SoHo - Nolita Real Estate

South of Greenwich Village and west of Little Italy, SoHo (which stands for South of Houston) is a relatively small area bounded roughly by Broadway, the Hudson River, Houston and Canal Streets. Its primary residential properties are in the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District along West Broadway. In the 1960s, artists began to move into this formerly industrial area in search of inexpensive and spacious studios and housing. By the early '70s, the presence of so many artists led to the area’s renaissance—the large loft spaces were dramatically restored, real estate values soared, and demand for space extended to other "undiscovered" areas nearby.

The tremendous popularity of the area took the City by surprise and soon the chic boutiques and galleries that catered to the art crowd were followed by international designers like Chanel and Prada and high-end housewares and furniture shops, a Barney's Co-op, an Apple store and apparel chains like Diesel and Camper. The neighborhood is now known for its world-class shopping—on weekends it becomes a bustling marketplace.

But there are still parts of the neighborhood where you'll find a relaxed, chic downtown atmosphere. Cobblestone streets, traditional restaurants and European-style coffee shops still delight local residents. The neighborhood's artist-anchored culture is held in place by cutting-edge galleries like Dietch Projects and the annual Art Parade which brings out the most creative SoHo pioneers as well as young newcomers.