Living in Soho
Soho has long since been marked as Manhattan’s ‘cultural heart’. Now however, it has revolutionised into a very lively and attractive spot for craftsmen and artists who rally from all over the world to bask in its enchanting beauty. But ‘Manhattan’s cultural heart’ is not the only name that Soho is known by, it is also called the ‘Cast Iron District’ because of the multitude of buildings here that used cast iron during construction. Perhaps paralleled only by the Madison Avenue, Soho houses some of the swankiest homes and commercial structures. Soho has much to offer. What with numerous extravagant boutiques, captivating art galleries and attractive restaurants, everyone is able to enjoy the hotspot that is Soho.
The Name, the Area, and the Art
SoHo stands for ‘South of Houston Street- literally describing its location, it has turned into a model for names of the latest neighbourhoods such as TriBeCa(Triangle Below Canal Street) and NoHo(North of Houston Street).
Soho covers an area of about quarter of a mile, squared. Though the area it covers isn’t very large, it still has a rounded figure of about 200 restaurants, 250 art galleries, 4 restaurants, and above 100 stores. The region is popular for its cast iron edifices, and rightly so, seeing as it has the highest number of such structures in all of New York. Though these buildings were previously used as manufacturing spots and warehouses, they now function as exorbitant apartments and provide artists of all kinds with work and living spaces. These huge structures from the 19th century are preserved by those who have a passion for art in architecture and the bohemians, who marvel at its Italianate, Victorian, and Neo-Grecian qualities
Popular Buildings
The Police Building
This structure is indeed a very fabulous one. With ornate structural designs and its marvellous Baroque revival style, it is easily the best police building you will find in New York. It is domed, with lion statues that guard the entrance. It seems more like an Italian castle, and has a number of apartments that also depict the same designs, what with large ceilings and pre-war windows. From the 1920’s-1940’s, the building served as Police Headquarters, and it was also among the earliest commercial buildings in America that were converted into residential apartments.
Condos
The 34 Green Street is a cast-iron building that’s been altered into a condo which stands on a cobblestone block between Grand and Canal Street. Amongst many, it was designed as a boutique condo and consists of private keyed-elevators connected to its high-end apartments that fill up its seven floors. It has a remarkable finishing which makes it all the more attractive, featuring the Calacata marble islands upon restored brick and wide plain oak doors, and soaking tubs made of- take a guess- cast iron. The apartments have Schiffini kitchens, laundry rooms, fireplaces, wet bars, and some with terraces.
Boutiques
For those in search of trendy clothes, the names/locations of some of Soho’s popular boutiques are:
- The Cantre Street
- Soho Mews
- 40 Mercer Street
- No.22 Renwick
- 505 Greenwich Street
- 300 Spring Street condominium
- The Trump Soho Hotel condominium
- The Urban Glass House
Demographics
Surveys conclude that 53% of Soho’s residents are unmarried, 30% married, 7% separated, 4% widowed. Also, 87% of its households don’t have any children.
Recreation
Soho’s parks are not as popular as its bars and clubs, which are a popular attraction for visitors. Only the Soho Park provides a getaway from the city’s hustle and bustle. It has a new kind of garage-garden that has great food and drinks. Here is where you need to go for some well-needed quiet time.
The Party Scene
Soho has a number of nightclubs and pubs, as well as casual lounges and restaurants. Amongst the very popular ones is La Serene, a beautiful restaurant with amazing food that is a popular attraction for tourists. There is the Anchor Bar which has a very festive late-night scene; the Antarctica, where visitors can play pool or watch a game on the widescreen TV; the Greenhouse, New York’s very first Environment-friendly nightclub which is open to a vast number of singles; and the Madam X, which is both a lounge and a bar that has many party rooms and spots that allow for private conversations and gathering. This bar has a very lively party scene and it stays upon until 4a.m in the morning.
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