George Cominskie
GVSHP 2020 Award
VIDEO of Speech

Each year, Village Preservation honors the invaluable people, businesses, and organizations that make a special contribution to our neighborhoods at our Annual Meeting and Village Awards. On June 17th, 2020 we will be celebrating nine outstanding awardees.

George Cominskie is a beloved longtime West Village and Westbeth community activist, having lived in the latter since 1983. George was President of the Westbeth Artist Residents Council (WARC) from 1989 to 1992, from 2002 to 2010, and again from 2012 to 2018. Working with WARC and Village Preservation, George helped lead the charge for expanded landmark protections in the Far West Village, including of Westbeth, and to stop inappropriate development in the surrounding neighborhood. George has been a tireless advocate for the residents and artists of Westbeth, and for keeping Westbeth a an affordable and well-functioning community. Especially as Westbeth, which opened on May 19, 1970, celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are proud to honor George as a Village Awardee this year.

During the COVID-19 crisis, George is running the Emergency Response Committee at Westbeth. They have organized floor captains and food and pharmacy runs for residents who can’t get out themselves. This isn’t George’s first crisis, as he also helped lead Westbeth and its residents through the incredibly difficult recovery from Sandy, when the lower floors of the complex where residents’ artworks were stored were flooded and many apartments had to be evacuated for long periods of time.

– Sam Moskowitz
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Off the Grid Blog
May 19, 2020

Read the full article HERE