Residents of the East Village take great pride in pointing out the stark difference in lifestyle between their community and its neighbor to the West. The area known now as Saint Mark’s District was owned by Peter Stuyvesant in the late 1700s. Development began in the mid 1800s with row houses built in the Italianate, Anglo-Italianate and Greek Revival style. Tompkins Square (7th-10th St., Avenue A & B) was designated public grounds in 1811. It is now surrounded by unique residential loft conversions with deference to its residents’ way of life. Rock concerts were held in the 1960s in this park and most notable of surrounding buildings is The Christodora House, a condominium loft building, which still houses artists and celebrities today. Today the East Village is catching up its big brother the West Village in prices. Like the rest of the city, the East Village has experienced a building boom, which has added numerous new luxury rental buildings and condominium as Far East as Ave. D. If you have a chance take a walk down Avenues B and C, you will find people in business suits alongside others in punk rock gear, all perusing the fancy furniture stores, vintage clothing shops, and new gourmet restaurants.
East Village
Boundaries: North of Houston Street, South of 14th, East of Third Avenue to the River.