NYC DOT Releases Limited Batch of Bleecker Street Signs to Celebrate the Anniversary of Simon & Garfunkel’s 1964 Debut Album Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, Including the Song[...]

Press Releases

IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 2025 Contact: (212) 839-4850, [email protected]

NYC DOT Releases Limited Batch of Bleecker Street Signs to Celebrate the Anniversary of Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 Debut Album Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, Including the Song Bleecker Street

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a limited number of authentic street signs commemorating Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, the home to many cultural movements, celebrities, landmarks, and moments in history. The sign drop coincides with the anniversary of the release of Simon & Garfunkel's 1964 debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, which features the song Bleecker Street. Today's release is part of the agency's monthly 'sign drops', pulled from the wide range of hand-made signs from the NYC DOT Sign Shop, which produces over 70,000 signs each year.

"Bleecker Street captures the essence of Greenwich Village's prominence in both New York City's history and throughout pop culture," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Showcasing a historic corridor in conjunction with the anniversary of the debut album by Queens natives Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel pays tribute to our city's greatness."

"From historic architecture to its deep ties to art and music, Bleecker Street is a symbol of the culture and creativity that defines New York City," said DCAS Commissioner Louis A. Molina. "We're proud to honor a place that has shaped our city's identity, and through this sign drop, we want to give New Yorkers a way to own a piece of that legacy. And we're especially excited that the first 25 of these signs are exclusively available at our newly remodeled CityStore located at 1 Centre Street - stop in for a sign and carry home some of New York City's magic."

Bleecker Street was named in the early 1800s for the family whose farm the Greenwich Village Street once ran through, and it connects Abingdon Square at Eighth Avenue/Hudson Street in the West Village to the Bowery in the East Village and NoHo. The segment from Sixth Avenue to Abingdon Square was originally named Herring Street until 1829. Bleecker Street remains home to many landmarks, including The Little Red Schoolhouse, Our Lady of Pompeii Church, several Federal architecture-style rowhouses, and multiple well-known nightlife spots. The corridor is no stranger to film and television, serving as the home to characters from shows such as Kate & Allie, What I Like About You, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Music is perhaps where Bleecker Street has left its greatest imprint, with multiple references to the street across genres and far beyond the Simon & Garfunkel hit. Artists such as Bright Eyes, Iggy Pop, Joni Mitchell, Led Zeppelin, New Pornographers, and Peter, Paul and Mary all reference Bleecker Street in songs, spanning decades from the 1960s to 2024. As for famous inhabitants, the Bleecker Street area was once home to John Belushi, Robert De Niro, Mariska Hargitay, Herman Melville, and Thomas Paine, as well as home to Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum from Marvel Comics.

A limited release of 100 signs will be sold via the CityStore, the Official Store of the City of New York, and proceeds will benefit the city's general fund. For the first time, signs numbered 1-25 will only be available for purchase in the newly renovated CityStore, located on the ground level of 1 Centre Street in Manhattan. The remaining 75 signs are available for purchase on the CityStore's website. This signage offers a bit of nostalgia and a literal piece of the city' infrastructure.

Monthly sign drops from NYC DOT feature signs for iconic New York City streets, commemorations of famous New Yorkers, celebrations of special occasions, and other custom releases. NYC DOT began its monthly drops in June 2024, with the release of Christopher Street/Stonewall Place street signs to commemorate Pride Month.

• Mulberry Street
• Hip Hop Boulevard to celebrate the genre's musical and cultural legacy
• Welcome to Queens: The World's Borough
• Gay Street in recognition of Pride Month
• Wall Street
• Leaving Brooklyn: Fuhgeddaboudit
• East 161st Street and Shea Road in honor of baseball's opening day
• Love Lane to recognize Valentine's Day
• Broadway in celebration of Broadway Week
• Cornelia Street to honor the street's prominence among pop music fans

The New York City DOT Sign Shop is in Maspeth, Queens and manufactures over 70,000 signs each year. A team of 32 Sign Shop employees hand-make street signs, highway signs, directional signs, parking signs, and more. There are about one million NYC DOT signs in use across the 6,000 miles of streets in New York City.

The monthly sign drops are the latest iteration of sales that have historically been available from the Sign Shop.

CityStore is the Official store of the City of New York. CityStore is operated by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services. 100% of sales benefit the City of New York.

CityStore is the Official store of the City of New York. CityStore is operated by the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services. 100% of sales benefit the City of New York.