SoHo vs West Village vs Greenwich Village vs Tribeca? (New York: city hall, to rent)

[Americanboy]

Moving to New York soon. I'm usually in midtown when I visit but when I have time to explore, I like the vibe downtown.

I saw many beautiful downtown neighborhoods, the ones I recall most are SoHo, Greenwich Village, West Village and Tribeca.

Which one would be considered the better neighborhood? SoHo was nice but the areas I were in seemed very touristy. I liked the elegance of Tribeca. The parts I looked at in the West Village seemed nice, quiet and isolated and I loved it. Greenwich Village was nice too, touristy though. I'm sure I skipped a few.

Can't figure which is best. Anyone have experiences? I hear Tribeca is zoned for good public schools? I'm interested in 2 or 3 bedrooms and parking garage.

Thanks.

[Viralmd]

We could help you more if you give us your housing budget. Are you looking to rent or buy?

[tpk-nyc]

SoHo is very crowded; it can feel like Times Square on weekends. Tribeca, I believe, is the second most expensive Zip code in the city. It has the charm of downtown but not as much traffic (and lots of celebrities). 2 or 3 bedrooms with parking will cost millions.

If you have that kind of cash, why would you bother with public school?

[rollnrock]

I work in Soho, its very crowded on weekends, but its a good place. Tribeca only has 1 train line I believe. Greenwich Village is where NYU is located. West Village is the most expensive. They are all expensive areas in which to live.

[bmwguydc]

They are all great areas of Lower Manhattan. I lived in SoHo for a while, and enjoyed it immensely, but left because of the throngs of tourists that do have a tendency to clog the streets at peak hours. It's great, however, when it's not as crowded, but then again I have an affinity for the cast iron buildings. At times it can feel as though it's the heart of the energy of Lower Manhattan, which can be a good thing if you thrive on that vibe.

My ex used to live in TriBeCa and she liked it well enough, and this is a person who did not like NYC much at all. TriBeCa was a good compromise in terms of living in the city that she didn't like, and finding a balance. Transportation is a little more limited as are some shopping choices, but I am not the best person to ask about that since she and I both drove when living in Lower Manhattan.

The West Village is not a distinct neighborhood with defined boundaries, as it's a sub-neighborhood of Greenwich Village. The streets are from the early days of NYC and are not on the grid pattern, which can be a delight and a frustration. It's great if you know them, since you experience the ambiance of the winding lanes, but if you are looking for an address or a street, it can be an exercise in frustration for many. Greenwich Village is a nice area, and the recent uptick in crime has resulted in a heavier police presence, so I would not be overly concerned about the crime statistics.

It all depends upon what you seek in a neighborhood as to which one would be the best fit for you.

[Rudbeckia]

The west village is a neighborhood, its west of Greenwich Village not a part of it I thought. Greenwich Village is b/t west village and noho area

West Village is the best of the choices you listed IMO. It is quiet and adorable with brick, small streets and lots of cute restaurants and shops.

Be prepared to fork out the doe to live there though.

[bmwguydc]

Originally Posted by Rudbeckia

The west village is a neighborhood, its west of Greenwich Village not a part of it I thought. Greenwich Village is b/t west village and noho area

Actually, the traditional definition of Greenwich Village is all the way to the Hudson River, with the West Village being a part of it. The East Village has no association with Greenwich Village, despite the apparent connection with Greenwich Village by chosen name. This was done to separate it from its roots as part of the Lower East Side.

It's all crazy in Lower Manhattan, though, since the definition of what is and is not a separate area is getting quite small, what with the Meatpacking District, Hudson Square, etc. Many of the newly minted identities are marketing constructs and are not based upon any tangible differences in the neighborhood.

[clevedark]

I lived right next to Tribeca, near City Hall, and spent a lot of time in Tribeca with friends who lived there, restaurants, parks, and the park along the river and Battery Park. I loved the architecture and the quiet, the scale of the streets to the buildings, the relative lack of cars on the streets. It's a lovely part of NYC and if I ever were to move back I would definitely consider moving there.

There is a good elementary, PS 234, I think, but I'm not sure about the middle school. Unfortunately, I've read that due to overcrowing conditions in the school, residence in the district no longer guarantees a spot at PS 243. There is a new elementary school being built east of Broadway in that new residential tower, but that's not due to open for a couple of years.