Village theaters face a growing threat
 In recent years, a super-heated real-estate market has helped force out some of the most venerable theaters in Greenwich Village.
GVSHP has been greatly disturbed by this trend, and has worked with preservationists, theater advocates, and elected officials to try to prevent the loss of individual theaters. We have also reached out to the City for assistance in addressing this ongoing problem.
Four more theaters in Greenwich Village, located in the Archives Building at Christopher and Greenwich Streets, are now threatened with the loss of their space as well (see the article in today’s New York Times). When the Archives Building was converted by the Federal Government to residential use 20 years ago, a condition of that agreement was that some of the space in the building would go to non-profit groups at affordable rents. Now, that original agreement is expiring.
Small theaters are vital to Greenwich Village and New York City — they add to the cultural vitality and dynamism of our city and our neighborhood, they are engines of economic development, tourism, and education, and they are an essential part of our history and character.
GVSHP has written to Mayor Bloomberg, once again asking that he work with us and other concerned groups and individuals to help prevent the loss of theaters from the Village, their historic home.
HOW TO HELP:
- Please write to Mayor Bloomberg, urging that the City help us to keep theaters in the Village—go to here for a sample letter you can use.
|
