Soho Real Estate & Apartment Rentals

Canal Street North to Houston Street. Crosby Street to Sixth Ave. Nearby Subways 4, 5, 6, N, R, Q, W, F, V, J, M, Z

The blocks south of Houston (pronounced HOW-ston) and north of Canal streets are home to the city's largest concentration of the cast-iron fronted buildings, built as warehouses and manufacturing spaces, but converted to living spaces, called "lofts," for artists and sculptors who appreciated the larger spaces. These huge, 19th-century architectural gems (Victorian Gothic, Italianiate, and neo-Grecian among them) are prized by preservationists and the well-heeled bohemians of SoHo who call the neighborhood home.

Cobblestone streets are remnants of another time. Quaint blocks intersect, each offering something unique. Once a largely industrial area, warehouses were converted into huge loft studios for artists and into galleries to show their work. Things have come a long way.

Think: shopping, Manolos clicking on cobblestone, fashion, cosmopolitans, models and Sex and the City. SoHo is now one of the most exclusive and expensive areas in which to live. Demand is high for multi-million dollar lofts on streets lined with fashionable cafes and lounges, top-designer showrooms and the most raved about art.