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Neighborhood Profile: SoHo

soho new york city

With its striking cast-iron architecture and trendy atmosphere, SoHo is undoubtedly one of New York City’s hippest and hottest neighborhoods. It’s also become an increasingly popular business location for advertising, tech and creative firms in recent years. Though not an optimal choice for every business, SoHo is an excellent choice for certain niche sectors… if you could afford the rent, of course!

Overview

SoHo, short for south of Houston Street and also a reference to the Soho neighborhood in London, is located in Lower Manhattan and roughly bounded by Houston Street to the north, Crosby Street to the east, Sixth Avenue to the west and Canal Street to the south.

Its famed for its impressive collection of cast-iron buildings constructed in the middle of the 19th century as textile manufacturing factories and warehouses. Largely abandoned after World War II, the neighborhood was later revitalized as an artists’ enclave in the 1970s and later became an internally renowned upscale shopping destination. It’s accessible by the A, C, E, 1, 2, N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6, <6>, B, D, F and M trains as well as several MTA bus routes.

Advantages

One of the neighborhood’s key advantages is its prime location and wealth of transit options. Its central location makes it easy to get to from many subway lines, offering the convenience that few other neighborhoods can boast of. In addition, the area, with its plethora of cast-iron buildings, offers loft-like offices with high ceilings and open floor plans, making it ideal for marketing agencies, digital creative firms and tech companies. It’s trendy vibe, historic architecture and youthful energy are also big draws for creative firms who want to be on the cutting edge, not somewhere stuffy and formal like Midtown East.

Disadvantages

The area’s office stock, dating back to the 19th century, has small floorplates and limited, confined spaces, making it very inefficient for larger firms seeking large floorplates and modern office space. Financial firms, banks, major media companies and international corporations would all definitely feel out of place here. In addition, the neighborhood is pricey, lacks direct access to regional transit hubs like Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal and also suffers from a lack of green space nearby.

Verdict

For youthful, creative companies in fields like fashion, design and digital marketing, this neighborhood is a great location. While a poor choice for financial institutions, law firms and other more at home in neighborhoods like Midtown, SoHo’s unique mix of historic architecture, creative energy and hip appeal make it perfect for smaller firms who want to be on the cutting edge of cool.