Greenwich Village
One of New York's most famous and exciting neighborhoods encompasses the
area west of Washington Square Park from Houston Street north to 14th
Street and from Broadway west to the Hudson River.
The West Village has always been an attraction for New Yorkers as well as tourists from around the globe. Since the turn of the 20th century this neighborhood has been a haven for artists, poets, writers, and revolutionaries. Some of its more famous inhabitants have included Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, and Mark Twain.
Today, the West Village is home to an incredibly diverse group of professionals, artists, and students and a large, active gay and lesbian community. The West Village is home to New York University, the largest private university in the country. The school surrounds Washington Square Park, which was opened to the public in 1827. The eighty-six-foot-tall Washington Arch is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. The Park is a gathering place for an ever-changing cross section of the city: kids on skateboards and stockbrokers on roller blades, chess players and performance artists, dog walkers and baby strollers.
The Village is home to many off-Broadway theaters such as Cherry Lane Theatre,
Bank Street Theatre, Grove Street Playhouse, Greenwich House Theatre,
Minetta Lane Theater, Jane Street Theatre, and the Sullivan Street Playhouse
where The Fantasticks is now in its' 40th year! The Village is
also famous for its restaurants and gourmet food shops. Balducci's, Florence
Meat Market, and Magnolia Bakery offer high-quality produce, meats, and
baked goods in unique environments. Home, Po, Babbo, and Pearl are crowded
every night of the week with New Yorkers craving a relaxing meal after
work or before a show. Bleecker Street is known for its Italian cafes,
ethnic restaurants, antique shops, and famous music bars, where musicians
such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young were featured as young
unknown artists. Local and national jazz artists can be enjoyed at The
Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, and Sweet Basil. Home to artists, writers,
entertainment celebrities, Wall Street professionals, and students, the
West Village is among the choicest—and
priciest—residential neighborhoods in Manhattan.
See also transportation and schools for Greenwich
Village.
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