39 St. Mark’s Place | Block : 450 | Lot #55

Building Date : 1864-65
Original Use : Residential

Original Owner : McGovern
Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations

This building was originally erected as a three-story house in 1864-65. Just like its neighbor at 41 St. Mark’s Place, it was raised to four stories in 1871. The facade features two dormers on the fourth floor, and a segmental-arched entrance opening on a stoop. The historical roof cornice, lintels, sills, and entrance enframement have been removed. It housed families, stores and once a dentist’s office.

A three-story, one-bay wide extension was constructed to the west of the original structure in 1922. The extension features a brick surface with decorative patterned panels, and a triangular pediment at center roof line.

Block : 450 / Lot : 055 / Building Date : 1864-65 / Original Owner : McGovern / Original Use : Residential / Original Architect : Unknown

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What is the Building Blocks Project

What does a building mean to someone who lives there? A person who lives on the block? In the neighborhood? In the city? This site presents a wealth of historic information gained from GVSHP’s architectural research survey about the buildings located in the East Village.

The site explores the area generally considered today as the East Village: from a northern border of 14th Street to a southern border of Houston Street, Avenue D in the east to 4th Avenue/the Bowery to the west. You can explore the information about the blocks and buildings featured here in two ways.

Pick a block. Maybe it’s yours, or perhaps it is just your favorite place to shop, grab a bite, or just people watch. Then explore the buildings that make up that block. Or take one of the many guided tours on the site, curated by a collection of organizations and experts from the neighborhood. See how they experience the neighborhood. Then tell us what the neighborhood means to you. The site’s comments section allows you to open a dialogue with others who feel just as passionately as you do about the East Village.