East Village Landmarks – 96 and 98 St Marks Place by Billy Parrott, Associate Director, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)January 7, 2010

After a number of years in an historic Greenwich Village library I’ve spent the past few weeks in an equally historic East Village library. The Ottendorfer Branch of The New York Public Library is surrounded by literary, political, and musical history. From Leon Trotsky and Abbie Hoffman to Allen Ginsberg and Joey Ramone, I’ve walked by some of the buildings in this neighborhood countless times without realizing the stories and history associated with them.

One interesting address is 96 and 98 St Marks Place.  You might recognize the buildings from the 1981 Rolling Stones video Waiting on a Friend, where Mick Jagger is waiting on the steps (with reggae legend Peter Tosh) for Keith Richards. The song was the last track on the album Tattoo You and features a great sax solo from jazz legend Sonny Rollins. The album cover was designed by Peter Corriston who designed many classic album covers. One of his most recognizable covers is Led Zeppelin’s iconic classic Physical Graffiti, which depicts the two buildings located at 96 and 98 St Marks Place. That album was released 35 years ago on February 24, 1975.
 
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