Greenwich Village was developed in the 19th Century, prior to the planning of the New York City grid. Therefore, even the Village’s most modern luxury condos have a bit of European charm from the meandering, tree-lined streets, leftover from the time.

Washington Square Park, with its iconic arch designed by Stanford White, is the heart of Central Greenwich Village. Lower Fifth Avenue is a strip known as “The Gold Coast,” home to magnificent prewar co-ops with many bedrooms, grand lobbies, high ceilings, and often doormen in livery. Famous residents of Greenwich Village attracted by the landmark homes and apartments include former first daughter Barbara Bush, musician Steve Earle and actress Uma Thurman. Home to New York University and its 50,000 students, Greenwich Village has historically nurtured writers and artists. The Cedar Tavern on University Place, for instance, is an offshoot of the Greenwich Village bar that entertained painter Mark Rothko and beat writer Jack Kerouac. Further west, in an area sometimes distinguished as simply the “West Village,” is an area of legendary jazz spots and magical little shops with all varieties of clothing and books for sale. Because the Village’s bedrock is shallow, townhouses and even rental apartment buildings are low, so the neighborhood offers plenty of bright blue sky to add to its legendary charm.

East to West Boundaries: Third Ave. to Sixth Ave.

 North to South Boundaries: 14th St. to East Houston St.

Nearby Neighborhoods: West Village, Flatiron, Gramercy, Noho, Soho and the East Village