SoHo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 SoHo became a distinct neighborhood when it was named a historic district by New York City. The historic district is officially bounded by Houston Street, West Broadway, Canal Street and Lafayette Street. It is noted for the elaborate cast-iron architecture of many of its buildings, most of which date from the late 19th century. These buildings originally housed warehouses and factories. It is also noted for its cobblestone streets, which have all recently been repaved with the exception of Wooster Street and part of Howard Street.
The neighborhood rose to fame as a neighborhood for artists during the 1960s and 1970s, when the cheap spaces vacated by departing factories were converted by artists into lofts and studios. SoHo's lofts were especially appealing to artists because they could use the wide spaces and tall ceilings that factories and warehouses required to create and store their work. During this period, which lasted into the 1980s, living in SoHo was often of dubious legality, as the area was zoned for light industrial and commercial uses rather than residential, and many residents had to convert their apartments into livable spaces on their own, with little money. However, beginning in the 1980s, in a way that would later apply elsewhere, the neighborhood rapidly rose up the socioeconomic scale. This led eventually to an exodus of most actual artists, leaving galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and young urban professionals.
SoHo's location, the appeal of lofts as living spaces, its architecture and, ironically, its "hip" reputation as a haven for artists all contributed to this change. The pattern of gentrification is typically known as the "SoHo Effect" and has been observed in several cities around the United States. Thirty years ago a backwater of poor artists and small factories, SoHo is now a popular tourist destination for people looking for fashionable (and expensive) clothing and exquisite architecture.
SoHo's boutiques and restaurants are clustered in the northern area of the neighborhood, along Broadway and Prince and Spring streets. The sidewalks in this area are often crowded with tourists and with artists selling paintings and other works, sometimes leaving no space for pedestrians to walk. The southern part of the neighborhood, along Grand Street and Canal Street, retains some of the feel of SoHo's earlier days and is noticeably more dilapidated and less crowded than the northern half. There are even a few small factories that have managed to remain. Canal Street is a dark reflection of the posh shopping district that lies a couple blocks to the north, and is lined with vendors selling cheap imitation clothing and accessories. It is rumored to also be a center of gang activity and sweatshops. |
External links
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| Air visit of 'Tribeca and Soho' in Photographs |
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