Tribeca

Cast-iron warehouses turned into loft homes, wide cobblestone streets and the Hudson waterfront, ten minutes from Wall Street by subway.

Tribeca has been where New Yorkers go for space and quiet since the old warehouses emptied out in the 1970s. The district kept its shape: loading docks, iron columns and streets wide enough to hold a farmers market.

The best homes are the full-floor lofts in converted cold-storage and mercantile buildings, with fifteen-foot ceilings, oversized windows and original beams. Newer boutique condo buildings sit between them, and the penthouses on the upper floors are some of the most sought-after in the city.

Life revolves around the neighborhood itself. Mornings start with a walk along the river in Hudson River Park, weekends belong to Washington Market Park and the restaurants on Greenwich Street, and every spring the film festival fills the streets. Many buyers come for the privacy and stay for good.