West Village Walking Tour

Please join me for a pleasant walk through the quaint streets of New York's West Village neighborhood and learn about its history, culture, facts and apocrypha.

Begin by taking the #1 subway train to the Christopher Street/Sheridan Square station.

 

Starting Point and Stop 1: Village Cigars, 7th Ave South and Christopher St. 

You are standing in front of the iconic Village Cigars. Notice in front of the door the small mosaic: "Property of the Hess Estate which has never been dedicated for public purposes." In the 1910s, the City planned to widen 7th Ave South as they expanded the IRT subway under your feet. 

Imminent Domain had taken possession of over 300 buildings, which were demolished, in order to cut the subway. Varick St., to the south ended at Carmine and Clarkson Sts, and 7th Ave. proper to the north ended at 11th St. Instead of buildings over the subway cut, a street was laid out. This connector is called 7th Ave. South. One of the properties demolished was the Voorhis Hotel, a 5 floor structure on this site, belonging to the Hess family. The family noticed that this small triangular parcel of land had actually escaped the survey of the land, and, technically, still belonged to the Hesses. 

The City asked them to turn it over legally, which they refused, and shortly thereafter, mosaicists were commissioned to lay the tiles. In 1938, this little plot of real estate was sold to the cigar store for $2 per square in., valued in the day at $1000, and considered to be the smallest plot of viable real estate in the City.

Walk south on 7th Ave South and turn right on Commerce St. Stop in front of Nrs.11 and 17 Commerce St.

Stop 2: 11 Commerce St, the “Washington Irving, Jr. House”; 17 Commerce St, the Aaron Burr House; 24-28 Commerce St.

11 Commerce St-Irving House

Washington Irving, the famed author of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle  and A Knickerbocker’s History of New York remained childless after his fiancée died at the age of 17, and his father’s name was William Irving, Sr. So, historically speaking there IS NO Washington Irving, Jr. The plaque on the face of the building tells not of the truth. Charming as the detail sounds, either the plaque on 11 Commerce St. was placed by someone claiming to be his son, or it is an apocryphal detail of the street.

Nonetheless, built in 1826, it is a fine example of federal period row house, which are still abundant in this and several other downtown neighborhoods. With 4 beds and 4 baths and 2,900 sq. ft. its estimated worth as of 2016 is $10m.

A few houses over to your left, another mysterious plaque between the windows on this building at 17 Commerce St. is telling more headless tales.

17 Commerce St-"Burr" House


While Aaron Burr did own this land in 1801, this house was built in 1830, and the Burr estate, Richmond Hill, was actually little further south on Varick St. and Charlton St. What IS the truth is that he WAS the Vice President under the Jefferson administration. He WAS at constant odds with the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, who always tried to intervene on Burr's pull for power and the potential presidency. The two DID fight it out in a duel in Weehawken, NJ, at the dawn of July 11, 1804, and that Hamilton shot skyward, but Burr shot straight ahead and landed a .56 caliber bullet to Hamilton's abdomen. The injured and partially paralyzed Treasurer was ferried back to New York, and died the next day from his injuries in the William Bayard residence on Horatio St (despite another historically inaccurate plaque at 82 Jane St, both not far from where you are standing right now.) Hamilton lies in repose at Trinity Graveyard down by Wall St.

17 Commerce St-Aaron Burr House-Garden detail

The “Aaron Burr House” is another lovely example of a Federal period row house. The building was actually built by a stonecutter, who razed a tiny house on this site after a series of cholera and smallpox outbreaks swept through lower Manhattan. The curvy, narrow, haphazard and impromptu street pattern was laid out by the local landowners before the Commissioner’s Plan of 1811 imposed the rectangular numbered street pattern north of Houston (HOW-ston) St. The West Village is ideologically, culturally, mentally, metaphorically and literally “OFF THE GRID!!”

The West Village street pattern is so erratic that W4th St. and W10th St. actually dissect each other here. And the narrow street layout is most unfriendly to large vehicles that when an unwary intruder enters in a moving or delivery truck, traffic chaos and gridlock results.) But, this small-town layout is how this special neighborhood is able to retain its quaint character. 3 beds 2.5 baths 2,200 sq. ft., (204.39 m²) 17 Commerce St's estimated value as of 2016, $6.96M, Rentable at $19,700/mo.

Continue walking down Commerce St and look at Nrs. 24-28 across the street. These 1826 homes were built by shoemakers, one each for them to live, and one to rent. Nr. 24’s value is $4.3M and nr. 26’s value is $6.2M, as of 2016.

Continue down Commerce St and turn left at Bedford St.

Stop 3: 75 ½ Bedford St/77 Bedford St.

This narrow little dwelling tucked between 75 and 77 Bedford St. (dubbed 75 1/2) was built in 1873 as a result of one of the of a smallpox epidemic. Its width is merely 9 ½ ft. (less than 3m.) wide and 30ft. (9m.) It occupies an old carriageway which led to stables in the back. Notable residents here include Pulitzer Prize winning author, Edna St. Vincent-Millay (“My candle’s burning at both ends/It will not last the night/But Oh my foes, and Ah my friends/It sheds a lovely light”), John Barrymore, Cary Grant, the founder of the Cherry Lane Theatre around the corner. With 2 Beds, 2 baths, 1000 sq. ft. (92.9 m²). Sold in 2013 for $3.25M. A 2016 estimate details $8.62M, rentable at $11k/mo. Nr. 77 Bedford is a rare building from the 18^th century, built in 1799. The Issac's/Hendricks house, formerly a farmhouse, and once owned by Harmon Hendricks, a copper merchant who supplied Robert Fulton with materials used to make the boilers used on the steamboat, the Clermont, in 1807.

Go back to Commerce St and Turn left. Continue until the street bends to the right.
 

Stop 4: 38 Commerce St, The Cherry Lane Theater; and 48 Commerce St. (Alexander Stewart residence.)

The Off-Off-Broadway, Cherry Lane Theater resides at number 38 since 1924 in a an 1836 building which was once a brewery and box factory. The term, Off-Off-Broadway does not refer to its remote locale, instead of the number of seats. Off-Off-Broadway refers to up to 99 seats. Off-Broadway refers to up to 499 seats, and a “Broadway Theater” has more than 500 seats). Despite its unassuming stature, it has hosted productions by some of the greatest playwrights including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Elmer Rice, Eugene O’Neill, Gertrude Stein, T.S. Eliot, Sam Shepard, Lanford Wilson and David Mamet, and an even more impressive list of actors who include Barbra Streisand, Gene Hackman, Beatrice Arthur, James Earl Jones, Colleen Dewhurst, Cicely Tyson, Harvey Keitel, Judd Hirsch, Tony Curtis, Gary Sinise, Jerry Stiller, Rue McClanahan, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Roy Scheider, Frances Sternhagen, F. Murray Abraham, Peter Falk, Tom Bosley, Frank Langella, Tyne Daly, Estelle Parsons, Geraldine Page, Kevin Bacon, Lee Strasberg, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Dennis Quaid.

Cherry Lane Theater

The 90 degree bend at this location marks the demarcation of the land holdings of Wouter Van Twiller, the successor of Peter Minuit as Governor-General of the New Netherland colony.

48 Commerce St was the residence of Irish merchant Alexander Turney Stewart, founder of A.T. Stewart & Co. and made a multi-million dollar fortune in his “Marble Palace” on Broadway and Chambers St. (Building still extant). Buried in St. Mark’s in the Bowery Graveyard in the East Village, his remains were exhumed and held for ransom, but it remains unclear if the remains returned were those of Mr. Stewart!

Turn to your right and find across Commerce St. the “Twins of Commerce Street”, two identical houses built in 1831, so the story goes, for the feuding daughters of a sea captain. But this may be yet another charming detail that has no basis on fact.

The "Twins" of Commerce St

Most likely, they were built by a “milkman’’ which apparently was a high-paying profession at one time. The slanted mansard roofs were added in 1873, as the Second Empire was very fashionable at the time.

70 Barrow, at the end of Commerce St. was built as a firehouse in 1851.

Walk to the corner and turn right at Barrow St. and then left on to Bedford St.

Stop 5: 86 Bedford St, Chumley’s

Chumley’s was a popular pub, restaurant and Prohibition-era speakeasy located in the  building at 86 Bedford St. A recent chimney collapse in 2007 forced the rebuilding of the edifice, and Chumley’s has finally reopened in October of 2016. A long-time hang of literaries include E.E. Cummings, William Faulkner, Edna St. Vincent-Millay and John Steinbeck, and many movers of the Beat Generation. It is believed the term “86ed” originated here when unruly customers were escorted out the Bedford St. door. The establishment was equipped with trap doorways and secret stairs. Prohibition-era police raids were thwarted by the multi-faceted entryway of uneven stair height, low overhangs and several turns on rickety wooden stairs leading in to the bar, and with all the commotion and confusion patrons would scram out the side door, the “Garden Door,” opening to Pamela Court around the corner (left on Barrow St.), the door being disguised as a bookcase with artificial books. Like a “Keystone Cops” clip, I could imagine it quite comical!

Continue along Bedford St. Turn Left at Grove and Stop at Grove Court, at the bend in the Street, on the left.

Stop 6: Grove Court/17 Grove St. /90 Bedford St.

The street geometry of this narrow tucked-away corner of the West Village forces the area behind the Grove Court gate to open into a rather sprawling courtyard, for New York Standards. Built between 1848 and 1852 in the Greek Revival style, it was quite a risky venture, as no respectable pre-Civil War family would buy a house that doesn’t open directly onto the street.

Grove Court

So, Samuel Cocks, owner of a nearby grocery store, built dwellings for a potential clientele, tradesmen and laborers, and as usual, artists and literaries joined the mix and the large courtyard was often the scene of debaucherous gatherings, it was nick-named “Mixed-Ale Alley.” Actress, Angela Lansbury lived in Nr.12. It was also used as the setting for O’Henry’s short story, “The Last Leaf,” about an ailing artist living in the little commune. The story includes specific details including the ivy vine crawling up the wall on the right hand side inside the gate. (“The Last Leaf” is a quick read easily found online.)

Turn to your left and go to the corner.

Notice the 3-floor wooden frame house on the corner. 17 Grove St. Built in 1822 as a two-floor building, additional level, 1870 with the Italianate cornice added with the addition. Wooden framed homes are extremely rare in NY due to its history of devastating fires.


The "Barbie" House

Built by William Hyde, a sash maker, replete with a workshop in the back, now rented out. We can assume the house’s double hung windows were built by its owner. OK. Here’s where charming is true. 1987 the house was sold to Kenneth Handler, son of Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel and creator of the Barbie and Ken dolls. By the way. Barbara is Ken’s real-life sister.

"Twin Peaks" Interior Detail

"Still further along Bedford St., behind Mr. Hyde’s workshop is Nr.102, the “Twin Peaks” of Greenwich Village. This 1830 construction was redesigned in 1925 to emulate a Swiss chalet.

 It has always been a haven for artists, even if you don’t want to call Douglas Fairbanks, Walt Disney, Cary Grant and Miles Davis artists. It went on the market in 2013 for $7.5M. 

Friends' House-Grove and Bedford Streets

Now look across Grove St. at the 6 floor walk-up at 90 Bedford (b.1898). Many people will recognize this building where Monica and Rachel lived across the hall from Joey and Chandler in the popular ‘90s TV show “Friends.” Uhm. No balconies in tenement walk-ups.

Walk east along Grove St. Technically, it is not a “STOP,” rather a “STROLL-BY”



32 Grove St

On the right side of the street is a sumptuous row of turn of the 20^th century townhouses.

A “brownstone” is not a “brownstone” if it does not have BROWN STONE.




32 Grove St-Interior Detail

Otherwise it is just a townhouse. Many of these homes retain their original details or have been faithfully restored. Nr.32 is a gem sold in 2015 for 11.25M. Nr.34 is just as beautiful.


32 Grove St-Backyard

Feel free to try and take a peek into the interiors. If the curtains or shutters are open they are allowing you to do so, BUT PLEASE REMEMBER TO RESPECT THE RESIDENTS’ PRIVACY AT ALL TIMES and never walk up the steps (the STOOP) at any time!



Continue to the corner of Bleecker St and turn left. Continue 4 block north and turn right on Perry St.  NOTE: The following detail might be interesting to some, but it leads to a private residence whose owners are very protective of their privacy!! Therefore I am not calling it as a “STOP” on the tour.

Sarah-Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw at 64 Perry St.

Going left, Bleecker St heads in a north-west direction. Follow it to Perry St and turn right. This is a street lined with true brownstones. Half-way down on the right is Nr.64. This is the setting for Carrie Bradshaw’s townhouse in “Sex and the City.”

Turn back around and go back to Bleecker St. and turn right.

On the south-east corner, on your right is the original Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes, pies and cookies. This is another popular establishment also featured in the movie “Sex and the City.”

My tour will conclude here. If you would like to return to the starting point at Village Cigars, continue south on Bleecker St. and turn left at Christopher St. One block further is Grove St, where left around the corner are a few popular piano bars (Marie’s Crisis, Rose’s Turn, Arthur’s Tavern) if you would like to sit and listen to some music and have a cocktail.

Further down Bleecker St. crossing 7th Ave. South you have a very authentic NY Pizzeria, John’s of Greenwich Village, Murray’s Cheese Bar, Babbo (to the left at the corner of Cornelia St.) Crossing 6th Ave (Avenue of the Americas) and there is a lively district of famous, trendy and ethnic eateries, several notorious Speakeasies, cafes, coffee houses, rock clubs, comedy clubs, bohemian hangouts and other venue. Turn left at MacDougal St.


Monte’s Trattoria and Minetta Tavern (Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Eugene O'Neill, E. E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas) are old-time stand-bys, Café Wha (Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor), Caffè Reggio (featured in The Godfather II, Shaft, Serpico, Inside Llewyn Davis) and further along Bleecker St as well are all great places to walk. Past Sullivan St. and Thompson St. And just a few blocks north of you is Washington Square Park, with its famous arch; a wonderful place to have a seat and watch New Yorkers be themselves.

On behalf of all New Yorkers I want to thank you visiting my City. Thank you also for your interest in our neighborhoods. I hope you enjoyed our little walk through the West Village. My name is Richie. Licensed Tour Guide since 1988. I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit!

Intellectual Property of Richard Reiss, 2017