NOHO (view all listings)

Noho (NOrth of HOuston Street) is a wonderful fusion of residential nirvana and retail heaven (or madness!) Spacious airy lofts are the order du jour while trendy shops, avant-garde restaurants, hot night haunts, and popular retailers like Tower Records and Crate and Barrel clamor for attention. Noho stretches north from Houston Street to East 9th Street and east from Broadway and Mercer to Lafayette Street and the west side of Cooper Square. Originally, artists occupied most of the residential lofts in the 1970's and '80s, but now there are a wide variety of homeowners. Lawyers, bankers and many professionals as well as celebrities, artists and writers all live in creative harmony here.

The blocks east of Broadway hold a certain magic: wide cobblestone streets pave the way to huge celebrity-owned lofts (David Bowie, Lauren Hutton), not to mention some of the city's finest boutiques and restaurants. There are also a number of young, edgy companies (publishers, record companies and others) in the converted spaces along Broadway. In fitting with Noho's creative bent, beautiful architecture abounds. Along Broadway, you'll find many different styles including Neo-Greco, Renaissance, Romanesque and Classical. There are also many gorgeous 19th Century townhouses, which are part of Noho's historic district. With some of the city's best restaurants and trendiest nightlife, Noho is a highly popular neighborhood.