57 St. Mark’s Place | Block : 450 | Lot #46

Building Date : 1849-50
Original Use : Residential

Original Owner : William Smith
Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations

This four-story with basement building was originally erected in 1849-50 as a private dwelling for one family. It was used as a club house in the early 20th century, and then was turned into a church space occupied by the Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church in the mid-20th century.

Most elements of the present facade probably date from mid-20th century or later. Features include the triangular pediment at the center roofline, and point-arched openings at first and second stories. The building also housed Club 57, a famous contemporary art venue which, significantly, featured many openly gay artists in the 1980s. Performers Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Scharf, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ann Magnuson, Keith Haring, and RuPaul all emerged from this club and from the Pyramid Club at 101 Avenue A.

Block : 450 / Lot : 046 / Building Date : 1849-50 / Original Owner : William Smith / 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.