Village Preservation has called upon the Landmarks Preservation Commission to finally landmark our proposed historic district South of Union Square, highlighting more than a dozen sites critical to LGBTQ+ history during LGBTQ+ Pride Month. National LGBTQ+ organizations have joined us in this call. This area is rich in not only LGBTQ+, but African American, women’s, artistic, literary, and social justice history as well.

Councilmember Corey Johnson, who represents a sliver of the proposed district west of Fifth Avenue, has called upon the City to landmark the area in his district. Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who represents 90% of the proposed district, has not, despite repeated requests.

Read our letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission here, and read coverage in the New York Daily News here.

The latest issue of Village Preservation’s newsletter is now available online. It’s a great way to catch up on the organization’s work over the last several months, read about the latest preservation battles or new resources available, and get friends and neighbors more involved by sharing.

If you’re interested in having printed copies delivered for distribution or pick up in your building or business, to help spread the word about Village Preservation and its work, just email info@gvshp.org (printed copies will be available later this month). 

We’ve added new information to our Election 2021 webpage about statements by Manhattan Borough President candidates regarding the Mayor’s proposed SoHo/NoHo Upzoning, as well as statements by City Council District 1 candidate Gigi Li. Read them and see City Council candidate questionnaires and debate videos, as well as information about and a petition to Mayoral candidates, on our Village Preservation Election 2021 webpage. Primary day is June 22, and early voting has already begun. 

Village Preservation has received donations of two small but wonderful collections of historic images of our neighborhoods. One, by photographer James Cuebas, shows the Hudson River waterfront in the late 1970s through the mid-1980s — a very different time here characterized by crumbling piers and the looming shadow of the World Trade Center. The other, donated by the family of Ferretti Cozzo, shows his June 1938 graduating class at Hudson Park Junior High School (now City-As-School), 16 Clarkson Street.

You can browse more than 2,300 images in our historic image archive, from the late 18th through the early 21st centuries, and purchase prints of many to support our work.

Don’t forget! Join us for “the Oscars of the Village,” and a review of a year in the life of Village Preservation, at our Virtual Annual Meeting and Village Awards, this Wednesday at 6 pm. 

Be sure to participate (virtually) in the first official public hearing on the Mayor’s plan to upzone SoHo, NoHo, and parts of Chinatown at Community Board 2 on June 23 at 6:30 pm, with a second overflow hearing June 24 if needed. Tell the Mayor and elected officials like Councilmembers Margaret Chin, Carlina Rivera, and Corey Johnson, and Borough President Gale Brewer, to VOTE NO!