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East Village NYC: 2017 Neighborhood Guide

by | Nov 13, 2017

The East Village embodies the essence of New York City; it’s loud, crowded, and never boring. Vintage shops and jewelry stores share the streets with upscale bars and pop-up stores in this exciting NYC neighborhood.

The East Village sits north of the Lower East Side and stretches north to south from 14th Street to Houston Street, and west to east from Third Avenue to the East River.


History

People_in_East_Village_NYC

PC: Wikimedia Commons

Before German and Irish immigration in the 1840s and 1850s, a Dutch-owned farm covered the area we know today as the East Village.

Until the early 1900s, the area boasted the largest German-speaking population outside of Berlin and Vienna, and was even known as Little Germany.

In the 20th century, Poles and Ukrainians began to immigrate and settle down in Lower Manhattan. The East Village area began officially forming in the mid 1960s, separating itself from the working class culture of the Lower East Side. Hippies, musicians, and artists started moving to the area. The newly established newspaper, The East Village Other, popularized the East Village moniker in 1966. This was then recognized by The New York Times in 1967.


Accessibility

PC: Wikimedia Commons

The 6 and F trains take commuters from north to south and the L train makes the crosstown journey easy at the northern end of the East Village. The best buses to take for aboveground transportation are the M1 , M2, M3, M8, M9, M14A, M14D, M15, M15 SBS, M21, M101, M102, and M103.


Lifestyle

Tompkins Square Park

PC: NYC Parks

It’s often said that the East Village was the birthplace of punk music, with many of its icons, including The Ramones, Blondie, and Sonic Youth, starting at venues in the area. As such, the East Village really comes alive at night with late-night venues, live music, and bustling bars.

During the day, you’ll see locals and tourists browsing the shops and getting brunch. Tompkins Square Park offers ten acres of greenery to sit and relax.


Restaurants

Veselka

PC: Veselka

Having been often overshadowed by the restaurant scene of its westward neighbor Greenwich Village, the East Village now boasts a popular foodie scene with new restaurants popping up each month.

One of the neighborhood favorites that defines the East Village is Veselka, a much-loved restaurant that serves traditional Ukrainian food.

Pylos, a Greek gourmet spot, offers classic Greek cuisine for anybody who hasn’t had the chance to make it to Greece yet, or is still nostalgic for their last Greek holiday.

Even an authentic Wiener Schnitzel is easy to find in the East Village, with Austrian restaurant Edi & Wolf offering rustic, authentic cuisine.


Cost

PC: airbnb.com

As a result of gentrification, the East Village isn’t quite as affordable as it used to be. It’s a bit more expensive than the Lower East Side, but slightly more affordable than the neighboring Gramercy Park and Greenwich Village.

Studios for rent start at $2,400, one bedroom apartments hit around $2,900, and two bedrooms are around $3,600.

Studio apartments for sale start around $550,000, while one bedroom apartments generally list around $800,000 and above.


Final Verdicts

PC: Compass

With its artsy vibe, countless restaurants and bars to check out, and riverside views, the East Village has everything that an urban professional would expect from a life in New York City.

Even though prices have increased over the last couple years, they’re still slightly below average for Manhattan, making the East Village more affordable than many other popular neighborhoods.


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