West Village, Gansevoort Street Between 13th and Hudson Streets

Mary Sargent © 2009 …………………………………….. click to enlarge

This is what's across the street (the other side) from Yamamoto. Trembling with potential.

Gansevoort Street was named for Peter Gansevoort, a 4th generation Dutchman from Albany, who was made a colonel in the Revolutionary War. As far as I can see, he never lived in New York City. So why?

Before that the street was called Great Kiln Street because a lime kiln was located there. Knowing this, I had to find out what a lime kiln was, and it turns out to be a kiln that produces quicklime which is used in many things, including plaster. If that was all I learned, I wouldn't be bothering you with this, but no. You know the word limelight? Guess what? When you heat quicklime really really hot (4,300° F), it creates an intense glow and they used in the theater before the invention of electricity. They called it limelight.


Hint: if you click on the map link below, you can see what the building looked like before it was transformed into Yamamoto.

See map.