West Village

The West Village is a special neighborhood in the western part of the larger Greenwich Village area in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is found near the Hudson River on one side and 14th Street on the other. People often say its eastern edge is around Greenwich Avenue, Seventh Avenue, or Sixth Avenue, and its southern edge is near Houston Street or Christopher Street.

This neighborhood is part of Manhattan Community District 2 and is watched over by the 6th Precinct of the New York City Police Department. Homes in the West Village are very expensive, with prices often going above US$2,100 per square foot back in 2017.

History

The name "West Village" started being used in the 1950s and 1960s when people worked hard to save old buildings. They wanted to keep this part of Greenwich Village special, different from other areas where older buildings were being torn down.

The area has also been called other names as it changed over time. In the early 1980s, new homes were built in the Far West Village, between West Street and Hudson Street, from West 14th Street to West Houston Street, and this part got its own name.

Historically, people in the Village have cared deeply about protecting its old buildings and history. More than 50 blocks between 14th Street and 4th Street or St. Luke’s Place are part of a historic district. This means that when buildings are fixed up, they have to keep their old looks. This big historic district was created in 1969.

Because people still wanted to protect more of the area, new historic districts were added later. For example, the Gansevoort Market Historic District was added in 2003, protecting important old buildings and streets. Other areas like the Weehawken Street Historic District and extensions to the Greenwich Village Historic District were also added to save more historic buildings.

The West Village has also been known for its arts and culture. It was a place where artists and creative people lived and shared new ideas. Small theaters, art galleries, and special events have been part of its history. The Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City’s oldest continuing Off-Broadway theater, opened in 1924 and has been a spot for new plays and performances ever since.

The Village was also home to the first racially integrated night club in the United States, Café Society, opened in 1938. It featured many famous musicians and helped break down racial barriers in entertainment. The annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, started in 1974, is one of the world’s largest Halloween parades.

Geography

Boundaries

The West Village is a part of Greenwich Village in New York City. It is bordered by the Hudson River to the west and West 14th Street to the north. The eastern edge can be Greenwich Avenue, Seventh Avenue, or Avenue of the Americas. The southern edge is usually Christopher Street, but sometimes it is Houston Street. Nearby areas include Chelsea to the north, the South Village and Hudson Square to the south, and the Washington Square part of Greenwich Village to the east.

Street grid

The streets in the West Village are special because they are not lined up like most streets in Manhattan. These roads were built a long time ago, in the 1700s, to follow the shape of the land near the Hudson River. Even when street numbers were added later, many of these streets still don't match up perfectly. For example, West 4th Street crosses over several other streets before ending at West 13th Street. Some smaller streets are made from special stones called setts, especially in parts like the Far West Village and the Meatpacking District.

Demographics

The West Village is home to about 66,880 people, according to the 2010 United States census. It covers an area of 583.47 acres (236.12 ha), with many people living close together.

Most people in the West Village are White, but there are also many Asian and Hispanic or Latino residents. Many people living there are between 20 and 39 years old, and most were born in the United States.

Each day, many workers and visitors come to the West Village. About 8,000 workers come to the area for work, and around 11,000 people visit the High Line every day.

Law enforcement

The West Village is watched over by the 6th Precinct of the NYPD, based at 233 West 10th Street. In 2010, this area was considered one of the safer places in the city for its size, though there were still many reports of property-related crimes.

Since the 1990s, crime in this precinct has dropped a lot — by about 80% by 2018. The area known as the Meatpacking District, near the northern edge of the West Village, has many popular shops and nightlife spots. However, it’s also where most cases of taking valuable items happened. To help keep things safe, police shared important reminders with places in the area, especially at night, to help everyone protect their belongings.

Fire safety

The West Village has two fire stations to keep people safe. These stations are part of the New York City Fire Department.

One station is at 227 6th Avenue, and the other is at 132 West 10th Street.

Post office and ZIP Codes

The West Village has two ZIP Codes. The part south of Greenwich Avenue and west of Sixth Avenue uses ZIP Code 10014, while the northern part uses 10011. The United States Postal Service runs the West Village Station at 527 Hudson Street.

Education

There are two elementary schools nearby: PS 3 Melser Charrette School, and PS 41 Greenwich Village School. Students in the area go to Baruch Middle School 104. Greenwich Village High School was a private school that used to be in the neighborhood but moved to SoHo. Middle School 297 opened in 2017.

The New York Public Library has two branches close to the West Village. The Jefferson Market Library is at 425 Avenue of the Americas. This building used to be a courthouse and became a library in 1967. The Hudson Park branch is at 66 Leroy Street, in a building made with help from Carnegie in 1906.

Transportation

The West Village has many ways to get around. Bus routes like the M8, M11, M12, M14A, M20, and M55 help people travel through the area. There are also several subway stops nearby, including 14th Street–Eighth Avenue, West Fourth Street–Washington Square, and Christopher Street–Sheridan Square.

The area is also served by the PATH train at Christopher Street and Ninth Street. In 2013, the Citi Bike program began, making bicycles available for rent. The West Side Highway runs along the western edge of the neighborhood.

Points of interest

• Casa Magazines is a corner shop at 8th Avenue and 12th Street with over 2,500 magazine titles. It’s famous as one of New York City’s top spots for magazines.
• The Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library at 425 Sixth Avenue was once a courthouse. It became a library in 1958 after people wanted to save it.
• The High Line is now a public park linking the area to Chelsea, Hell's Kitchen, and the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project. It was once train tracks turned into a green space and opened as a park in 2009.
• Hudson River Park stretches from 59th Street to the Battery and is being turned into a special park.
• St. Luke in the Fields Church is an Episcopal church founded in 1820.
• The Stonewall Inn is a tavern known for the Stonewall riots in 1969, a key moment for equal rights.
• Village Vanguard is a famous jazz club that opened in 1935 and later focused only on jazz music.
• The Westbeth Artists Community offers affordable homes and workspaces for artists.
• The Whitney Museum of American Art moved to the West Village in 2015. It was founded in 1931 and has over 21,000 artworks.

Notable people

Some well-known actors and public figures have lived in the West Village. Actresses and designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, as well as actor Daniel Radcliffe, live in a building designed by Costas Kondylis. Other famous actors such as Jim Carrey, Hugh Jackman, and Nicole Kidman have homes in buildings designed by Richard Meier.

Many other notable people have called the West Village home, including actors Matthew Broderick, Scarlett Johansson, Ray Romano, Jason Biggs, Ryan Eggold, Andy Samberg, Claire Danes, Hugh Dancy, Will Ferrell, Jill Hennessy, Seth Meyers, Julianne Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields, Liv Tyler, Saoirse Ronan, Karlie Kloss, and musician/actor Richard Barone. The former Attorney General Ramsey Clark also lived here, as does broadcaster and theater writer Michael Riedel. Curator and critic Raul Zamudio lives and works on Jane St. Famous neurologist and author Oliver Sacks lived and worked in the West Village from the mid-1990s until 2015.