Dozens of Greenwich Village residents held a protest Thursday in what they say is an ongoing effort to preserve the neighborhood's historic charm. NY1's Rebecca Spitz filed the following report.

The sky was a beautiful shade of blue Thursday, but it's the last thing Village residents want to see in the space where a building used to stand at 178 Bleecker Street.

The Department of Buildings says it is reviewing the application for an eight story mixed use structure -- a proposal that some lifelong residents say is totally inconsistent with rowhouses that have lined the block since the 1860's.

"We don't want to see an extended Midtown all the way down to Lower Manhattan," said one rally participant.

The DOB says the plans for the new building include a restaurant and art gallery on the lower floors with six stories of apartments above.

Some residents say they're opposed primarily to the building's height, fearing it will ruin the character of their neighborhood and its rich history.

"They're destroying our soul, our history, our legacy to our children and grandchildren," said one neighborhood resident.

While residents are concerned about the size of the building proposed for the specific lot, preservationists are worried about the future of the entire neighborhood.

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission is currently considering whether to landmark parts of the so-called "South Village" -- the area south of Washington Square Park and West 4th Street, between LaGuardia Place and 7th Avenue South.

The thing is, 178 Bleecker Street falls into the area on the LPC's list that's under consideration, but not yet on its calendar.

"We need them to take the action before it's too late," said Preservationist Andrew Berman. "It's great for them to consider landmark protections but if you've already lost all the historic buildings, there's not that much point in landmarking."

The LPC disagreed, saying in a statement, "One of the Commission's highest priorities has been the expansion of landmark protection in Greenwich Village, already the City’s largest historic district. While regrettable, the actions of a small number of building owners in the neighborhood in no way compromise the area’s eligibility as the Commission moves forward."

The LPC is holding a public hearing on the blocks being considered for historic status on Tuesday.