East Village

The neighborhood has a long history, serving as a cultural center and ethnic enclave for Manhattan’s German, Polish, Hispanic, and Jewish populations. However, there is much dispute over the borders of the Lower East Side, Alphabet City, and East Village. Historically, Manhattan’s Lower East Side was 14th Street at the northern end, bound on the east by East River and on the west by First Avenue; today, that same area is Alphabet City. The area’s German presence in the early 20th century, in decline, virtually ended after the General Slocum disaster in 1904.  In the 1960’s artist, musicans and students breathed in new life to the area and became the birthplace of many artistic movements such as Punk Rock, Nuyorican. The area was the launch pad for artists such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat too.  The East Village contains three New York City historic districts: St. Mark’s Historic District and Extension, East Village / Lower East Side Historic District and East 10th Street Historic District, which comprises Alphabet City.  Alphabet City’s name was derived from it’s Avenues ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’; the only Avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter-names.  Alphabet City has a long-standing reputation as the home and hang-out spot for “free-thinkers, musicians, artists, and eccentrics” and remains a cool area to eat, drink, shop and explore this off-beat iconic neighborhood.