  SoHo and TriBeCa
The neighborhoods of SoHo (an acronym
for South of Houston) which occupies the area from
Houston (North), Canal Street ( South), West Broadway
(West) and Crosby Street (East) and TriBeCa (an acronym
for Triangle Below Canal Street ) are among Manhattan's
most trendy.
SoHo
SoHo is on the site of the
first free black community on the Island. This area was
settled in 1664 by former slaves who were granted land
for farms.
During the 19th century SoHo became an industrial area
with many cast-iron commercial and wharehouse buildings.
Soho was threatened with demolition in the 1960s until
the cast-iron buildings were saved by artist who begun to
move into these lofts.
In the 60s, paintors and sculptors were attracted by the
lofts or old wharehouses with huge spaces The area became
very trendy. Art galleries opened soon, followed by many
restaurants and shops.
SoHo is known for its famous art galleries such as Leo
Castlli's art gallery which he opened in 1968.
SoHo's architecture is characterized by its cast-iron
buildings from the 19th century, and the 26 blocks
between Canal, West Houston and Crosby Streets and
Broadway were classified as an historic district in 1973.
Museum for African Art:
593 - Broadway. Open year
round Tuesday to friday, 10.30am to 5.30pm
and on the weekends noon-6pm - Closed on major holidays.
$5
Information 212 966 1313
Guggenheim SoHo:
575 Broadway - Prince
street - Open Sun,Mon and Wed from 11am to 6pm ; Thursday
to Saturday from 11am to 22pm.
This is the SoHo branch of the Guggenheim museum.
Modern art exhibitions are presented in this wonderful
space renovated by the architect Arata Isokaki.
New Museum of Contemporay Art:
583 Broadway. Open year
round wed-sun noon-6pm- Closed major holidays - $4 -
Information 212 219-1355
This museum is dedicated to
contemporary art and exhibits original artists.
Conferences and debates are organized on political and
society issues.
Greene Street:
The heart of Soho cast-iron district. Here there are
more than 50 cast-iron buildings.
Those at 72-76 are known as the "King of Greene
Street" and those at 28-30 as "the Queen of
Greene Street". Both have been designed by the
architect J.F Duckworth in 1872 and 1873.
At the corner of Prince Street, you will Richard Haas'
muralist artwork.
Cast-iron buildings:
- The Roosevelt Building nē 478 Broadway designed by
Morris Hunt
- The Haughwout Building nē 490 Broadway is one the
oldest cat-iron buildings in the city.
Erected in 1857 for the E.V. Haughwout China and Glassware
company.
This building was the first to use Otis safety elevator,
which innovation made possible skycrapers.
- Singer Building
nē 561-563 Broadway
Built by Ernest Flagg in 1904, this building served as an
office and a wharehouse for the Singer Sewing Machine Company.
Tribeca
Tribeca begins south of Canal Street.
It used to be also an industrial arae. In the last 15
years ait has become a trendy neighborhood attracting art
galleries and restaurants.
Here you will see some very interesting cast-iron
buildings.
Sightseing by area
Getting there :
Subway :
- Lines D or F to Broadway-Lafayette
- Line 6 to Bleeker St
- Line N & R to Prince St
For Canal Street
- Line 1 or 9 , 7th ( Ave/Broadway)
- Line A, C or E (8th Avenue)
Museums
- Guggenheim Museum SoHo
- Museum for African Art
- New Museum for Contemporary Art
- New York Fire Museum
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