Washington Square Village Eligible for Listing in the National Register of Historic Places

The Washington Square Village modernist high rise complex and Sasaki, Walker and Associates designed garden, completed in 1959, has recently been under threat by proposed development on the New York University-owned property. The proposed development, part of the university’s 20-year expansion plan, would place two high-rise towers over the Sasaki-designed gardens, with financing provided by State Dormitory funds. In April 2011, the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) determined that the Washington Square Village complex is sufficiently significant to qualify for possible listing in the State and National Register of Historic Places. This determination of eligibility ensures that no state or federal funding can be used on the project until the property is reviewed by the SHPO.