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South of Union Square
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80 University Place

Posts & Stories(11)

82 University Place image

82 University Place
Post

This building was originally constructed as a three-story Greek Revival row house for owner Masterton & Smith in 1841-42. In 1939 it was reduced to one story, and in 2009 altered to eight stories. This was the final location of the renowned Cedar Tavern, a central gathering spot for the New York School of writers and artists. Go back and click on the tours the building is featured in for additional information and history.
Photography Tour image

Photography Tour
Walk

Among the many industries which this area played a significant role in shaping and transforming was photography. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Oral History Tour image

Oral History Tour
Walk

Village Preservation has multiple oral histories with significant figures in the arts, literature, commerce, preservation, activism, and philanthropy which focus on, connect to, or mention sites in this area. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Publishing Tour image

Publishing Tour
Walk

Many of the most prominent publishers in America and the world were located here, producing some of the most significant works of literature of the last two hundred years. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Pop Culture Tour image

Pop Culture Tour
Walk

Multiple sites in the neighborhood bear significant connections to popular films, television, music, and entertainment. Listen to a playlist featuring a selection of songs by some of the amazing artists connected to this area. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Leftist and Labor Tour image

Leftist and Labor Tour
Walk

This area was a mecca for leftist and labor organizing, with many of the most significant figures and organizations of the 19th and 20th centuries located here. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Grove Press Tour image

Grove Press Tour
Walk

Grove Press, called “the era’s most explosive and influential publishing house” and “the most innovative publisher of the postwar era,” produced incredibly important pieces of 20th century literature while working aggressively and effectively to transform American culture in relation to issues of censorship, sexuality, race, and class. Founded in 1947 on Grove Street in the West Village, Grove Press fully rose to prominence after it was purchased by Barney Rossett in 1951. Over the next decades, an astonishing five extant buildings in the area south of Union Square were home to the Press, its literary magazine the Evergreen Review, and the Press’ Evergreen Theater. A sixth building in the area, 61 Fourth Avenue, served as Rosset’s home from at least 1981 until Rosset’s passing in 2012. For a time, Grove Press’ offices were also located here. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
African American History Tour image

African American History Tour
Walk

This area was home to several sites connected to significant developments in African American history, including civil rights leaders and organizations, musicians, and writers. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
80 University Place image

80 University Place
Post

This building was constructed c. 1841-42 for Amos Palmer as a private house. In later years it housed a hotel, the home and office of the first woman doctor in America, and the offices of the Village Voice newspaper. The influential publishing house Grove Press moved here in 1964, publishing Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Jacqueline Susann’s The Valley of the Dolls while here. Go back and click on the tours the building is featured in for additional information and history.
Women's History Tour image

Women's History Tour
Walk

Many notable organizations, leaders, and events in the women's rights and women's suffrage movements were located or took place here. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
Hotel Tour image

Hotel Tour
Walk

The area around Broadway and University Place became home to some of the city’s most desirable hotels in the mid-19th century as this area began its transition from residential to semi-commercial district. This included the recently-demolished St. Denis Hotel at Broadway and 11th Street, and the Hotel Albert at University Place and 11th Street, now the Albert Apartments. Click here to send a letter supporting landmark designation of these and other historic buildings south of Union Square.
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