Sex and the City Stoop Gets a Gate on Perry Street

New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a steel and cast iron gate at 66 Perry Street in January 2025, ending an era of fans treating the private stoop as a photo prop. The West VillageGreenwich VillageThe bohemian heart of Manhattan, crooked tree-lined streets that hosted the folk revival, Stonewall and a century of counterculture. building’s owner sought protection after decades of tourists posing on the steps made famous by Sex and the City.

The Stoop That Became a Character

Sex and the City used 64 Perry Street for early exteriors, then moved next door to 66 Perry Street from season three because producers found that stoop more photogenic. The address became shorthand for Carrie Bradshaw’s single-life Manhattan, but the steps are private property. Fans came anyway, posing and sitting for photos. Over decades, the routine turned a residential entrance into an unsanctioned photo spot. The owner of 66 Perry Street eventually asked the city for help.

A Gate Approved in January 2025

In January 2025, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a steel and cast iron gate at the base of the stoop at 66 Perry Street. The decision is a rare official acknowledgment that a television location can become a public nuisance even when the public space is only a sidewalk. The barrier is aimed at the private steps, not the sidewalk. It blocks access to the entrance. For the West Village, the approval is a compromise: the block remains walkable, the façade stays visible, and the owner gets a physical barrier between fans and the stoop. It also confirms that the stoop’s fame is durable enough to require preservation-level review. The association still pulls visitors to a quiet residential block.

Why Perry Street Still Matters

Perry Street is not a theme park. It is a narrow West Village street with historic rowhouses, and the Sex and the City association sits awkwardly beside everyday life. Fans who want the location without trespassing can photograph from the public sidewalk and keep the gate between themselves and the steps. Nearby, the High LineThe High LineThe elevated park built on an abandoned freight rail line, threading through Chelsea from Gansevoort Street to Hudson Yards. offers a different kind of Manhattan walk, one that starts near Gansevoort Street and turns industrial leftovers into a park above the street. For a broader downtown contrast, ChinatownChinatownManhattan's dense, working Chinese neighborhood of markets, dumpling counters and a century and a half of history. and Little Italy are a subway ride away, where the streets are louder and the history is older. The Perry Street stoop is a small stop, best treated as part of a neighborhood wander rather than a destination to conquer.

Visiting the Carrie Bradshaw Stoop

A weekday morning is usually quieter, when residents are less likely to be navigating a crowd. The address is 66 Perry Street in the West Village, the stoop is private, so visitors should stand on the sidewalk, take the photo, and avoid climbing the steps or blocking doorways. The 1 train at Christopher Street and the A/C/E at West 4th Street are reasonable subway approaches. A bookable Sex and the City locations walking tour can connect Perry Street with other downtown filming spots, descriptions vary, so check traveler reviews on the activity page before choosing a departure. Prices for such walks often start from $35 (estimated). Pair the stop with the High Line at Gansevoort Street for a longer walk.

More on the place itself: high line.