LES History Month: Then & Now | FABNYC

LES History Month: Then & Now
with FABNYC

Each May, FABnyc brings together organizations across the neighborhood to celebrate LES History Month, highlighting the people, places, and stories that have shaped the Lower East Side.

For our part, we looked at just some of the few buildings that have remained remarkably recognizable over time. While the businesses have changed and the neighborhood has evolved, many of these buildings still look strikingly familiar.

It's easy to walk these blocks without realizing how much of the past is still visible.

From 318 Grand Street to 99 Rivington Street, 100 Orchard Street, 68 Hester Street, and 130 Orchard Street, each building tells a different story. Some have been expanded or restored. Others have found entirely new purposes. But all five continue to welcome people through their doors, supporting the businesses, institutions, and organizations that keep the Lower East Side active today.

That may be the most interesting part of these comparisons. The buildings are recognizable not because they've been stuck in time, but, instead, because they've continued to evolve. A fabric merchant becomes an art gallery. A former apartment building takes on several new businesses. The names on the storefronts change, but the buildings continue doing what they were built to do: house and invite neighbors and visitors alike.

The Lower East Side is often celebrated for its history, but these buildings remind us that history isn't only found in museums or old photographs. Sometimes it’s still a visible part of the places we live in and visit every day.