. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  13. ↑ "St. Vincent's Files for Bankruptcy". The New York Times. 2010-04-15. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  14. ↑ "St. Vincent's Closing". WESTVIEW NEWS. 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  15. ↑ Foderaro, Lisa W. (2013-08-12). "Preservationists Have Concerns About Plan to Sell Hudson River Park's Air Rights". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  16. ↑ Spokony, Sam (14 November 2013). "Community confronts park air rights issue as Cuomo O.K.'s bill". The Villager. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  17. ↑ Vilensky, Mike (2013-12-26). "'Sizzling' Brooklyn Gets NYU Engineers". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  18. ↑ Smith, Stephen Jacob (2013-05-07). "You Win Some, You Lose Some: NYU Checked in South Village, Approved for Expansion in NoHo". Observer. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  19. ↑ Gootman, Elissa (2011-06-07). "In Greenwich Village, the Signs They Are A-Changin'". City Room. Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  20. ↑ Rutkoff, Aaron (June 8, 2011). "In Greenwich Village, Paint Makes Old Sign History". The Wall Street Journal.
  21. ↑ "Community board votes against SoHo/NoHo rezoning plan". ny1.com. July 26, 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  22. 1 2 Brown, Stephen Rex; Gartland, Michael (March 5, 2021). "Mayor de Blasio's SoHo rezoning plan will make NYC neighborhood less affordable: report". Daily News. New York. Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  23. 1 2 Slotnik, Daniel E. (2020-10-08). "The Future of Wealthy SoHo". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  24. ↑ Lewis, Danny (2021-12-15). "New York City Council Gives SoHo/NoHo Rezoning A Thumbs Up". Gothamist. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  25. ↑ Amateau, Albert (19 June 2014). "Society honors butcher, boats, bookstore, B.B.C., burial ground". The Villager. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  26. ↑ Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. "Mission and History" . Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  27. ↑ "New York City Makes Stonewall Inn a Landmark". The New York Times. June 24, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Webster Hall and Annex" (PDF). New York City. March 18, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2015.
  29. ↑ "University Village (Silver Towers)". NYC Urbanism. February 26, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  30. ↑ Wachs, Audrey (5 January 2017). "Just when we need it most, a new map charts social justice history in lower Manhattan". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  31. ↑ "East Village Building Blocks". Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  32. ↑ "Greenwich Village Historic District, 1969-2019: Photos and Tours" . Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  33. ↑ Fleischmann, Laura (3 July 2019). "Immersive Village History in your Pocket: Google Arts & Culture" . Retrieved 7 August 2019.
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