Highline Park in the Meatpacking District
JULY VALDEON WHITE. - With its evocation of the industrial past, the Meatpacking District takes advantage of most of its spaces, huge meat stores, converted slaughterhouses , warehouses that are now cafeterias or lofts to host exclusive businesses. From the hand of young businessmen, top-level restorers, internationally famous designers and art collectors, the area experiences a second youth.
It is the emblem of an unstoppable New York, born in the 90s of the 20th century, when crime began to subside. Not even the shocking attacks of 2001 managed to stop its push, which has been consolidating until today. More than any other neighborhood, more even than the Lower East Side (still exciting, even despite the replacement of many of the old bars with designer venues), the Meatpacking District, literally, 'meatpacking district' , emphasizes the virtues and ambiguities of a city in perpetual reinvention.
Located on the west side of Manhattan Island , between the Hudson River, Chelsea, to the north, and the West Village, to the east and south, its history summarizes that of an island in which considerable industry flourished at the beginning of the 20th century. One hundred years later the factories, smokestacks and warehouses have been replaced by an astonishing array of services. Nothing new, you will say, because this has been the trend in all the world's metropolises. The industrial fabric shoots out towards the outskirts; the center is reserved for boutiques, apartments and hotels, restaurants, cinemas, museums, cafes, bookstores, etc. True, but we are talking about New York, where everything, even the conventional, has flavor, character, and unmistakable muscle.
The Meatpacking District offers that and more. An exciting, living history of a city committed to perpetual transformation. In 1900 the neighborhood contained more than two hundred slaughterhouses and meat warehouses. Wherever they go they will see, one after another, the old buildings. Far from being dilapidated dinosaurs, far from having been demolished to build gleaming and insipid housing complexes, they were restored in just a decade. Bought by owners with money and taste. Conditioned to establish a lavish network of clothing stores, nightclubs and bars that honor the past by adding splendor not exempt from healthy nostalgia . The twisted iron, the huge hooks, the rails of the carts, along with the sensational sculptures and the well-cared for dance floors, sparkle.
Before the resurrection in the 70-80s, meatpacking was dangerous territory , nested with premises of dubious reputation and the center of operations for the mafia, owner of numerous bars dedicated to sadomasochism. But AIDS, first, and the efforts to revive the city economically, later, brought together a large group of writers, graphic designers, restorers, businessmen, art collectors and filmmakers.
Conservation efforts received their just reward when in 2007 the city council declared the neighborhood a Historic Landmark. Armored, therefore, to the pickaxe. Protected so that future generations can enjoy the industrious history of an environment that in 1884 was designated to house the Gansevoort Meat Market, officially opened in 1950. Contrary to what one might think, the market is still open. It processes half a million kilos of meat a year. It is indispensable as a supplier to many of Manhattan's best restaurants. Coexist without problem with the spring of luxuries, velvet, gold, halogen and LED screens that appear through the many shop windows.
Meatpacking would not be the same without its contemporary art galleries , case of Heller (420 West 14th St.), ivy-brown (675 Hudson St.), hpgrp (529 West 20th St.) or the Bohen Foundation (415 West 13th St.) , which apart from exhibitions of emerging and renowned painters and/or sculptors, shows films and offers multimedia exhibitions in its basement. They are spaces conceived to the millimeter, beautiful, in which one can also enjoy concerts and readings. Not to mention the almost secret, but very interesting and disturbing, ground zero museum , the Ground Zero Museum Workshop (420 West 14th St.; tel. 212 209 3370), where it is recommended to call by phone to schedule a visit.
Add the many well-kept restaurants. The nightclubs frequented by a mix of locals, tourists and the occasional celebrity. The Apple store (401 West 14th St.; tel. 212 444 3400), one of the Californian giant's many locations in Manhattan, where you can still be amazed at its intelligent ability to renew itself and its unbeatable marketing. Of course, there are also the innumerable clothing and accessories boutiques , both from established designers and brands and from young talent: Alexander McQueen (419 West 14th St.), Charles Honey (408 West 14th St.), charles nolan (30 Gansevoort St.), Christian Louboutin (59 Horatio St.), etc From the latest jeans and leather jackets at Jean Shop (435 West 14th St.) to the lavish, handcrafted furnishings at **Hudson Furniture Inc.** (419 West 14th St.), everything in these streets gives off the unmistakable aroma of the good, the expensive, the exclusive.
Whoever wants a beer at nightfall in a less gilded environment would do well to approach Brass Monkey (55 Little West 12th St.), Irish brewery open Monday through Sunday until 4 a.m., while the Gaslight Lounge (400 West 14th St.) will win over lovers of retro styling. Kiss&Fly (409 West 13th St.) is a rave propelled between the Roman Empire peplum section and giant plasma screens. With its frequent circus performances, its immense space, its careful music and its parade of beautiful girls, it seems essential for lovers (with good taste) of nightclubs.
On the edge of the neighborhood, across the street into Chelsea, the visitor would do well to tour the spectacular chelsea market (boxed between 9th and 10th Ave, and between 15th and 16th streets), panoply of clothing stores, exquisite gastronomic offer, plump seafood restaurants and luminous wine warehouses located in the old factory where the famous Oreo cookies were manufactured for the first time. While the inaccessible upper floors are occupied by television studios (NY1, Oxygen Network, etc.) and showbusiness-related companies (EMI Music Publishing), the gloriously restored ground floor is a inexhaustible source of taste pleasures . Right next to it twinkles Morimoto (88 10th Ave.; tel. 212 989 8883), the famous Japanese-inspired restaurant run by chef and audiovisual star Masaharu Morimoto, star of Iron Chef, although fans of Japanese cuisine would do well to look for less expensive offers. trendy, less devoted to the visual mask.
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Address: 440 West 13th Street, New York View map
Guy: Neighborhoods