Doors and famous people on Horatio Street (the street I live on) from the Hudson River to Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich Village, New York City. Horatio Doors are for Norm’s Thursday Doors, April 21.
95 and 113 are luxury condos converted from factory buildings near the river. Odd numbers are on the north side and even on the south side of the street. This yellow brick building was built in 1947. While under construction the wood foundations of a 1812 fort were found. Pumps were installed in the basement to supply freezing brine water to the whole sale meat venders in the area.
Washington Commons – a small park on the south side of Washington Street between Jane and Horatio Streets.
83 has a tradesman’s entrance or entrance to rear building (lower door on the right) to the rear.
82: Playwright Clifford Odets lived in an apartment building there in 1933-35; he wrote Waiting for Lefty there in 1934.
81: Writer James Baldwin lived here in the 1960s while writing Another Country.
79 is a four-story 1870 building that was home to novelist William Gaddis in the 1930s and 1940s. It was sold for $7.4 million in 2008, and for $10.5 million in 2012. Note the larger French style windows.
77 was Built c. 1836.
73 houses the West Village Nursery School, a coop founded c. 1962. It was a nursery school before then because my husband Marc Felix attended it back in 1949.
71 looks good in the snow.
69: Larry Kert, the original Tony in West Side Story, who later won a Tony as the lead in Company, lived here from 1977 until his death in 1999.
68 is modern.
65: Marc was friends of the Leacock’s children who lived here in the late 1950s to early 1960s.
62 was once a stable, now a home for a classic Porsche. This, like some other houses, had its stoop removed and the lower trademans entrance became the main entry.
53 was Built c. 1848.
51: Musician Todd Rundgren lived there with his girlfriend Bebe Buell, a singer and fashion model.
Corner of Horatio (633 Hudson): Writer John Cheever lived in a former building here, a teenaged dropout living on bread and buttermilk, when The New Republic published his first short story. Earlier, this address was the headquarters of the Hudson Dusters, a criminal gang whose territory was Manhattan below 13th Street and west of Broadway. They were shut down by police in 1916.
50 was built in 1877. Marc Felix lives here; first with his mother since his birth in 1946, and then with me, Sherry Felix, since 1971. Marc’s mother, Myriam (1918-1971), knew many artists and writers; such as, James Baldwin, Jason Robards, Rip Torn, Kim Stanley, Alfred Ryder, Alan Ginsburg and many othe actors, Jazz and Folk musicians..
The musician Richie Havens lived on Horatio for some time.
48: The sculptor Cheim Gross had his studio in this old Firehouse. The famous actor Anthony Quinn visited Gross for sculpture lessons.
47: Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollack lived there briefly in the early 1930s.
1, 3 and 5: Gypsies live at number 3 which used to be a variety store.
Green Triangle at Horatio Street, Jane Street and 8th Avenue.
2 is on the corner of Greenwich Avenue and was the address of Jackson Hall (1859-63), the meeting place of the Mozart Hall faction of the Democratic Party – opponents of Tammany Hall. A 17-story red-brick coop, built in 1931, stands there now.
Before the Van Gogh apartments at number 2 (1960) there were one story shops there. In one there was a furniture maker, a friend of Marc’s mother, who only used wood joinery in his constrctuiion. Sadly, he commited suicide.
Jackson Square Park is bounded by Horatio Street, Greenwich Avenue and 8th Avenue. It was acquired by the city in 1826, named for President Andrew Jackson, and was redesigned by Calvert Vaux and Parks superintendent Samuel Parsons in 1887. The cast-iron fountain was installed in 1990.
Unfortunately, Greenwich Village is no longer a center for artists. It is the new “Gold Coast.” Low cost housing, the old hangouts and neighborhood stores are gone; replaced with condos, expensive restaurants, nightclubs, and boutiques.
Sources: http://www.nysonglines.com/horatio.htm and links to Wikipedia articles.
Personal history by Marc and Sherry Felix.
Sherry Felix - port4u 
I’ve so enjoyed this neighborhood tour and found the historical aspects fascinating! Thank you for this guilty getaway during a time when staying at home is the norm. Great photos and facts Sherry.
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Hi Sherry, I have never been to New York. Thanks for the neat look at your neighborhood and those unique doors. Excellent photo’s! Have a wonderful weekend.
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed my posts.
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Fascinating neighbourhood, Sherry. Love the contrasting details and the history adds to your narrative.
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Thank you. Glad you enjoyed my post.
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Thanks for sharing such a nice collection and all the information. I miss NYC, it is one of my favorite city and I go at least twice a year. I will be there again at the end of May 🙂
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If you have time love to show you around. 🙂
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Thank you very nice of you to offer
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My goodness, so many doors! My favorites are the doors with steps in snow!
It reminds me that well known people go through the same kind of weather as middle class ones do. For 3 decades I lived an hour from Hollywood, so am impervious to whether people are celebs or not.
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I like the snowy ones too. We don’t pay attention to celebrities either :-). I put them in as part of the street’s history.
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Am glad:)
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Wow, what a neat tour, and history of Horatio Street! I love the old firehouse, and the homes with snow covered front steps are beautiful!
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Glad you liked it. Thanks.
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Wow Sherry, you live in history. Great images and wonderful narration.
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Thank you. NYC history is interesting.
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What a wonderful artistic and historical presentation. Thanks for taking us along on your journey.
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Very nice of you to say so. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Wow! What a collection! And so much interesting history! I like #62’s ochre door and green garage. But some of those arched wooden doors really are the cat’s meow. Great post! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Thanks. I added lots of links because I know some folks don’t know all those people.
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What a wonderful collection Sherry! Thanks for the tour. I will definitely add this neighborhood to my list of areas to visit the next time I’m down that way. #71 & 48 are my faves.
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Thanks Norm. Drop by and Marc will give you a short or long tour.
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Wonderful photo tour and history Sherry 🙂
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Thanks for dropping by. Glad you enjoyed the tour.
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I loved it and next time I hop the LIRR to the city I will check this are out Sherry 😀
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Sherry, an extensive gallery and history. I love when old buildings, such as the factory, are repurposed and stay alive and in use. My favorite shots are the ones with snow, even though I’m happy we’re now in spring. Snow often adds a lot to the photos.
janet
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I don’t usually make such a long post. I like the snow ones too, more atmospheric. Thanks for your comments.
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That is an amazing history of the street captured in all the doors. Well done tracing all the details.
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Thank so much.
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Lovely selection of doors and history. Great to see doors at different times of year, too. I love the snowy street scene.
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I am happy that you enjoyed the post. Thanks.
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Thanks for the tour of this interesting neighbourhood!
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Only one street covered. More to come. And thanks.
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Oh, good!
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What a beautiful collection of photos and thanks for adding the celebrity and historical information. You have a number of really great photos. I like the old fire house the best. I’ve been through this neighborhood a number of times. You captured it very nicely!
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Thanks Dan. I did the whole street this time. Next time I will cover less.
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NY offers so many interesting doors. I managed to get three nice collections out of a walk from The Marriott East Side to the Javits Center.
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Bonjour Sherry Lynn,
I have just spent the most enjoyable time perusing your fantastic pictures again. I always seem to find Something new and interesting and today was no exception. Having worked in both Stoke Newington and Bloomsbury l really enjoyed your photograph’s which made me feel a little nostalgic about the past.
Your bird stuff is exceptional and l was so surprised to see the wide variety you found in and around London, particularly in the Abney Park Cemetry which l remember with mixed memories.
Todays post is stunning – Greenwich village must be a door addict’s delight and your beautiful pictures really do it justice.
Thank you so much.
Regards
Dan
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Bonjour to you too Dan. Glad you enjoyed the tour. Abney Park is great in the early morning.
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