Tribeca, originally written as TriBeCa, is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Its name is a portmanteau from “Triangle Below Canal Street”. The “triangle”, or more accurately, a trapezoid, is bounded by Canal Street, West Street, Broadway, and either Chambers or Vesey Streets. The area was among the first residential neighborhoods developed in New York beyond the boundaries of the city during colonial times, with residential development beginning in the late 18th century. Tribeca is dominated by former industrial buildings that have been converted into residential buildings and lofts, similar to those of the neighboring SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood was a center of the textile/cotton trade. During the late 1960s and ’70s, abandoned and inexpensive Tribeca lofts became hot-spot residences for young artists and their families because of the seclusion of lower Manhattan and the vast living space. Jim Stratton, a Tribeca resident since this period, wrote the 1977 nonfiction book entitled “Pioneering in the Urban Wilderness,” detailing his experiences renovating lower Manhattan warehouses into residences. By the early 21st century, Tribeca became one of Manhattan’s most fashionable and desirable neighborhoods, well known for its celebrity residents. Today there are many bars, restaurants and art galleries in Tribeca, among them are Robert De Niro‘s Tribeca Grill and the Greenwich Hotel. read more…
