The west village isn't primed for tall buildings (they can certainly be taller than they currently are) and is much denser than most people think it is, since the brownstones are often multifamily. But more than anything else, streets are much narrower there than other parts of Manhattan. I'd argue that the east village is more adequate for upzoning than the west village even though the east village is taller.
I agree with your EV vs WV comparison. I just like the highlight the WV because it's such a rich person enclave with a community board that way way overdesignates buildings as "historic" as a way to stifle development.
