SearchonGoogleandtypein“sohonyc,”thefirstimagethatpopsuparethesegreatcast ironbuildingswithcobblestoneroads,thathavetheirfirstfloorsrentedouttoluxurybrandstores andthetopfloorsareexpensiveManhattanloftsprimarilyhometoartists.(Fig.1)TodaySoHo isknownasahistoricdistrictandanartistneighborhoodbutbeforealltheforeignbrandsand creativesmovedintherewasessentiallynothing“SoHolike”atall.Tocometoastateof worldwiderecognition,theintroductionofprostitutionandexclusivebrothelsinfluencedthis spacetobecomethe“SoHo”thattouristsfromcitiesaroundtheworldstrivetoexperiencewith theirowneyes.
1TheearliestnotableuseofSoHowas“Manhattan’sfirstfreeBlacksettlementinthe mid-1600s.Inthe1640s,DutchWestIndiaCompanybeganallowing“half-freedom”toslaves whowereabletocreatesettlements,anothernameatthetimewouldbethe“Landofthe Blacks.”Duringthe18thcentury,theSoHoareafunctionedasfarmland(Fig.2)withaccessto CollectPondandtransitionedthroughurbandevelopmentaspopulationandindustrygrew
Whileunfortunatelythepondandstreambecamepollutedandmosquitoinfested,thisurgedfor thenecessarypavingandfillingofthisoncefarmlandandallowedfornewdevelopment.Middle classhousesandretailbusinessesbegintopopulatethespace,notablenamestoincludeare Tiffany&Co.andLord&Taylor.Thefirstcast-ironstructureinNewYorkwasbuiltin1848at thecornerofCentreandDuaneStreets.(Fig.10)Withbusinessbooming,morecastiron buildingswereconstructedaswellashotelsandstoresalongBroadway (Fig.3)Wherewesee lifeisthrivingwealsoseemoreentertainmentactivitiesopentothepublic,theatersandmusic hallsbegintodevelop.“Bythemid-19thCentury,BroadwaybetweenCanalandHoustonwas theentertainmentcapitalofthecity,whilethenearbystreetssupportedawell-knownredlight district.”Inthemid19thcentury,actsofprostitution2 werefoundinSoHowhich“formedthe city’sfirstsexdistrict.”Despitethese“specialdistricts,”venturingnorthwardthroughoutthe years,themethodofnavigatingthisworldremainedthesame,whichwasthroughprinted guidebooks.Thesecatalogshadalltheinformationneededtohelpfindspecificsexworkersin thenumerousbrothels.“Inthe1850s,patronsneededhelpfindingthecity’sillicitbrothelsthat lawenforcementmostlyturnedablindeyeto.”EssentiallyevenbeforewehadYelporGoogle
1 ColdwellBankerWarburg ABriefHistoryofSoHo 2017 ABriefHistoryofSoHo-ColdwellBankerWarburg: ColdwellBankerWarburg(cbwarburgcom)
2 Bottles,JuliaandChiwaya,Nigel.MAP:DiscovertheHiddenHistoryofNewRoek’sFirstSexDistricts.MAP: DiscovertheHiddenHistoryofNewYork'sFirstSexDistricts-Flatiron-NewYork-DNAinfo
Reviews,these“vestpocketbookswouldlistabrothel’saddress,proprietress’snameandoftena review.”Oftentimesthereareratingsabouthow“classy”onewascomparedtoothers,therewas alsodataoftheheadcountofworkers.These“assignationhouses”rentedfurnishedroomsfor unmarriedcouplesormenwhoareseekingforaprostitutetheyrecentlymet.NewYork’s populationincreasedduringthefirsthalfofthe19thcenturyfrom“roughly60,000in1800to morethan515,000in1850.LowerManhattanbecametooovercrowdedwhichinfluencedthe middleclassandupperclasstomovetomoderndayChelseaandFlatiron.Asmanufacturing increasedthisledtomiddleclassresidentswantingtomoveuptownwithnewavailablereal estate.The8thWardlostroughly25%ofitsresidentialpopulationfrom1860to1865.(Fig.5) Landlordstookadvantageoftheunusedhousingforconvertingthemintobrothels.Thekey featurewasnewbuildingswithmultiplebedroomscreatedthe“idealparlorhouses,”withasmall workforceofwomenandfeaturingprivateentrancesthatareonlyaccessibleduringreserved appointments.“ThesebrothelsworkedinharmonywithaburgeoningtourismindustryinSoHo.”
Tokeeptouristsentertained,thereweremanytheatersbeingbuiltalongwithrestaurantsand nightclubsattached.Inthelasttwodecadesofthe19thcentury,thereweremanyarrestsand grandjuryindictmentsforoperatingbrothels.Manyoftheoldparlorandboardinghouseswere knockeddowntocreatemixedusebuildings.Inthe1920s,prostitutionwasshunneddueto progressivereformlawsandeventuallymovedtothetelephonewhichmadeitmorediscreetfor arrangements.Atthesametime,largescalemanufacturers(metal,glass,textile)tookadvantage ofthevacantspace(Fig.4)byexpandingandbuildinglargerwarehousesandfactories,“using cast-irontechniquestoaccommodatelargemachineryandsizableworkforces.”Thesecompanies remainedinSoHountilafterWWII,eventuallytheymovedoutsouthorintoNewJerseyand Brooklyn.
3ThisbarrenneighborhoodbecameknownasHell’sHundredAcres,sweatshops, parkinggarages,andgasstationscametofillthe“unwanted”commercialspaces.Itwasn’tuntil wereachedthe1960swesawartistsemergeandclaimtheseabandonedbuildings.Theywere abletofinduseinthe“oversizedloftspaces,highceilings,andamplenaturallight,andof course,thecheaporfreeaccommodations.”In1961,theNewYorkCityFireandBuildings DepartmentsthreatenedartistsmovingintoSoHowithevictionduetothefactthatthese buildingsare“firetraps.”Thetrademarkofthename“SoHo”wasn’tgivenuntil1963,whencity
3 BoweryBoys TheStoryofSoHo:TheIron-CladHistoryof‘Hell’sHundredAcres’2017 TheStoryofSoHo: TheIron-CladHistoryof'Hell'sHundredAcres'-TheBoweryBoys:NewYorkCityHistory (boweryboyshistorycom)
plannerChesterRapkinusedtheterminacityplanningreport.Thiswasduringthetimewhen RobertMosesintroducedhisLowerManhattanExpresswayplan(Fig.6)thatwouldhave destroyedwhatweknowasSoHoandotherdowntownneighborhoodswitharoadwaylinking theManhattanandWilliamsburgbridgestotheHollandTunnel.(Fig.7)Knowingthatthereare hundredsofartistslivingillegallyinSoHobuildingszonedformanufacturing,in1969,the DepartmentofCityPlanningconductedasurveythatresultedintherezoningofSoho.The BoardofEstimatesin1971,madeitlegalforcertifiedartiststoliveinjointlivingandwork quarters(JLWQ)inthenewlyzonedSoHoarea.(Fig.8)In1986,allresidentsofSoHoand NoHoweregrantedaone-timeapprovalbuteventodayitisillegalforresidentialunitstolacka certified-artistoccupantintheM1-MAandM1-MBzoningdistricts,althoughenforcementby boardsandbuildingownershasbeeninfrequent.(Fig.9)TheNewYorkCityLandmarks PreservationCommission4 designatedtheSoHo-CastIronHistoricdistrictin1973, approximately500buildingswereprotected.(Fig.13)In2010,theSoHo-CastIronHistoric DistrictExtensionwascreatedtoprotectanadditional100-plusbuildingsalongtheeasternand westernbordersoftheoriginaldistrict.(Fig.14)
ThroughthemanystagesofSoHo,notonlydidweseehowsuccessfulNewYorkCity neighborhoodsprevailedthroughmanyobstaclesbuthowitwasinfluencedbymanyoutside factorsthatpeopledonottypicallyrealize. 5Thefirstsettlerswerenotrichnorhadanysupport fromthegovernmentatthetimetobeabletogrowandthrive.Thefarmlandwasnotonly influencedbythepeoplewholivedtherebutalsobytheecosysteminvolvedlikethemosquitos thatforcedtheclosureofthepond.Ittookyearsformoresettlerstorealizehowvaluablethis areaisduetoitslocationandopenplotsofland.Thefirstmerchantsandmanufacturerstookthe chancetostarttheirbusinessesherewithoutknowingwhetherornottheywouldbeableto survivelongterm. 6Youmaycallitastrokeofluckorbychancebutbusinesswasboomingand thepopulationwasgrowingfast.Oncethere’sasolidfoundationthennecessaryamenitiesmust
4 NYCLPC HistoricDistrictMapsforManhattan 2022
https://www.nyc.gov/site/lpc/designations/historic-district-manhattan.page
5 Barr,A SoHo,NewYork:MixedUse,DensityandthePoweroftheMyth 2007 https://sohomemory.org/sites/default/files/documents/2018 03 12 documents
informational SoHo New York Pa per alastair barr ndpdf
6 Lynch,M SOHO-FROMBOHOTOBOBO:TheBusinessEstablishmentsofWestBroadway 2011
https://sohomemoryorg/sites/default/files/filefield paths/2018 03 12 documents
informational From Boho to S oHo m Lynch 2011.pdf
beabletokeepsettlersoccupiedandwantingtostay.Hereweseethebeginningsofvarious entertainmentservicesandthisenlightenshowcultureandsocialvaluesareanimportantpartof theseneighborhoods.It'snotjustaboutmoney,thepeoplehavetofeelincludedandbeaware thattheirparticipationisimportant.Whilethetypesofentertainmentarechangingovertimedue tochangesinculture,westillseeapatternofhumanbaseddevelopmentwheretheirinterestsare factoredintohowlifeshouldbeplanned.Fromtheaterperformancestohiddenbrothels,lightto largescalemanufacturing,theuseschangeorevolveovertime.Astechnologybecomesmore advancedweseefurtherexpansionandurbandevelopment,moreopportunitiesandpossibilities areunlockedtoagaincreateathrivingneighborhood.TherewasnoonesetuseofSoHowhich madeituniquecomparedtootherneighborhoods,themixtureoftheoldandnewattractedall kindsofpeopleandiswhatmakesitstandout.Weseeanexampleofacrocsstore(Fig.12) reusinganoldbuildingthatwasonceafoodmarketmanyyearsago.(Fig.11)Notmanydistricts inNewYorkCityorevenintheworldcanaccomplishthesamegoals.Butlikeeverysuccess storytherewerealsotimesofcompletesilencethatlefttheneighborhoodwonderingifitwasat itsend.ThetitleofHell’sHundredAcresisaheckofanachievement,thenamealonecanbe readastheultimateendingtothisoncesuccessstorythatstartedfromthegroundup,farmlandto entertainmentcapital.ThemainplayerswhostartedtheSoHosuccessstoryendedupleavingfor morespaceandbetteraccommodations.Theonethingthatkeptitfromgoingunderthatmany wouldnothavethoughtofatthetimewasthecastironarchitecture.Buildingsmadeoutofcast ironallowedlowcosts,highdurability,andextrastrengthtosupportlargewindows.An impressivemodelatthetimethattodayit'sadmiredbyvisitorsaroundtheworld.It’shardto believethesehistoricbuildingswereonceoccupiedforautomobilecareservices.Eveninplaces withnohope,miraclescanhappen. 7Thegroupofpeoplewhoappreciatedtheselargewindows exposedtonaturallightweretheartists.Withoutproperhomesandnostablesourcesofincome, theseundesirablespacesbecametheirsanctuarywheretheyarefreetoexpressthemselves.This wasdifferentfromwhenthetheatersandbrothelsweredominatingthesestreets,anewtypeof classfullofcreativesthatwerefreetoshowcaseawiderangeofthoughtsandideas.Thetop floorsofthesecastironbuildingswerelivingspacesandthebottomfloorsweregalleries.Over
timemoregalleriessproutedandmoreartistswerefillingtheseonceabandonedspaces.You wouldthinkthiswouldbethethingtofinallycementthesuccessofSoHo?Wellyouthought wrong,herecomesRobertMosesandhisallpowerfulLowerManhattanExpresswayplanthat willputSoHoalongwithotherdowntownneighborhoodsonthe“choppingblock.”Hisideawas tocreatearoadwaylinkingtheManhattanandWilliamsburgBridgestotheHollandTunnel,but whoisactuallybenefitingfromthisplan?Thewealthyfolkswhocanaffordcarsanddemandto beabletodrivewheneverandwhereverwhodon’trealizetheimpactithasontheentire population.ThankfullythisplanwasneverabletopushforwardbutRobertMosesdidn’t actuallynegativelyinfluenceSoHo,ifanythingheplayedapartinwhatmakesitsospecial today.ItwasnotintentionalbutMosesputSoHoonthemapandsavedit.Peoplerealizedhow importantthelivesoftheresidentsandworkersinthisneighborhoodcontributedtothe sustainabilityofNewYorkCity Theartistswereabletostaybutwithplanningbecomingmore awareoflivingstandards,zoninglawswereimplementedandSoHowasonceagainthreatened tobecomeemptyonceagain. 8Itwasandstillisillegaltoliveinmanufacturingdistrictsbut fortunatelythecitydecidedtokeepSoHoasaspecialdistrictthentheartistsmustbecertifiedto liveinthesenowloftyunitswithspaciousroomswithsufficientaccesstolightandair.
Witheverygoodendingthereisanewbeginning,SoHowasdesignatedahistoricdistrict inthe1970sandrecentlywasexpanded.Takingastepbacktolookatthebigpicture,wesee farmlandeventuallybecomingahistoricdistrict,thatisnowoccupiedbycreativesandmany retailbrands,thatopenitsdoorstothousandsofvisitorsperyear Ithasbecometodayan
“9alluringdestinationwhereprestigiousglobalbrandsmustvisitflagshipstoresanddiscerning buyersscrambletoobtaintheirownbitofNewYorkCityhistory.”Letthatinformationsinkin andkeepinmindSoHo’sstoryisnotendingyetandthefutureisbright.
8 SoHoMemoryProject.AreThereStillArtistsLivinginSoHo?2016. https://sohomemoryorg/are-there-still-artists-living-in-soho#:~:text=In%201969%2C%20the%20Department%20of, the%20newly%2Dzoned%20SoHo%20area
9 ColdwellBankerWarburg ABriefHistoryofSoHo 2017 ABriefHistoryofSoHo-ColdwellBankerWarburg: ColdwellBankerWarburg(cbwarburg.com)
ListofFigures
1. WomanwalkinginSoHo,takenfromGoogleImages
2. WestBayardFarm,photofromBoweryBoys
3. TheBroadwayEntertainmentDistrictin1836,photobyNYPL
4. 504-506BroomeStreet,photobyBereniceAbbott(NYPL)
5. Auctionposterfrom1872forBroomeStreetandSouthFifthAvenueorLaurensStreet, photofromMCNY
6. LowerManhattanExpressway(proposed),photobyCollectionMTABridgesand TunnelsSpecialArchive
7. LowerManhattanExpressway,mapproducedbyvanshnookenraggen
8. (Left)SoHoArtistsAssociationRecords,1968-1978,ArchivesofAmericanArt (SmithsonianInstitution)
9. (Right)SoHoArtistsAssociationRecords,1968-1978,ArchivesofAmericanArt (SmithsonianInstitution)
10.TheFirstCast-IronHouseinNewYork,photofromNYPL
11. (Left)491BroadwayatBroomeStreetin1905,CharlesVonUrbanCollection(MCNY)
12.(Right)491BroadwayatBroomeStreettoday,photobytheWurtsBros.
13.SoHo-CastIronHistoricDistrict,mapbyNYCLPC
14.SoHo-CastIronHistoricDistrictExtension,mapbyNYCLPC
WorksConsulted
Barr,A.SoHo,NewYork:MixedUse,DensityandthePoweroftheMyth.2007.
https://sohomemory.org/sites/default/files/documents/2018_03_12_documents_informational_So Ho_New_York_Paper_alastair_barr_nd.pdf
Bottles,JuliaandChiwaya,Nigel.MAP:DiscovertheHiddenHistoryofNewRoek’sFirstSex Districts.MAP:DiscovertheHiddenHistoryofNewYork'sFirstSexDistricts-Flatiron-New York-DNAinfo
Bowen,Christopher.SOHO:HISTORY,ART,CULTURE-ANDPLENTYOFSHOPPING. 2001.SOHO:HISTORY,ART,CULTURE–ANDPLENTYOFSHOPPING(nypost.com)
BoweryBoys.TheStoryofSoHo:TheIron-CladHistoryof‘Hell’sHundredAcres.’2017.The StoryofSoHo:TheIron-CladHistoryof'Hell'sHundredAcres'-TheBoweryBoys:NewYork CityHistory(boweryboyshistory.com)
Burdan,E.SOHO:NEWYORKCITY:ArtistsintheShadowofUrbanDevelopment.2016.
https://sohomemory.org/sites/default/files/documents/2018_03_12_documents_informational_So Ho_New%20York_Artists_in_the_Shadow_of_Urban_Development_2016.pdf
ColdwellBankerWarburg.ABriefHistoryofSoHo.2017.ABriefHistoryofSoHo-Coldwell BankerWarburg:ColdwellBankerWarburg(cbwarburg.com)
Denniscallan.SoHoandGreenwichVillage,NewYork.2018.SoHoandGreenwichVillage, NewYork-YouTube
Easterly,W.,Freschi,L.,&Pennings,S.ALongHistoryofaShortBlock:FourCenturiesof DevelopmentSurprisesonaSingleStretchofaNewYorkCityStreet.2015.
https://sohomemory.org/sites/default/files/documents/2018_03_12_documents_informational_A_ Long_History_of_a_Short_Block_william_easterly_2015.pdf
Lynch,M.SOHO-FROMBOHOTOBOBO:TheBusinessEstablishmentsofWestBroadway. 2011.
https://sohomemory.org/sites/default/files/filefield_paths/2018_03_12_documents_informational _From_Boho_to_SoHo_m_Lynch_2011.pdf
NYCCulturalAffairs.ArtistCertification.2022.
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dcla/downloads/pdf/artist_certification.pdf
NYCLPC.HistoricDistrictMapsforManhattan.2022.
https://www.nyc.gov/site/lpc/designations/historic-district-manhattan.page
O’Connor,David.NoOneLivedinSoHo.ThentheArtistsMovedin.2016.NoOneLivedin SoHo.ThentheArtistsMovedin.|HistoryNewsNetwork
Ohta,Yukie.SoHoMemoryProject.2022.Home|SoHoMemoryProject. SoHoMemoryProject.AreThereStillArtistsLivinginSoHo?2016.
https://sohomemory.org/are-there-still-artists-living-in-soho#:~:text=In%201969%2C%20the%2 0Department%20of,the%20newly%2Dzoned%20SoHo%20area
Spitzer,Kaitlyn.SoHo.2022.SoHo–HistoryofNewYorkCity(shu.edu)
TheNewYorkPreservationArchiveProject.Soho-CastIronHistoricDistrict.2022.SoHo-Cast IronHistoricDistrict|NYPAP
TheNewYorkPublicLibraryDigitalCollections.SOHO.2022.Searchresults-"SOHO"NYPLDigitalCollections
Tingley,JudithK.TheHistoryofSOHONYC.2018.TheHistoryofSOHONYC (usatoday.com)
Urbanist:ExploringCities.NEWYORKCITYTOUR:DarkSecretsofSoHo.2019.NEW YORKCITYTOUR:DarkSecretsofSoHo-YouTube
WalksofNewYork.NewYork’sSoHo:AVisitor’sGuide.2012.NewYork'sSoHo:AVisitor's Guide-WalksofNewYork