Its namesake is derived from the Avenues A,B, C & D. Though most of it is technically part of the East Village, Alphabet City has its own distinct feel from the rest of the village. Having been home to a succession of immigrant communities over the years, it has a diverse and interesting history that has left Alphabet City with a unique and interesting vibe.

Unfortunately, for most of that history, poverty and violence have also been a mainstay; however, since the 1990’s there has been significant gentrification that has improved the safety of the neighbourhood. Along with that “progress” however, there has been a dramatic rise in property values and rental rates, driving out much of the artistic community that can no longer afford to live there.

Artists, radicals and free thinkers have been an integral part of Alphabet City’s history as much as  the crime, with the focal point of both being Tompkins Square park; a repeating locale for demonstrations. Today it offers an eclectic mix of musicians, homeless vagabonds, students  hanging out and even areas for children. If you are wondering what the hell I’m talking about when I say “eclectic mix”, then take a walk through Tompkins Square some Sunday afternoon - walk slow, and listen to bits and pieces of conversation.

Beat Facts:

Alphabet City is almost synonymous with Allen Ginsberg. Ginsberg spent most of his adult life living in various apartments in the area, from the apartment that became a Beat pad at 206 East 7th Street to the loft at 404 East 14th Street, which he owned when he died. The neighbourhood was his home and quite often his muse. (I hope to provide a breakdown of addresses and dates of all of Ginsberg’s apartments in the near future).

206 East 7th Street:

One of the most important footprints that I tracked down, Ginsberg’s East 7th Street apartment played a significant part of Beat Generation history. Many now famous photographs that Ginsberg took of Kerouac, Burroughs and company were taken here, including one of Kerouac on the back balcony smoking - with his railroad breakman’s guide protruding from his pocket.

The Walk:

In the fall of 1953 Kerouac and Ginsberg took a walk through the neighbourhood. Ginsberg brought his camera and took several candid shots of Jack as they walked. Included in the subsequent photos was a shot of Kerouac outside of Vazac’s bar and another across from Tompkins Square Park with the statue of Samuel Cox in the background. I’ve attempted to recreate both of these shots (to a varying degree of accuracy) in the “Recreating Kerouac” section of the site.

Incriminating Evidence:

Even though it may have gone through a face lift, Alphabet City is my absolute favorite neighbourhood in NYC, not just because of Vazac’s - on the Corner of 7th Ave and Ave B - my favourite bar (which has an interesting and significant history of its own), but the fact that there still remains a bit of rawness to Alphabet City; it is one of the few places in NYC where I sometimes think twice and look over my shoulder before pulling out my camera.