Ruth Wittenberg

Ruth Wittenberg (née Budinoff) (1899–1990) was an American activist and historic preservationist who advocated for the preservation of historic buildings in New York City's Greenwich Village. She was a leading figure in the successful movement to designate Greenwich Village a historic district.

Early life and education Ruth Budinoff was born in Brooklyn, New York. She attended Hunter College and Barnard College and worked as a demographer for the Bell Telephone Company.

Activism Wittenberg began a lifelong commitment to activism when she became involved in suffragist and women's rights movements in the early 20th century. After moving to Greenwich Village, she became concerned about the rapid pace of change in the neighborhood, and joined community efforts to advocate for preservation of buildings and against what she saw as destructive real estate projects.

In the late 1960s, Wittenberg was involved in an unsuccessful protest against the construction of the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at New York University, which she and other local residents considered too large for its site at Washington Square Park.

Jefferson Market CourthouseShe was part of an effort, led by Margot Gayle, to preserve the Jefferson Market Courthouse building on 10th Street, which now houses a branch of the New York Public Library. Wittenberg was the leader of an affiliated movement to have the adjacent Women's House of Detention demolished and converted into a community garden. She led a community effort against plans to build apartments or a community center in its place, advocating instead for the preservation of open space. Wittenberg served on Community Board 2, representing Washington Square Park and Greenwich Village, from 1951 until her death in 1990. She served as chairwoman of its Landmarks Committee and played a major role in the successful movement to acquire a Landmark Historical District designation for much of Greenwich Village. When Wittenberg broke her hip in 1975 and again 1976, Community Board 2 held meetings in her hospital room until she recovered enough to attend board meetings on crutches or in her wheelchair. During the 1980s, Wittenberg opposed architect James Polshek's design for a residential building on Avenue of the Americas between Waverly and Washington Place, citing its lack of a cornice and projecting lintels and window sills. She also campaigned for tasteful street signage, working to reduce advertising with "flashing lights, open store fronts, shiny plastic materials and logos."

Personal life Ruth married Philip Wittenberg, a copyright lawyer and civil liberties attorney, in 1919. In the 1920s, the couple bought a three-story brick house at 35 West 10th Street in Greenwich Village, where they raised two children, Jonathan and Susanna.