Tribeca’s rebirth became possible only with the postwar decline of Lower Manhattan as a manufacturing and shipping nexus. Artists, priced out of vanishing Greenwich Village studios in the ’60s and ’70s, ventured across Canal Street and found huge empty lofts filled with light and air—and cheap rents. Where starving artists established their village, hipness followed and, eventually, the well-heeled and fashionable. In the ’80s, residential rezoning and redevelopment attracted Wall Street financiers and SoHo fashionistas from their neighboring districts....
Tribeca’s rebirth became possible only with the postwar decline of Lower Manhattan as a manufacturing and shipping nexus. Artists, priced out of vanishing Greenwich Village studios in the ’60s and ’70s, ventured across Canal Street and found huge empty lofts filled with light and air—and cheap rents. Where starving artists established their village, hipness followed and, eventually, the well-heeled and fashionable. In the ’80s, residential rezoning and redevelopment attracted Wall Street financiers and SoHo fashionistas from their neighboring districts.
Where is Tribeca Located in NYC?
Tribeca is located in Downtown Manhattan, bordering SoHo, the West Village, Chinatown, and the Financial District.
- East to West Boundaries: Broadway to West St.
- North to South Boundaries: Canal St. to Chambers St.
- Subways: 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R
- Ticket Out of the City: The Holland Tunnel
What to Do in Tribeca?
The “godfather” of the Tribeca scene is actor Robert De Niro, who found a loft in the neighborhood to train for 1980’s Raging Bull. He ended up living there. Since then, he established Tribeca Productions, a film and television company; two restaurants (the Tribeca Grill and the celebrity-mobbed sushi venue Nobu); the Greenwich Hotel; and the famous Tribeca Film Festival, which draws three million attendees annually. Outside the buzz surrounding the latest A-list-approved nightspots, Tribeca’s quiet streets, offbeat shops, and old-fashioned atmosphere combine to create an oasis of calm, far removed from the hubbub of Chinatown and the Financial District.
Tribeca’s museums include New York’s tiniest at 4 Cortlandt Alley: Mmuseumm, a mind-blowing, 80-square-foot space housing an ever-changing display of exquisitely curated objects: “censored Saudi Arabian pool toys,” pebbles from a prison yard, “fake fast food franchises of Iran” and so on. Artists Space, at 55 Walker St., and its exhibitions are dedicated to support for contemporary art and “emerging artists and emerging ideas.” Mid-career and emerging artists are on display in the Alexander and Bonin gallery, and Postmasters Gallery. Notable artists associated with Tribeca include Laurie Anderson, sculptors Richard Serra and James Havard, Red Grooms, Bill Barrett, Arman, Richard Tuttle, and painter-printmaker John Shaw.
What to See in Tribeca?
Tribeca’s designated historic districts contain some of the earliest examples of cast-iron architecture. Many of the original lofts and warehouses have been reimagined as luxury condominiums. The most desirable are the celebrity-filled 443 Greenwich Street and the circa-1882 Sugar Loaf Building at 155 Franklin Street. Other late 18th- and early 19th-century survivors include the elegant, Federal-style rowhouses of Harrison Street.
The district’s mercantile heritage lingers on Lispenard Street in the cast-iron façades of four- and five-story buildings that housed storefronts, showrooms, and storage lofts. There’s the city’s most famous firehouse at North Moore and Varick, the Beaux Arts home of Hook & Ladder Co. 8, immortalized in the Ghostbusters films.
Where to Eat in Tribeca?
Tribeca, like its restaurants and bars, is understatedly elegant. Catering to the eclectic tastes of its residents, the neighborhood’s dining options range from classic comfort-food joints to top-of-the-market sushi bars. Adding another layer of culinary creativity are Tribeca’s three Michelin-rated establishments: Jungsik and Atera, with two stars each, and Bâtard, with one star.
How Many People Live in Tribeca?
Population: 17,474 (2015 data)
Tribeca Map: Homes on the Market
