Washington Mews is one of my favorite NYC alleys. It runs between 5th Avenue and University Place, one block north of Washington Square North. The majority of these small, charming, two-story buildings are converted stables, built in the 1830s for the brownstones on Washington Square and 8th Street. A few on the south side were built in 1939. The street retains its original Belgian block paving, a major factor in its historic feel. As the area became popular as a bohemian enclave, artists did begin to occupy these buildings as studios. Today, these buildings are primarily used as residences by NYU faculty or offices. Click here for an article from the NY Times. Although the street is private and signed as such, pedestrians are not really discouraged. Private alleys like this are extremely rare in NYC. A walk down is a step back in time - it never fails for me...
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Washington Mews
Washington Mews is one of my favorite NYC alleys. It runs between 5th Avenue and University Place, one block north of Washington Square North. The majority of these small, charming, two-story buildings are converted stables, built in the 1830s for the brownstones on Washington Square and 8th Street. A few on the south side were built in 1939. The street retains its original Belgian block paving, a major factor in its historic feel. As the area became popular as a bohemian enclave, artists did begin to occupy these buildings as studios. Today, these buildings are primarily used as residences by NYU faculty or offices. Click here for an article from the NY Times. Although the street is private and signed as such, pedestrians are not really discouraged. Private alleys like this are extremely rare in NYC. A walk down is a step back in time - it never fails for me...
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8 comments:
I was there! It was just a quaint little alley and I really liked it too! Thanks for the information you provided on it!
Beautiful place, beautiful photo.
I love this place too (but I don't know what I don't love in NYC:). Some steps away from McDougall to have a drink with friends, two steps from Washington Square to listen to some music and play chess... That's where I'll have a little townhouse and spent my life, when a billionaire ;)
Bravo, j'adore aussi cet endroit. Voir sur nyc architecture. Merci pour la ballade new yorkaise journaliere
A beautiful mews, very reminiscent at street level of Chelsea, Notting Hill, Mayfair and South Kensington, London, while the road definitely reminds me of Antwerp & Ghent.
I wouldn't have thought that was taken in the middle of New York. As nowhere man says; it does look like on of the smaller roads in the better parts of London. PS, why not visit my site & see what Nottingham looks like?
I was reading that the Vanderbilts used to live here in the 39/40's, but where? All the houses are so small for such a rich family.
Gloria Vanderbilt wrote about visiting her aunt Gertrude on the Mews. The house was what is now 60 Wash. Mews.
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