Lower East Side Preservation Initiative

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Lower East Side Preservation Initiative LESPI is a not-for-profit corporation in New York State dedicated to preserving the historic areas of Manhattan's Lower East Side.

LESPI advocates for the preservation of the historic architecture and diverse culture of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, which includes the East Village, LES below Houston St., Chinatown Little Italy and the Bowery. LESPI's strategy includes documenting and mapping the Lower East Side's historic streetscapes, and rallying community residents, city officials and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to effect landmark designation. Without landmark designation the last remaining historic areas of the LES will be lost to demolition and insensitive development. The Lower East Side has tremendous architectural, historic and cultural importance to both the city and the country. During the 17th century it was the location of Peter Stuyvesant's farm, in the 19th century the East River waterfront was the center for NYC's shipping and trade, and from the 19th century through the present the area has served as a community for immigrants. The area has also been a prime source for avant garde art, literature and music, as well as progressive political thought. The neighborhood's national importance was recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation when in 2008 it listed the Lower East Side as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places - see: http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/northeast-region/lower-east-side.html. We must act quickly to preserve the Lower East Side or the physical evidence of its rich history will disappear - a huge loss for us and for future generations. LESPI is under the fiscal sponsorship of Fund for the City of New York.

For comic book fans and others: AJHS' exhibit The Jack Kirby Way: How a Boy from the Lower East Side Became the King of ...
10/22/2026

For comic book fans and others: AJHS' exhibit The Jack Kirby Way: How a Boy from the Lower East Side Became the King of Comics features rare comics, drawings, and studies of the artist's work.

Several of the iconic characters in Marvel 's pantheon of superheroes were created by a man who was born into one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the world. Throughout Kirby's childhood and young adulthood, he experienced an evolving neighborhood as new immigration laws, financial crashes, and World Wars shaped the community, economy, and way of life. All of which found their way into his comics.

On November 4 at 6:30pm, Pop culture historian / co-curator Roy Schwartz and Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center executive director / co-curator Randolph Hoppe will join Katie Vogel, public historian at Henry Street Settlement, to discuss the character of the Lower East Side in Kirby's comics. To register for this free, in-person event, see https://ajhs.org/events/it-started-on-delancey-street-new-yorks-lower-east-side-in-jack-kirbys-comics/.

Following up on LESPI’s “Our East Village/Lower East Side Legacy Restaurants” last week, here’s an interesting NY Times ...
10/21/2026

Following up on LESPI’s “Our East Village/Lower East Side Legacy Restaurants” last week, here’s an interesting NY Times article on how Britain’s National Trust is working to preserve the country’s legacy businesses.

The restaurant Rules is an institution. Now the National Trust, which preserves Britain’s heritage, plans to safeguard the landmark.

Despite the cold and wind, we had a very nice day today tabling at the LES Arts and Culture Open House, picking up a lot...
10/17/2026

Despite the cold and wind, we had a very nice day today tabling at the LES Arts and Culture Open House, picking up a lot of petition signatures for our proposed LES Tenement historic district, chatting with passersby, and listening to live salsa music. Glad to be thawing out now!

Join LEPSI volunteers today, Saturday October 17, from 12:00-4:00PM, at the LES Arts & Culture Open House, at East 4th S...
10/17/2026

Join LEPSI volunteers today, Saturday October 17, from 12:00-4:00PM, at the LES Arts & Culture Open House, at East 4th Street between 3rd Avenue and the Bowery, where we'll be tabling and petitioning in support of LES preservation. We hope to see you!

LESPI's "Our East Village/Lower East Side Legacy Restaurants" event Thursday evening, at the historic St. Mark's Church ...
10/17/2026

LESPI's "Our East Village/Lower East Side Legacy Restaurants" event Thursday evening, at the historic St. Mark's Church in-the Bowery, featured the owners of Veselka (1954), Veniero's Pasticceria (1894), Yonah Shimmel Knish Bakery (1910), and B&H Dairy (ca. 1940) discussing the origins, challenges, and joys of running their much-loved establishments.

After the panel, LESPI Board Member Merica Jensen of Gray Matters and Henry Christensen presented LESPI's new interactive online map, which features layers of fascinating historical and geographical information. It's now available on our website LESPI-nyc.org. The event was followed by an informal reception, featuring delicious Yonah Shimmel knishes and Veniero's cookies — fantastic!

Reminder: Join us for LESPI's Community Meeting tomorrow, Thursday October 15, when a panel of legacy restauranteurs — f...
10/14/2026

Reminder: Join us for LESPI's Community Meeting tomorrow, Thursday October 15, when a panel of legacy restauranteurs — from Veselka, Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery, and Veniero's Pasticceria — will share their restaurant's history and the story behind its long-lasting success. The meeting will open with an introduction to LESPI's new online historic mapping project, which documents these historic restaurants and other important Lower East Side sites.

At St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery at East 10th St and Second Ave. For more info and to register, see https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA017/1/112771/3fT_es3KLKO4ztdZTLPUn_Y86VJGF-P6_LeCSQu6aNO_archive. We hope to see you!

Join us for our October 15 Community Meeting, when a panel of legacy restauranteurs — from Veselka, Yonah Schimmel's Kni...
10/08/2026

Join us for our October 15 Community Meeting, when a panel of legacy restauranteurs — from Veselka, Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery, and Veniero's Pasticceria — will share their restaurant's history and the story behind its long-lasting success. The meeting will open with an introduction to LESPI's new online historic mapping project, which documents these historic restaurants and other important Lower East Side sites.

At St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery at East 10th St and Second Ave. For more info and to register, see https://prod.cdn.everyaction.com/emails/van/EA/EA017/1/112771/3fT_es3KLKO4ztdZTLPUn_Y86VJGF-P6_LeCSQu6aNO_archive.

Join the Historic Districts Council and LESPI President Richard Moses on Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00pm for a special onl...
10/01/2026

Join the Historic Districts Council and LESPI President Richard Moses on Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00pm for a special online panel honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. Community representatives from Jackson Heights, Mott Haven, East Harlem, and the Lower East Side will revisit their communities to highlight places and people tied to Hispanic heritage.

This conversation will uncover overlooked landmarks, cultural spaces, and community figures whose stories are essential to each neighborhood’s identity and cultural heritage. For more info and to register see: https://hdc.org/events/revisited-honoring-hispanic-heritage-october-6/

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