Neighborhood Guide · Manhattan
West Village
Old New York at its most charming.
Joe's West Village
I never lived in the West Village, but I came about as close as you can get without having my own place here.
Many of my friends live here, and the West Village has been everyone's favorite for as long as I can remember. For a long time, it was mine too. One of my closest friends refused to leave it for any reason, so if I wanted to hang out with him, I went to the West Village. We spent our days walking around checking out property, walking our dogs and eating at every restaurant in the neighborhood, and every night ended the same way: at Extra Virgin (rest in peace) for a late-night appetizer, a drink, or both.
I've sold a lot here, and it was easy. What's not to like? Every time you blinked, prices went up, which has always made it one of the safest places in the city to invest.
I'm still in love with this neighborhood, but it has lost a little of its luster for me. Billionaires started buying up townhouses and combining them into enormous single-family homes, and now everyone with an iPhone and an Instagram account is an influencer reviewing every inch of the neighborhood.
Still, the memories are what stay with me. From the Actors Playhouse to SUSHISAMBA and Sushi Nakazawa to my greatest nights at Extra Virgin, there are so many wonderful places here that I could fill this entire page with them. I'll save those for the blog.
I will always have fond memories of the West Village.
Bedford and Grove Streets
Extra Virgin
Gone, but never forgotten
Where every night ended, with a late-night appetizer, a drink, or both.
A few more favorites
The short list
Actors Playhouse
SUSHISAMBA
Sushi Nakazawa
More on the blog soon
The West Village feels like a small European town tucked into Manhattan. Its crooked, tree-lined streets predate the city's grid, its townhouses are some of the prettiest in New York, and there's a great cafe, bistro or bar on nearly every corner.
At a Glance
What to expect
Quiet, beautiful streets with a lively neighborhood around every corner.
The lifestyle
Long walks, long brunches and dinner at the corner bistro.
What not to expect
Easy parking or a bargain.
Living here
Townhouses, brownstones, prewar co-ops and charming walk-ups.
You'll fall in love with
Getting happily lost on its crooked streets.
Buildings I Know Inside and Out
Some of the most competitive buildings in Manhattan are in the West Village, and knowing them matters. These are the West Village buildings where I've sold.
Around the Block
The Jefferson Market courthouse on Sixth Avenue, now a public library, in 1893.
A little history
The West Village's streets were laid out before the city's famous 1811 grid, which is why they run at angles and why West 4th Street somehow crosses West 10th, 11th and 12th Streets. The result is a maze of small, quiet blocks that feels unlike anywhere else in Manhattan.
The Jefferson Market courthouse on Sixth Avenue was completed in 1877. Neighbors saved it from demolition, and it reopened as a public library in 1967. Two years later, the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street became the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, and in 2016 it was named a National Monument.
Tree-lined streets & old New York charm
Bedford, Grove, Perry, Charles, Bank and Commerce Streets are some of the most beautiful blocks in the city: Federal and Greek Revival townhouses, window boxes, ivy and trees arching over the sidewalks. Look for 75½ Bedford Street, at about nine and a half feet wide often called the narrowest house in New York, and the corner of Bedford and Grove, made famous as the exterior of the Friends apartment building.
The lifestyle
Life here moves at a walking pace. Mornings mean coffee and a bakery run, afternoons mean Hudson River Park and the piers, and evenings mean a table at one of the neighborhood's endless bistros, wine bars and jazz clubs. With very few office buildings, the streets stay calm and residential during the week.
Living here
The West Village offers townhouses, brownstone floor-throughs, prewar co-ops, charming walk-ups and a few waterfront condos along the Hudson. Inventory is tight and demand is high, so knowing the buildings, and moving quickly, makes all the difference.
Famous Neighbors
Poets, writers and musicians have loved these crooked streets for more than a century.
Getting Around
Subway
The 1 stops at Christopher Street and Houston Street, and the 1, 2 and 3 meet at 14th Street and Seventh Avenue. The A, C, E and L stop at 14th Street and Eighth Avenue, and West 4th Street adds the B, D, F and M. The PATH to New Jersey stops at Christopher Street.
Street parking
Very tough. The streets are narrow and residential, side streets follow alternate-side rules, and garages are few and pricey. Most residents rely on the subway, bikes and their feet.
Boundaries & neighbors
Roughly 14th Street to Houston Street, from Sixth Avenue west to the Hudson River. Chelsea, the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village and SoHo are all next door.
You'll fall in love with getting lost on these crooked little streets, and never wanting to find your way out.
Thinking about calling the West Village home?
Let's talkPhotography via Pexels. Historic illustration from King's Handbook of New York City, 1893 (public domain).