Building: 626 Washington Street

626 Washington street is one of 42 walk-up buildings that compromise the West Village Houses. Each building holds 10 units, 420 apartments total, and were all originally built under the Mitchell-Lama Housing Program to promote affordable housing. The buildings were designed to be low-rise and human-scaled, preserving the neighborhood’s charm in contrast to high-rise proposals initially planned in 1961. In 2020, the buildings were converted into market-rate cooperatives, securing the preservation of the neighborhood’s character and marking New York’s first Mitchell-Lama-to-market-rate cooperative conversion. The West Village Houses remain a powerful example of community-led urban preservation.

Description provided by Kristen Shaker