Lower East Side Preservation Initiative

06/16/2026

Reminder, tomorrow Tuesday, June 16, join us for the webinar “Still Unprotected: The Unrecognized LGBTQ+ Landmarks of Greenwich Village and the East Village.” Sponsored by Village Preservation - Greenwich Village Society For Historic Preservation and cosponsored by LESPI.

These neighborhoods are widely known centers of LGBTQ+ history, with critical sites like the Stonewall Inn recognized and protected by NYC landmark designation. But there’s an incredibly rich and oft-forgotten LGBTQ+ history in our neighborhoods that remains largely unrecognized and unprotected, in the crossroads where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, which we call “South of Union Square.” Learn more about these storied sites: for information and to register see below.

Co-sponsored by East Village Community Coalition and Lower East Side Preservation Initiative This program is part of Village Preservation’s Semiquincentennial series of programs celebrating our…

06/15/2026

Catch up on the latest LESPI and LES preservation news with LESPI's Spring 2026 Newsletter at https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA017/1/112771/D5_5XI4Rz7GO9a5pZoIleguceBKas_bH3jti1BTttBF_archive. Enjoy!

06/09/2026

From 1938 to 1940, New Deal WPA artist Abram Champanier painted a wonderful mural for Gouverneur Hospital’s children’s ward: Alice of Wonderland Visiting New York imagined Lewis Carroll’s Alice exploring New York’s iconic sites. Champanier composed his dreamy urban landscape to help sick children transport themselves through their imaginations beyond their hospital beds. The beautifully restored artwork is now on view at the Museum of the City of New York until September 20.

BTW, LESPI has proposed the former Gouverneur Hospital for NYC landmarking, for more information on the history and architecture of this fascinating building, see https://lespi-nyc.org/621-water-street-former-governeur-hospital-building/. After the MCNY exhibit, the mural will return to the Lower East Side, to be installed at a publicly accessible location within NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur at 227 Madison Street.

Abram Champanier’s "Alice of Wonderland Visiting New York" was a commission from the Federal Art Project, a New Deal program that championed American art in public spaces

06/08/2026

Still on a high from the NYC landmark designation of the Church of St. Mary on Grand Street 😀

06/07/2026

Here’s the latest on the plans to restore and build a tower (with 130 affordable housing units) behind the 1820s St. Augustine’s Chapel on Henry Street. It’s a nice project, you can read LESPI’s testimony to LPC in support at https://lespi-nyc.org/lpc-application-for-tower-at-st-augustines-chapel/.

St. Augustine's Chapel on the Lower East Side is set for a renovation of its historic church building with a new 21-story, 130-unti affordable housing building.

06/04/2026

The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street is holding a concert June 11 to celebrate the return of its 1868 Henry Erben pipe organ, and unveil the stunning, exuberant Victorian facade for the first time.

Here’s a link to tickets:
https://givebutter.com/the-unveiling-pt5m3x

This promises to be a very special event!

Join the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral for an extraordinary evening celebrating the unveiling of the restored 1868 Erben Organ, featuring a historic concert, special guests, and a private reception in the heart of SoHo.

06/03/2026

LESPI is proud to cosponsor Village Preservation’s upcoming webinar “Still Unprotected: The Unrecognized LGBTQ+ Landmarks of Greenwich Village and the East Village” on Tuesday, June 16.

These neighborhoods are widely known centers of LGBTQ+ history, with critical sites like the Stonewall Inn recognized and protected by NYC landmark designation. But there’s an incredibly rich and oft-forgotten LGBTQ+ history in our neighborhoods that remains largely unrecognized and unprotected, in the crossroads where Greenwich Village meets the East Village, which we call “South of Union Square.” Learn more about these fascinating sites: for information and to register see https://www.villagepreservation.org/event/still-unprotected-the-unrecognized-lgbtq-landmarks-of-greenwich-village-and-the-east-village/.

06/03/2026

LESPI’s tour last Saturday of the former Jarmulowsky Bank Building, now the Nine Orchard Hotel, was truly spectacular. LESPI Director Gagandeep Singh, who was the architect in charge of this landmarked building’s restoration and adaptive re-use, guided us through the hotel, providing us with fascinating information about the building’s history and the project’s many challenges and accomplishments. Following the tour we were treated to a delicious reception at a very long table in the hotel’s historic Swan Room, formerly the Jarmulowsky banking hall.

The restored building is magnificent, and we recommend that if you’re in the area you stop by to take a look for yourself.

06/01/2026

LESPI's tour last Saturday of the former Jarmulowsky Bank Building, now the Nine Orchard Hotel, was truly spectacular. LESPI Director Gagandeep Singh, who was the architect in charge of this landmarked building's restoration and adaptive re-use, guided us through the hotel, providing us with fascinating information about the building's history and the project's many challenges and accomplishments. Following the tour we were treated to a delicious reception at a very long table in the hotel's historic Swan Room, formerly the Jarmulowsky banking hall.

The restored building is magnificent, and we recommend that if you're in the area you stop by to take a look for yourself.

05/28/2026

Three out of five historic Manhattan synagogues called out in this article are within the Lower East Side (they’re beauts!)

Most Jewish Americans who travel on heritage trips tend to focus on visiting Israel or Eastern Europe. But what if you didn’t have to cross an ocean to