Things to Do in SoHo New York: Shops, Art and Cast Iron

Until the late 20th century, SoHo was a bohemian neighborhood full of artists drawn by the cheap rents. Today it's one giant open-air shopping mall and one of the best neighborhoods for shopping in New York.

The name SoHo comes from its location: South of Houston Street, making it one of the first neighborhoods to go by an acronym. It's an iconic Lower Manhattan neighborhood you shouldn't skip, and here's why.

What to See in SoHo, New York

Over the years SoHo has gone through several transformations: from working-class district to bohemian enclave, and from bohemian enclave to shopping destination. Look closely and you'll spot plenty of traces of its industrial and alternative past.

Take those signature cast-iron lofts, for example. They were factories that eventually moved out to the edges of the city.

Those abandoned buildings were converted into apartments and studios by young artists, which is how the famous lofts came about. Today they're luxury homes only celebrities and business moguls can afford, and their ground floors are filled with shops and boutiques.

The truth is that for a long time SoHo was the epicenter of New York's art scene. A few art galleries survive from that era, like the Drawing Center –35 Wooster Street– but with rents this high, most of them moved elsewhere, to Chelsea, the Meatpacking District and Long Island City in Queens.

Another cultural institution that has stuck around is the New York City Fire Museum -278 Spring Street- a museum devoted to the history of New York's firefighters, who this city owes a great deal to, as you'll learn in the exhibits.

Elizabeth Street Garden

When you visit SoHo, make a point of seeing the Elizabeth Street Garden, because its days may be numbered. It's on Elizabeth Street between Prince Street and Spring Street (technically it's in Nolita, but that's just a few blocks from SoHo).

The garden is one of those New York corners with a fascinating backstory: in 1990 Allan Reiver, an antiques dealer on Elizabeth Street, asked the city to let him lease the vacant lot next to his shop so he could display the sculptures he was selling.

Over the years Reiver cleared the space, planted trees and flowers, and never sold the sculptures. They stayed on to decorate this eclectic oasis in one of the most densely populated parts of Downtown Manhattan.

Sadly, in 2019 the «steward of the Elizabeth Street Garden» died in the middle of a legal battle with the city to protect the garden from plans to turn it into affordable housing.

Just like what happened with the creation of the High Line, whose rail tracks were slated for demolition, neighbors banded together to preserve the garden as a public space for the community. Fingers crossed they pull it off!

The good news is that the fight to preserve the Elizabeth Street Garden has picked up supporters like Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese and Patti Smith. Even so, the city is pressing ahead with its plans and eviction could come very soon 😭.

SoHo: A Shopping Neighborhood

These days SoHo is a major shopping district where you'll find luxury boutiques and stores from most of the big-name brands and chains.

If you like to shop, SoHo is a smart stop, especially Prince Street, where the shops come thick and fast.

You can also walk south along Broadway and watch the stores pile up one after another. These are streets made for losing yourself in shopping bags.

Now, if you're after something special, the MoMA Design Store is a must (81 Spring Street). It's a fabulous shop full of the design objects you'd find at the Museum of Modern Art gift shop.

The Cast Iron Historic District

In New York, the origins of a neighborhood often have little to do with its modern profile. SoHo is a prime example. In the 19th century it was known as «Hell's Hundred Acres» because of how often it caught fire. Back then it was an industrial district by day and a nightlife hub by night, full of speakeasies and brothels.

Later in the 19th century, wood gave way to steel, which allowed for taller and less flammable buildings. The interesting part is that the structures were made to look like wood, when they're actually iron (give the building columns a few taps and listen for the metallic ring).

Around 500 of these Cast-Iron Buildings remain today, making up the Cast Iron District, a designated New York landmark district.

These cast-iron buildings, with their signature fire escapes, are a favorite backdrop for photographers and filmmakers. So yes, SoHo is worth a visit.

NoHo

While you're at it, wander through NoHo, the small neighborhood north of Houston Street packed with culture, restaurants and bars just above SoHo.

Address

SoHo is bounded by Houston Street to the north, Canal Street to the south, Bowery to the east and the Hudson River to the west. Its neighbors are NoHo, Little Italy, Tribeca and the West Village.

Getting there

Subway lines 1, A, C, E. Stations between Canal and Houston streets.