1973: Soho designated city historic district

Soho, the growing artist neighborhood that was once a thriving manufacturing district, was designated as a historic district by the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission 41 years ago this month.

The Soho-Cast Iron Historic District was bounded by West Broadway, Houston, Canal and Crosby streets, and included 26 city blocks given character by 19-century loft buildings with cast-iron facades. The law made it more difficult to tear down or alter the approximately 500 buildings within the neighborhood.

The vote for the city’s 23rd historic district came three years after New York allowed artists to occupy Soho’s former mercantile buildings for residential and studio use. That drove up real estate values and brought in an influx of art galleries and restaurants (from The Real Deal).