Pyramid Club, 'The Birthplace of Drag,' Considered for Historic Landmark Status
An area of the East Village bounded by East 2nd and East 7th streets between First Avenue and the Bowery, plus 10th Street on the north side of Tompkins Square Park, is being considered as a possible future East Village Historic District. Today, DNA Info reports that the area for possible landmarking -- which initially included almost 300 properties -- has been expanded to include four buildings on Avenue A and 13 on East 2nd, including the 1876 tenement at 101 Avenue A, which houses the Pyramid Club, a/k/a "the birthplace of the drag movement." 
The Pyramid opened in 1979 and helped make RuPaul and other performers famous, as well as being the reputed location for the first New York City performances of Nirvana and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Prior to its incarnation as a club, the building was home to a German social hall. Also included in the expanded study is the Russian Orthodox Cathedral at 59 East 2nd St. and the Anthology Film Archives building at 32 Second Avenue.
"These are buildings that really I think speak very strongly to both the immigrant history of the East Village and the artistic and cultural history of the East Village," said GVSHP executive director Andrew Berman.
In the last days of Mars Bar and Cooper Square, it's nice to hear that some of our storied spots still have a fighting chance.
East Village Historic Area Could Include Birthplace of Drag [DNA Info]
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